News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1896-02-13
SHOULD YOUNG MEN ENGAGE IN
POLITICS?
George NJ. Powers in "The vermonter.

George NJ. Powers in "The vermOnter."
Citizenship involves obligations
commensurate with it's privileges. 1t
cOnfers the most important rights,
and imposes corresponding duties.
He who shares the former, should
discharge the latter. The right to
participate in the political affairs of
town, state and nation, carries with
it the duty so to dO-intelligently
Independently and conscientiously.
The young men of our State are
coming to realize this fact more and
more, and properly so. Not that |
should have every young man adopt
politics as profession, or become
persistent and constant candidate
for political bOnors; but | would
have the young men aroused to a
keener appreciation of their poIiti-
cal responsibilities and a more active
interest in their intelligent discharge.
In State like ours, where the size
of maiorities is alone in doubt, it is
not to be expected that political en-
thusiasm will be kept continually
aroused withoutcOnstant effort. The
young man should cheerfuly assume
his part of the work. 1t is his first
duty to form political opinions of his
own; not hastily or by Inheritance,
but independently and honestly. He
should then ally himself with the
party of his choice. | believe it is as
much the duty of young man to
"come to q conclusion" on these
matters, and to identify himself with
some political organiaztion-tO at
tend its meetings, and to participate
in its wOrk-as it is to have definite
religious opinions, and to associate
himself with some denomination and
contribute to its support. This
might prOfitably be suggested from
the pulpit some Sunday. | would
not care for partisan sermons, but
nOn-partisan political sermons oc-
Casionally would accomplish much
good. Ministers themselves, as
rule, are the hardest class in the COM
munity to get out to the polls. This
should not be so. | have no patience
with any man who declines to cast
his ballot because che is not interest
ed in politics" Our politics are clean
enough so that no one need fear con-
tamination from them. The course
adopted by our party in this State.
has not at all times tended to en-
courage activity among the young
men; especially is this true in munici
pal affairs, where, as n rule, only the
elderly men have been allowed to sit
on the front seats. This criticism
must not be carried too far; the
young men have no grievance to be
redressed; they find much less fault on
this account, than our Democratic
friends would have it appear. 1t is
true that the young men in that
party have been more favored with
political nominations than in ours;
but doubt if such would have been
the case, at least to the same extent,
if such nomination involved the
slightes possibility of election. There
has been q marked change in the
policy of our party in this respect in
recent years not only here at
home, but throughout the country.
The present House of Representatives
at Washington, includes a larger per-
centage of young Republicans than
ever before, and our own legislature
grows younger as the sessions go by.
This result is due largely to the in
creased interest of the young men
themselves; for the still further
increase of which the Young Mems
Republican Club of Vermont was
organized. Young" and "old,"
are mere relative terms at best;
youth shades off into middle age so
imperceptably, that it is difficult if
notimpossible to distinguish between
them, and it does not seem best to
attempt to draw the line between
them, lest-like Schomburgk's-it
should necessitate International ar
bitration and possibly war!
The young man is in politics, and |
hope he is in to stay. His purpose is
both subjective and objective; he
seeks to improve himself and his
neighbor, and bring both into great
er knowledge and activity. He comes
with no new or startling principle to
announce, with no novel policy to
urge, with no especial reform to ac-
complish, with no particular office
to secure, with no lavorite to elect,
no wrong to be righted. But modes
thy, ready to assume the main burdens
of the canvass, a fair share of the re-
sponsibilities, and asking only for
such of the honors and emoIuments
as he may be found worthy and de-
serving of, with his energy and zeal
undated, whether he marches
in the ranks or is assigned to
the command. He will be found
to be independent, intelligent, faith
full, and Observation-Disclosures
most desirable in American citizen
ship, and ones which, trust, may
endure undiminished in quantity and
unpoIIuted in quality throughout his
political maturity and old age.
The policy which the silver men