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

The campaign which has just closed has
cal methods have undergone great change
during the last generation. Times change
and change with Them" says an old
adage. Times have changed very much
since the log cabin and hard cider cam
paign of 1870 the Border Ruffian' 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 a demonstration.
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
vited by Horace Greeley to come to New
York. The "wide-Awake'' clubs of 1860
usual thing in those days for large dele
cations to come in wagons or 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 good
as II 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
tons than they do now. 1t would be i'm
possible for the Republican party to get up
such mass meetings, professions and pa
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, 1t may indicate simply
change in the mental habits of the people.
If the former, it is a 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 a 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
DISTINGUISHED 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 is reason to believe this class of citi-
zens 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 cleo
ton. That this class is very numerous is
shown by the great difference between the
| aggregate vote in different years. The ebb
and flow of the popular vote shows the
constant tendency of the spirit of CONNER
cialism to stifie the interest in politics An
other class Of Indifferent voters are those
whose business requires them to be away
from home a great deal. After missing a
| few elections they become habituated to
not voting and accept it as a permanent
condition. There may be other reasons for
a waning interest in politics. but, whatever
the cause. IL is not a 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 mental
habits. During the last thirty or forty
years the people have advanced greatly in
intelligence. They do their own thinking
now to a much greater extent than they
formerly did. and have better means OF
| informing themselves. Newspapers have
largely taken the place OF stump orators
and the kind Of oratory that pleased peo-
pie thirty or forty years ago would hardly
be tolerated now. IL used to be the case
| that the speaker who could make the peo-
pie laugh and shout the most was the
most popular; now 1t is the one who gives
them most to think about People do no,
go as far to attend political meetings as
they used to. nor turn out In such numbers
but when they do go they want to hear
] something to make them think. The peo-