The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-06-08
YOUNG MEN IN POLITICS
CHICAGO REFORMER ADVISES
THEIR ENTRANCE
Says They Can be Useful Citizens by
Taking Part in Public Affairs
Interesting News.

CHICAGO, May 24.-William a. Giles,
one of the founders of the Civic FEEDER
League of Chicago addressed the stu
dents and faculty of Northwestern
University last evening in Orrington
Aunt Library Evanston, on practical
Politics" Mr.. Giles spoke under the
auspices of the department of econo-
mics of Northwestern, and was intro
duced by Professor John A. Gray, the
head of the department.
He devoted a large portion of his ad-
dress to the mechanism of party poll
itics as it is exemplified today, start
ing with the proposition that govern
ment has become a question of party
and party a question of skillful mani
pulation. If a few undesirable men ac-
quired greater power than they deserV-
ed, the blame rested, he thought, on
those who did not take a sufficiently ac-
tive interest in practical politics.
Among other things he said
THE theory of party organization is
that the power emanates directly from
the people through the choice Of dele
gates at the primary ell ctiOns. This
may have been true at one time. but
owing to the smallness of the vote cast
at primaries it is largely a fiction now.
The political managers decide who shall
attend the conventions and figure as
party representatives. Packing a
caucus CONSISTS usually IN the other
mans getting more of his friends to g
there than you get of yours. l believe
in honest, manly aggressive politics,
such as Vice President Roosevelt prac-
ticed when he was a boss You say
this it rough. Well, the game of foot
ball is rough, but your team plays to
win. / do not urge young men to go
into politics as profession or means of
livelihood, but as an avenue of useful
ness and as a privilege and duty Of
..FV~
ces which render them to some extent
independent should by no means
neglect this field.
1.-The question whether it is wiser to
work in the party or independently of
it is often presented. We must take
men as they are and not as they ought
to be, and must consider the psycholo-
gical forces that influence them. There
exists among all classes a ~arty instinct
which is easily aroused. The average
vitizen is carried along with the crowd
without stopping to weigh very care
fully the real issues; in fact, party feel
ing blinds men to the real issues.
Parties do and must exist. To act
with efficiency men must act in asso-
citation. Conflict of opinion on political
questions is necessary to political pro-
gress. Nevertheless party must be
/ subordinated to public interest. When
( it becomes corrupt and it's machinery
is seized on by an oligarchy OF trick
sters it must be suspended and defeat
ed. We should seek to reform politi-
clans, not alone by criticism but by
drafting into political life men whose
character neds no amendment.
corruption in politics is not a thing
of itself but a reflection of the ideas,
beliefs and moral standards of the peo-
pie back of the party. To whom may
we look to mold our political life, to
raise our moral standing and to lift
that noble work of politics from the
mire into which it has oeen dragged if
not to the generation of young men just
coming upon the stage of political life
They have advantages Immensely sup
erior to those enjoyed by their fathers.
They should become live, active, ag-
gressive factors in our social and poll
teal machinery. High ideals and moral
values represent the best we have in
human life. We must look to our edu-
Gated young men to see that these are
not shattered or impaired"