St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1899-03-18

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While Young.)
er some thousands Of dollars; and in
crease them to millions. if possible
Then they can break into political life
and keep to the front as long as theia
money lasts.
Concerning the rich men in congress
there is a GENERALLY mistaken opinion
throughout the country. Particularly
is this true concerning the rich men Of
the senate. It seldom happens that
any man born rich secures election to
that body. The rich men who are to
be found in the senate are usually self
made men, who began life poor, and ac.
cumulated riches by their own frugal
ity, industry and superior sagacity
For example, there have been Senator
Sherman, of Ohio; Senator Stock
bridge, Of Michigan: Senator Sawyer
of Wisconsin; Senator Quay, of Penn
syIvania; Senator Hale, of Maine; SEN
ator Platt, of New York; Senator
Brice, of Ohio, and others who might
be named in the same category.
Senator Derew, OF New FORK, as he
has himself said. began life with moth
ing but a clear head and honest hands.
He is a product of our soil and of our
institutions. Now that he has ac-
quired fame and riches, his ambition
has led him to go to the senate, and the
great state of New York is proud to
thus honor him.
C1o-lr - IL
probably the richest man ever elected
to the senate, but he began life as q
very poor boy. He educated himself,
taught schools in Connecticut, went
west to Iowa, where he farmed awhile.
taught school awhile, and then went
out to Colorado and Montana seeking
his fortune in the hills, as prospector
and miner. Having accumulated
wealth, and having becomesaa many
times millionaire, he turned his am
bilious eye on the senate, and the leg
islafure of Montana has honored him
by an election to that august body.
Men who thus begin at the bottom Of
the ladder of life have right to aspire
to seats IN the senate, or even to the
presidency; and we cannot find fauIf
with them nor suspect their motives
for political preferment, solely because
they have been able to acquire wealth.
while we have not been favored with
the faculty which enables men to be.
come rich. After having been Sc "a.
tor for is years, from the state of Kan
sas, John j. ingalls, was retired to rri.
vate life. In a lecture delivered in this
city, shortly after his retirement, Ssn
ator ingalls, said:
The money-making faculty is giver
to but few men, and we who have NH
that faculty can never become rich, No
matter how hard we may try. For en-.
ample, Jay Gould and began life nj
about the same time, and with appart
emily the same opport rtunities. Bui
there was big difference. He had the
money king faculty and had not.
equentIy Jay Gould is q million
aire and I am a statesman out Of a job. {
While the morals to be drawn from
these incidents may be valuable, par.
ticnlarly to ambitious young men who
intend to go into politics, the writer
can give even better pointer out oi
years of experiences Ia observing states
men come and go. The wise thing fo1
the ambitious young man TO do viii be
to give up all idea Of politics and stick
to private business. There is probably
no stratum OF human life ii which
there are SO many slisapp pointments, SO
many heart burning 50 many wrongs
committed. 20 many acts of ingrati
Htude, as in political life. Very few
politicians are happy or have glimpsea
of happiness for the future. Il
SMITH d. FRI.