Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-08-14
The Young Man and Politics.

The Young Man and Politics.
Young man, take an active, honest,
patriotic interest in politics. Read and
study, from economic sources, about
the tariff and about all those problems
which bear on or relate to government.
Do not belong to some political party
because your grandfather did, because
the question or issue influenced him,
one way or the other, may now be
settled or have passed into the category
of dead issues. Be conscientious in
your political alignments and strictly
honest in your political conclusions.
Do not be lead into the advocasy OF
economic fallacies or sophistries and be
not influenced by the heller who under.
takes to prey upon your prejudices.
Have an honest reason for your politi-
cal preferences. There was a time
when what was termed the "bloody
Shirt was utilized to wonderful ex-
tent in deciding questions of a political
Vial 0CCCl anu lIlOLC 10 luO budl
the average, intelligent American
should be lead or driven from the care
full, thoughtful consideration of math-
ematical proposition because some
tricky fellow would precipitate the
horrifying recollections, upon him, of
the battle of Gettysburg. Read good
books, Adam Smiths wealth of Ma
TONS" Read Bastiat; settle in your
mind and in your very conscience what
government of the people, for the
people and by the people is and do your
part to so make our government con-
form to the ideas you have built up.
Always have reason for the faith
that's in you.
Start out with the settled conviction
that the government, in itself, is a
pauper and that all the money in its
Golfers is collected from the people, in
the way of taxes and that no more taxa
ton should be levied than is absolutely
necessary for the needs of the govern
ment, economically administered.
There must be no change, alteration or
amendment to this original American
proposition, which is fundamental in
the American form of government.
Equal rights to all, special privileges to
none should be your guiding doctrine
in the performance of your ballot
rights.
Young men, keep out of politics, {"
says Senator Plat. That advice would
be all right if Senator Platt had said
Keep out of machine politics, which
are rotten to the core. Every citizen
of a republic should take enough in
terest in politics to investigate the
policies of parties and vote-always
vote-according to the result of his in
vestigations. Young men especially
should take an interest in politics, for
it is upon the young men of today that
the government of the republic will
rest tomorrow. Some young man of
today will be, in few years, president
of this great country, or he will be
senator, or congressman, or governor
of his state. What would happen if
the young men of the country keep
out of politics." Young men should
investigate how the so-caled policy of
protection that Platt and other discred-
tied leaders stand for, taxes them for
the benefit of protected interests.
Young men should know why the cost
of living is so greats per cent. higher
than when the present tariff law was
enacted-and their salaries or wages
have not increased in like proportion
Young men should inquire why they
are compelled to continue in the en-
ployment of others all their lives in
stead of as formerly looking forward
to be their own masters. 1t is not to
the interest of Senator Platt or the
trust leaders that young men investi-
gate the plundering system of protec-
ton, therefore they say keep out of
politics, young man."