The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-22
WHY THE DEMAGOGUEp

10 is not strange tlhl the professional
politician should be demagogue. In
order 10 be elected he must have votes
and I'm order 10 get doubtful votes he
must work for them. The most avail
able material we might say the only
available material. is to be found in the
lowest stratum Of society. There are
three classes of voters. There are in
telHgent. independent voters who vote
for measures rather than men. There
are voters who always go with their
party and vote for the nominee no mat
ter what the issues are and who are
the nominees of the party. The third
class is made mp Of ignorant men, who
do not read. who do not study public
questions. who do not think for them
selves. but are influenced by the pas
sion of the hour
The first class are not easily Influenced
by candidates. for they form their own
conclusions by studying the issues of
the day for themselves and the polite
fans can't fool them. The second class
do not need to be canvassed and COOLED.
for they always vote at the party's
call 1t is the voters of the third class.
therefore to whom the candidate must
cater. FOR they. az we have said. are
swayed by passion and the candidate
who can tickle their fancy is the can
didate who viii get their votes They
are not caught with argument. They
are caught with promises. They must
not be antaeonized. The politician who
would win them cannot lift them up TO
q higher plane He must get down to
their level and fan the flame Of their
grievances. whether real or imaginary
lie must encourage them in the idea
that their material welfare is dependent
upon legislation That the success Of
the party which ne represents is neces-
sarv 20 their success and that the tri-
umph Of the other party means financial
disaster 10 them In fine. they are cap
tured by clap-trap and the candidate
who can talk the most alluring sort of
clap-trap will get their support. That
means demagoguery and hence it is that
the professional ohice-seeker is so often
d demagogue.
But what is the remedy for this?
Plainly the education of the masses.
Let the people learn to read and to
study and they will form their own
conclusions and laugh at the clap-trap
of the politician THE best political
economy" says Emerson. '1s the care
and culture Of men" our government
was founded upon that idea. Our fore
fathers designed that fl should indeed be
70 government of the people and by the
people. but above all. FOR the people.
IL was not their purpose to build up
a strong government but strong peo-
pie TO this end every man was made
a sovereign and put upon his manhood
and his independence to work out his
destiny by his own Drawn and intellect.
TO be sure the government should sup
ply the means of education. but it should
not coddle the young and encourage
them TO look TO the government for their
support "Our government" says a
modern educator. "is the great training
school for the people And the good
work goes on. Every year there are
more and more Of thoughtful. indcpend-
cnt voters. Every year there are fewer
ignorant, thoughuess voters who are
swayed by their passions The material
upon which the professional politician
works with his clap-trap argument IS
growing smaller. comparatively speak
ing. all the time. Voters are lifting
themselves mp. The educated class is
growing and as it grows our institutions
become more firmly established The
days Of the demagogue are numbered.