Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1899-02-25

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 their
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. 1t 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 &C.
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
| sylvania; Senator Hale, of Maine; Sen
ator Platt, of New York; Senate:
] Brice, of Ohio, and others who might
be named in the same category.
Senator Depew, of New York, as he
has himself said, began life with moth
ing but clear head and honestthands.
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
thus honor him.
Senator-elect Clark, of Montana, is
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 prospectoI
and miner. Having accumulated
wealth, and having become many
times millionaire, he turned his am
bilious eye on the senate, and the leg
islature of Montana has honored hin
by an election to that august-body.
Men who thus begin at the bottom o,
the ladder of life have right to aspire
to seats in the senate. or even to the
presidency; and we cannot find faul
with them nor suspect their motive:
for political preferment! solely becaus'
they have been able to acquire wealth
|
the faculty which enables men to be
come rich. After having been n sena
tor for Is years, from the state of Kan
sas, John j. Ingalls, was retired to pri
vate life. In lecture delivered in thi
city, shortly after his retirement, Sen
ator ingalls, said: s4ss.s,
"The money making faenlty is giEel
to but few men, and We who. have no
that faculty can never become rich, n
matter how hard we may try. For ex
ample, Jay Gould and / began life a
about the same time, and with appar
entity the same oppa tnhafies. Blu
there was big differ nee. Sa8e had tn
mopey-making faculty and1 had not
Consequently Jay .G G%nd ia million
aire and am statasFH HRdA of q job.
While the morals tb ~ hawnnf Il fror
= these incidents mag alsaable, paI
ticularly to ambitfons young men VIII
intend to go into politics, the write
can give even a better pointer out c
years of experience in bserying states
men come and go. The wise thing fo
the ambitious young man to do will b
: to give up all idea of politics and site
to private business. There is probabl
1 no stratum of human life in whic
: there are SO many dfsappoin tments, S
Y many heart burnihgs, 50 many wrong
3 committed, SO many acts of ingrat
A tude, as in political life. Syery fe'
politicians are happy, or have glimpse
t of happiness for the ture.
SMITH D. FRY.
go Il ~, 9I- =. -.l.....-a