New-York tribune., 1903-08-18
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
IN THEIR FATHERS FooTsTEPs-NIT.
Young Americans Who Would Like Taste
of the Loaves and Fishes.
TO the Editor of Ths tribune.

Sir: Perhaps it might be interesting to investi-
gate the increasingly patent tendency of certain
class OF young men, born OF Republican fathers,
whose fathers Of the original Republican
party to ally themselves with the members of the
Democratic party. for there certainly is growing
tendency of this kind among the young men of the
large cities.
have in mind a number of these young fellows.
all bright, capable thinkers for their years, who
have departed from the ways of their grandfathers
and their fathers. and joining Democratic
clubs. ] have talked with them and in every
case their reasons for selection of political all
ance are the same. Their chief cause of COM
plant against the party Of their fathers to
be based on belief that the Republican party is
notably ungratefuI to men who serve it. and that
the man who gives his allegiance to that party will
stand a very good chance Of being showed aside,
by and by. and will be forgotten when the time
arrives for his reward.
There may be an element of human selhshness in
this, but 1t is human, and in this particular epoch
of our national political and commercial develop
ment. 1t Is a sentiment in tune with the times.
One young fellow whose grandfather was very
conspicuous in the organization of the Republican
party and who gave the best years of his life to its
interests, and whose father also spent over twenty
years of his life in the political field. has ex-
pressed himself as follows-and his sentiments,
find. are duplicated by others:
WHAT'S the use?" he said to me. after had
worked in all the stock arguments and had glow
ingly eTpatiated on the merits and principles of
"O - nat ltlS uSef III IOI 4Ii4u-
Ing fault with the party that grandpop and you
were in so long, But can't see where the G. o. p
comes III for me-and, honest. don't see where 1t
came in, on the finish, for you. Grandpop was a
dandy, admit, and he did his part for sure. He
gave time, labor and money (when he had iO and
even took the chance OF being shot for soldier,
and did a lot to help free the aigger and set the
country up again, and all that-and what did the
Grand Old Party do for him when the time
to square up? Why. he even ran for Congress for
in n-,af1e no~. IT, Hfc
trict Just to help the cause but the party forgot
even that and, when lot of people wanted it to
give him mission. Pm blamed If the bosses didn't
turn him down in the interest of young fellow of
no more account than am. just because his father
had big Doodle and wanted to advance him.
And. so far 1 see, 1t that way all along,
clean back to the beginning
Il know lot OF other cases Just Ike his. too.
where the natural choice OF n for political
reward has been defeated in the interest OF
new and untried who didn't deserve any.
And I'm not forgetting the time the c. o. P. did
you dirt, too, he continued with a grin. 1T
wasn't much OF an honor that they offered you,
but It was handy for you Just then to take it. and
years and had never asked for anything. IL seemed
publican tree So they named YOU for the place
and a Governor and another official said you would
got i'll don't think When the appointing board
met the only vote you got was that OF the one
democratic member. and young fellow whom
"Another trouble with the Republican party"
said he is the fact that it generally forgets the
noisy stunt or gets a personal pull It's bad
Now, it's different with the other crowd Tho
a,t t ofps Psrtg may be whole lot bad and
70 moral issues and such things; but II does mol
forget its real friends The humblest servant OF
top mustn't forgot it either That's the difference.
Ihe Republican party IS naturally ungrateful; the
7
or more to the Republican party the CHANCES are
that, should / need little recognition when I'm
'RH0' e to '3P e % y hSsd aud Weed nged
Toe6hng ae6 fbG by and nd By the boys ~ remember
But really il is very Unpleasant after You rave
ths square tnaG by your party, to gpd when the
time Tor hft comes round. that the verdict Is.
Republican party is saying 20 lots OF ts hest men.
Now, Mr. Editor, kindly ada your arguments TO
those which have already spoken 10 this young
vert him and his class-and / believe It 10 be a
very large class, too II viii not avaIl 10 give
merits Of great principles. or the deeds Of the
is because Of this very knowledge that he KICKS
lie believes. with the Democratic party. that ITO
this. De believes that among the vtctors merit
should be fairly. recognized. He r. contending not
young Americans he believes in ioonr - out for
ns in Ss ee9g S h5t 5at Of rahef ar' wa6 @ eTF
] sense Of justice shall preva-and he enphatically
to-day IS a service to iugrattude,
leave my unconverted subject and his fellows
TO you; FREDERIC w. PANGBoRN
New-York. Aug. Is. 1903
GSuppose you call it service TO the Republic
instead of service TO the Republican party.
Political service. thus considered. becomes a
patriotic duty, not mere search for the spoils.
If your "unaonverted subject" is only after the
spoils, perhaps your argument may justify his
desertton to Tammany:-otherwise It would only
Justify an effort to take hold and make the Re
publican party as much wiser in its personal
policy as it Is acknowledged to be better in its
public purpose