The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-12-22
Politics as a Profession"

Politics as a Profession"
The News and Courier has been doing
considerable talking lately over the de-
seneracy OF Southern Craftsmanship since
the war.
It makes use Of the following expressions:
1--WE believe that the time is near at hand
when men Of brains will be able at last to
turn their attention to politics, not exactly
az a profession. but as an avocation OF in
tense interest. When this happens, it will
be q sad day for the mountebanks n
fakirs who have been able so long to shine
in the light Of publicity"
There may be few men OF the type OF
Calhoun, McDufle, Hayne, and Cheves
from the South today but it can be
said, almost without exception, that the
men Of the South leave the service as they
enter 1t, with clean hands. Honesty, we
believe, is the first requisite Of the faithful
representative.
Before the war, and up to about 1910,
there was not such an unequal distribution
Of inhabitants between the north and the
south, and as there was less unanimity OF
sentiment in the North, the South was
really the dominant party in Congress.
II the editor Of the News and Courier can
devise any plan, other than a surrender to
'republicanism, by which the democrats
may overcome q majority Of something
like two to one, the minority would doubt
less welcome the information.
Some old lawyer said to a younger man
who had read law under him, that the
good speeches were the ones which won
the cases. There Is little incentive either
for action or discussion, in a body that Is
dominated absolutely by party rule. The
faults not In the men"of the minority
but rather In the conditions that handicap
them. In point of ability Bailey Of Texas
has had few superiors In the National
Legislature. Senator Money is a man
Of great powers. Williams, Clark and,
DeArmond have rendered valuable
and brilliant services in contending for the
right. Hampton, Butler and Tillman from
this State, have all served with ability, and
each In his time has been ably seconded>by
our representation in the Lower House.
These men have not shaped legislation to
n great extent but the fault is not theirs
The combined talents of Demosthenes,
Cicero; Burke and Calhoun, similarly sit
uated would have counted for no more.
The only road to influence in that body
would be spurned by the honest, self-re-
specting representative Of the South.
The News and Courier is Of the opinion
that the brain and talent Of the South
have been employedin buildingup South
ern industries. 4
We grant that the South generally, and
this State particularly, has developed
some great Captains Of Industry" and the
South owes much to these men and their
northern connections. We can not con
cede that these men have had a monopoly
on either the brain or the integrity Of the
country. Thomas Jefferson was a failure
as a business man, and beyond rugged
honesty the same might be said OF An
drew Jackson and Monroe. And yet these
men have all rendered valuable services to
their country. The man who carries the
spirit Of eonmercialism into politics Is
not capable Of becoming the highest type
OF representative. II captains Of industry
have eschewed politics and have embraced
business instead, 1t Is because they have
recognized the bent Of their minds, and
they have succeeded where they would
perhaps have failed in 70 different line.
The capacity to make and save money,
and even an advanced education, do not
necessarily make a man better capable OF
representing his people than some other
man Of few attainments and more COM
mon sense. The thinking ma Is the pro-
duct Of the country with its disadvantages.
The machine man Of business detail, is
the product Of the city and town, with
superior advantages.
We believe our representation since the
wal has been made up Of men Of honesty
Of purpose and Of more than average
ability. We believe that ultimately men
Of this type can accomplish more for the
State and more for common people Of the
nation by standing firmly for principle, as
they have done In the past. We will be
entirely satisfied II they will undertake no
short cuts either for themselves or for us
to secure anything at the hands Of Can
non, Aldrich, and that trust-fed gang.