The record-union., 1898-10-09
PROFESSOR GUNTON ON POLITI-
CAL EDUCATION.

Professor Gunton's latest lecture in
the Gunton Institute series. which is
promoted by many of the first states
men and foremost thinkers and writers
in the nation, considers the necessity
for the promotion Of political educa-
ton among the people, systematic, all
embracing, but simplified and calm
study, not Of constitutions merely and
written laws and the products Of legis-
lation, but Of something deeper and
broader namely, the sources Of politi-
cal ideas, the social and industrial con-
ditions and interests which compose the
problems and complex conditions, Gre
ating and out Of which political issues
arise.
In this the essayist is right, since as
Macaulay said, industrial depression
and disaster create political pessimis1n
and disaster We have had IN our
own brief history notable examples Of
this truth, when political revolts have
followed depressed business and indus
trial conditions, in the hope TO work
out remedies for such distresses. AS
political institutions are not an end in
themselves, but only means to great
er end, it follows that right guidance in
them can only come from general and
correct knowledge Of causes and means
for correcting Ills
It is because lack of political educa-
ton leads people in groups and COM
munities to demand specific kinds Of
political and industrial reform, in one
section one thing, in another a differ
ent one. that we have issues which dis
turb and unsettle without results which
are correctives.
Correct political education therefore,
IL is held, is essential TO the safety and
progress of our institutions. The
broader this education the more easily
are men led to proper correctives and
away from false so-caned panaceas.
Where government is thoroughly rep
resentative. the need for correct polit-
ical education is the greater. AS our
whole political fabric rests upon the
people, it is easy to understand the
force Of the Professors claim for bet
ter and broader educational influences
to be set working among the people.
All political institutions are intended
to be promotive of the social and in
dustrial conditions which will give us
the highest state Of social welfare. His
plea. therefore, for better political ed
ucation is exceedingly forceful. We
believe that this stage of political edu-
cation has been entered upon in the
United States At no period in our
history has there been so much gener-
ous discussion of the very questions
true political knowledge involves. At
no time have the people read or de-
bated more upon subjects lying close to
social welfare That a large amount
of this literature and debate has been
ard is false and misleading is mat
ter of course; but we have faith in the
triumph of the truth, and in the ca
pacity Of our people to arrive at it
through conservative means.
The disposition to strike at the i'm
mediate and apparent cause of distrust
or dissatisfaction and unrest, instead OF
seeking primal causes and applying ra-
tional remedies is less manifest now
than in the past. Men are thinking
and studying more and more, and rea-
soning with more OF directness and
along more rational lines, and political
economics are studied to-day more and
with less of unreason. People are
more and more convinced that social