The Greeley tribune., 1906-10-25

tfonS under which young man OF
good qualities might safely enter
the game of politics and make that
as good paying and honorable an oc
cupation as any he could chose.
Either the depressing influence of a
storm that threatens the destruction
of large part of this years work of
the farmer or for some other equally
good cause the train Of thought has
run into more pessimistic vein.
Instead few of the methods by
which the professional politician is
making the game pay will be con-
sidered.
Running mentally over list of
my acquaintances-char fellows
to meet. every one Of them-who
have been able under all the vicissi-
tudes OF politics to retain their hold
on good paying offices, cannot help
to wonder how they have been able
to accomplish this and still remain
true to any ideal or principle they
may have had when they we're first
lured into the game. And still,
have they prostituted their better
self any more than does any other
successful business man? They
have been able to keep on the profit
able side of all issues and the bnsi-
ness man who cannot make his busi
ness pay, because he scrupled at
methods, is apt to be looked upon as
weak sister and be called a light
weight by his less scrupulous neigh
bors who have been able to pay
themselves dividends in the same
line Of business. So it is with
political business. 1t is the man
who makes 1T pay, that the masses
will applaud, even though he makes
it pay at their expense.
A mans earning capacity. If he
would be absolutely honest, never
take advantage of bargain with
his neihgbor. nor never play on his
neighbor's simplicity, would prob
ably never bring him more than the
bare necessities of life. Even these
would, Of course, vary with different
temperaments so that the line will
be practically indeterminate.
A politiolan, to be absolutely hon.
est with his people, would have no
more earning capacity than he would
have as an Office man, as manager Of
department of mercantile estab-
lishment, or in running small
business of his own. Yet we find
men of that callbre drawing salaries
of three, four or. five Thousand dol
lars year. who do not even have a
practical working knowledge of the
department of which they are the
head They have but: little else to
do themselves than to feel of every
little political breeze, and to Judge
of its value to their own ends.
Every slight wind that can give
them little boost forward is caught
and carefully concentrated on their
sails. Every little popularity they
may win is at once converted into
political capital and added to their
stock In trade. And their stock in
trade is simply the honest votes of
the. masses, that they deal In, as
others deal In live stock, potatoes or
groceries.
Do you see the point?
When he.."big man" in politics
comes around shortly before election
time and gives you the cordial hand
shake, as though he had known you
for life and had made long and
arduous trip just to see about your
welfare, don't take him too seri-
ously. He is simply sizing you up
as one of his chattels, with view
of disposing of you to the highest
bidder.
There are, of course, few excep-
tions to that rule, but the man with
fine ideal, If the tendency of the
past few years continues, the truly
honest man in politics will soon be
such rarity that his place will be
only in the museum, or, perhaps, the
insane asylum.
There is only one remedy for all
this, and it does not lie with the
democratic party, not with the re-
publican party, but with the people,
who must eventually control all
with their votes. People must learn
to use their judgment in politics
just the same as they would In
selecting seed potatoes, buying or
selling a farm, or buying a stock OF
goods for the trade of their COM
munity. 1t seems strange that in
one of the most important factors In
our national life, namely our ballot.