The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-05
INTEREST IN POLITICS.


The campaign which has jus. closed has
emphasized the fact that American politi-
cal methods have undergone great change
during the last generation. Times change
and We change with Them" says an old
adage. Times have changed very much
since the log cabin and hard cider cam
paign Of 1910. the Border Rufian" organ
izations Of 1856 and the "Wide-Awake''
clubs of 1860. Those were the days of huge
mass meetings, immense professions and
great popular demonstrations. 1t was not
an uncommon thing for large delegations
on horseback or in wagons to go many
miles to participate in demonstration.
The Border Ruffians." a unique band of
horsemen organized in this city In 1856 to
represent Democratic methods in Kansas,
went to Dayton to attend a great Repub-
lican meeting at that place and was in
York. The "wide-Awake" clubs of 1860
made long excursions. 1t was not an I'M
usual thing In those days for large dele
cations to come In wagons on horseback
from every township in the county to at
tend big rallies In this city. Both parties
pursued the same tactics. The real work.
ing organization was not nearly as good
as 1t Is now, but there was no trouble in
getting out the vote. 1t got itself out. The
people took the initiative and apparently
much more interest In campaigns and cleo
tions than they do now. 1t would be i'm
possible for the Republican party to get up
such mass meetings. professions and pa
rades now as 1t did forty years ago, and
the Democrats. though they never showed
as much spirit and enthusiasm as the Re-
publicans. could not equal now their dem
onstrations of that period.
This change may indicate a waning inter-
est in politics, or it may indicate simply a
change in the mental habits of the people.
II the former. 1t is bad sign. In a re-
public the interest in politics should never
wane, for politics is the applied science of
government. Every citizen of a republic
is a stakeholder in the commonwealth and
should take keen interest in the man.
agement of public affairs. A man who
does not take sufficient interest in politics
to vote, that Is. to express an opinion as
to how government should be conducted.
Is hardly entitled to claim the protection
or enjoy the blessings OF government. Next
to having a large body of permanently
disfranchised citizens the greatest danger
that could befall the country would be to
have large class of citizens who do not
care enough about politics to vote. Yet
there lie reason to believe this class of citi-
Gems has greatly increased in recent years.
The growth OF commercialism, Of the
money-making spirit, is unfavorable to the
maintenance OF interest in politics Thou
sands OF men are so immersed in business
that they will not take time to vote, ex-
cept, perhaps. in some very important elec-
ton. That this class is very numerous is
shown by the great difference between the
aggregate vote in different years. The ebt
and flow Of the popular vote shows the
constant tendency of the spirit of CONNER
cialism 10 stifie the interest in politics. An
other class of Indifferent voters are those
whose business requires them to be, away
from home great deal. After missing a
few elections they become habituated tc
not voting and accept 1t as a permanent
condition. There may be other reasons fol
a waning interest in politics, but, whateve,
the cause, 1t is not healthy nor a hope
full condition.
However. in estimating the reason for the
change in political methods, allowance
must be made for the change In menta
habits. During the last thirty or fort,
years the people have advanced greatly IL
intelligence. They do their own thinkins
now TO a much greater extent than the,
formerly did, and have better means O.
informing themselves. Newspapers hav,
largely taken the place of stump orators
and the kind Of oratory that pleased peo
pie thirty forty years ago would hardl,
be tolerated now. IL used to be the cas-,
that the speaker who could make the PEG
| pie laugh and shout the most was TIL
most popular: now IL Is the one who give
them most to think about People do no
so as far TO attend political meetings a
/ they used to, nor turn out I'm such numbers
but when they do so they want to hea
something to make them think. The peo