Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-14

supposed to have committed suicide.
The Washington correspondent OF the
Chicago Record relates this tragic and
pathetic story:
After months of persistent effort.
with the accompanying expectations
and isappointments office seeker Of
| the name Of u. II. Kaufman. from
| Huntsville. Ala. despondent and PEN
| nlless, gave up the struggle last Mon
day and jumped Into the Potomac
river. The body was found at Alex
| nndrla, and lay in an undertaker's es-
| tablishment until yesterday. when
| doorkeeper from the House OF Repre-
sentatlves Identified IT, Kaufman was
| n personal friend of Representatives
came to WASHINGTON in search OF office
| last October Upon failing TO secure
an appointment, he later went to New
York. where he supported Gen. Tracy
during the nayoralty campaign. He
made n number Of speeches before
German American political clubs. but
without reward, as Tammany carried
the elections He then returned TO
washington and renewed his visits to
the various departments His funds.
however. were finally exhausted. and
on Sunday he decided to return home.
He borrowed money from several of
the Alabama Representatives and
other acquaintance to purchase food
and buy railroad ticket, and then left
the city. His wife and children have
been dead several years. and although |
he held the office of receiver of public |
money and was postmaster Mt Hunts |
VILE for some time. the mayor of that |
city has answered telegram for |
friends to claim the body by saying |
that he was a good man. but had no |
money or friends
The two cases here cited in which
career Of office-huntng ended in |
misery TO which self-murder was
preferable. are only two out OF thous-
ands that happen In the United States
every year. in which the wretchedness
of the stranded oflice-seelser seems in
supportable. His success in the past
has produced the very conditions that
make failure unbearable. As an Office
holder he has enjoyed n good income,
has moved In high society. has had
the control OF subordinatcs and the dis
trlbution of patronage. and has been
and pampered until he,has be-
come totally disarmed against rebuff
md adversely. When he meets these
he is quickly vanqulshed. His re-
sources and his courage alike disappear,
and he sinks into the depths Of hu-
and dependency
Commenting on the Kaufman case
the Springfield Republican says:
THE warning IL an impressive one
About the worst thing that can happen
TO young man IL to secure public
oilice and be permitted for any length
II time to grow away from Industrial or
professional employments and into the
dea of holding public place as regu-
ar vocation The chances are nine b.
one that he Will his hold on public
life long enough to unfit him for acqulr-
ny or adapting himself to an assured
but not long enough to pre-
rent him from being thrown out with
much Of his life still before him and
ar vocation. The chances are nine to ,
make II useful 10 himself or his Eel
ows. He has lost his place in the ,
great industrial movement of society. ,
ma drifts perforce into the ranks OF | 4
he stragglers who live upon their wits /,
md the favor OF more successful poll 1,
lcians. And yet there are parents who ,
re ready TO employ all the influence /,
I their command TO secure public Of !
.
With him more unfortunately
Great temptations to adopt politics
s a profession are being laid before
he young men Of Utah, but they
hould be resisted. In the life history
Il nearly every professional politician
here Is far more suffering from
hagrin, disappointment, the actions of ,
alse friends and the general SKATER
ng of hopes and aspirations, than {
: offset by all the pleasures that are J.
ielded by the triumphs that are !.
chieved. The glamor which surrounds i
political career Is utterly illusory. .
he longings of a heart that has been !,
lightly trained cannot be satisfied by
he best rewards possible for politics
D give. T
Utah is making demands upon the c
rains, consclences and patriotism of $
II her young men who could possibly .
ucceed In politics, that forbid them to j
i've their time and talents to q pur- II
uit so disappointing. She needs all =
err young men OF zeal and ability for t,
ne development of her industrial and s
resources. the bringing s
,rth of her natural wealth and the
OF employment for her Idle
,bor; and 1t Is in 1his field that aspir-
W Utahns may achieve both fame and o.
,rtune that win be of n character to "a
isure self-sats1ed complacency in q
lpIr declining wears ne