The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-17
Present Chances
For Young Men


u HE platform OF the New York state Demo
cratic convention contains DECLARATION
4 which has been frequently expressed In
other words since the opening OF the presl'
dontial campaign and which it may be worth
while to consider It Is as follows:
The hope Of former dayt has departed from
the young men Of the land. The outlook promises
only that what they are today that they shat
remain to the end OF their lives. The savings OF
their labor and frugaty during a lifetime prom
Use no relief from present dru1gery in even tue
distant future Turn where they may to improve
their condition. they encounter the crushing nv.
airy Of aggregated millions, and the inequality of
the contest for improved conditions for the m
dvidual renders the contest hopeless. The day
OF individual opportunity must be restored etc.
II should be understood at the outset that Rich.
nrd Croker, who ought to be one OF the last men
in the country to complain that "the day OF in.
dvidual opportunity is passed. is chiefly re-
sponsible for this platform. Ii was CROKER 700.
who not long ago in personally delivering himself
OF some sage and critical observations on the
outlook for young men could see no hope Tor
them 'in these times Of monopoly" But what
Croker and his platform makers have said on
this subject is, after all. chiefly the inspiration
Of Mr. Bryan, whose utterances now and in the
past four years have been filled with the thought
that the poor man is ever growing poorer, that
the youth who would become a "seltmade' man
has no longer opportunity, and that the hall
easy enough for politician Of the coarsest
grain who has frankly, brutally avowed, with
out any complaint the part Of his followers
that he is in politics "for the good Of his
pocket to resort TO this cheap sort OF dem
sgogy. But it might have been supposed that
a man who, like Mr. Bryan, In the noontide OF
his years, has ALREADY been twice supported by
millions Of his countrymsn for the highest Of
Ace in the land, would be slow to proclaim that
young men no longer have Opportunities"
Mr.. Bryan. indeed. is the youngest man that
has ever been named for the presidential Office
When he was first proposed for it the impression
OF juvenility In his short public career had still
| caused him 10 be known as the "Boy orator"
But il he had lived in the good old demo-
cratic times" as he and his New Yor; friends
call them, he would have been one Of class of
men considered as too young or too inexperienced
for the presidential office. 1t is notable fact
that during more than half century all the
presidents beginning with Washington were men
of mature years and reached the Office only after
long career in public affairs Even James X.
Polk, the first "dark horse" president, had been
a speaker of the national house Of representatives
eight years before he was thought OF for the
presidency. On the other hand, during the past
forty years no old man has been elected to the
ofhce ard with exception all of the presi-
dents in that period began their lives either in
downright poverty or with only moderate means.
And when see two young Bryan
and Roosevelt today in the forefront Of American
politics, and not by reason Of money but OF in.
dustry cleverness and quickness in taking ad.
vantage Of opportunities it seems like travesty
for party in the greatest state OF the Union to
utter lamcntngly that "the hope Of former days
has departed from the young men OF the land!'
o
The truth is--and II would be easy TO give
numerous examples Of it in both psrties-that so
far as politics are concerned there has never been
a period when able young men have been more
promptly recognized than they now are. The
fluent Bcveridge. occupying when still fresh
from paying his way through college, and when
hardly past the constitutional age, the seat in the
United States senate that had been held by such
| lndianians as Morton, Hendricks, Harrison and
Voorhees,, has been recently the most conspCu'
ons specimen Of this kind Of success in national
affairs II we turn our glance homeward it will
be found that in this city than half the
working leaders in politics. as well as half the
men in responsible office, in the sunny years
| and have for the most hewn their own way from
| humble beginnings We had an example of this
| the other day in the nomination Of J. Hampton
| Moore for city treasurer lie is only about
| thirty'six years Of age, and looks younger.
lie began his a reporter on the Ledger,
| and was good one, ever temperate and diligent;
| he drifted into politics. had the tactful temper
and the knack OF doing well almost any func
| ticn which fell 10 him in a journalistic off,
! cial way, ard has studied both men and books
with a bright and eager American ambition. Not
a few even OF those who differ from him in his
present political relation concede him the respect
| due to n man who wins success primarily as the
result OF his own enterprise and native parts
| o
And what is true Of politics is as true Of al
most every other profession or pursuit as it has
ever been at any time in the history OF the
! country. ! will venture 20 say-athough il
would he difficult to set forth the exact facts in
! proof-that there has never been a decade since
| the foundation of the republic when as many
men who were poor in moderate circum.
| stances" in the previous decade have legitmately
| grown rich in the past ten years; when brains
| in trade, in literature, in railroadng, or IN new
pursuits like the electrical art have been better
| compensated, or when Chief Justice Fullers
maxim that the Republic is Opportunity has on
| the whole been more verified. II is true that in
| some kinds Of business and manufacture the trust
| process Of combination has made il difficult for
| young and enterprisnG men TO go into business
| independently or in their own way TO obtain a
| footing on a small capital and win success w
sheer industry and merit. This is unquestionably
one Of the evils of great consultations Of capital
| But the complaint is an old one and may he
traced back through all industrial snnss
| when what we would now call small companies
| or ordinary corporations were objects Of dread
| and when men who became partners were Criti-