The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-01-29
.CELTS SHOULD ESCHEW
PARTISAN POLITICS
Too Able and too Energetic,
too Sound Morally and
Physically, to be Wasted on
Petty Offices, Says a Writ
er> in. a New York News
paper---Rare Thing to See
a Politician Die Rich---Try
Other Lines of Endeavor.

OIner Lines OF EnQeoVOT.
A correspondent signing himself
zone of the Irish Element" says in
an Eastern paper that the time has
come for the Irish and their descendants
in the United States to divorce them |
selves from partisan politics and office
seeking and to devote their superior
talents to avocations more honorable
and more profitable. In the course of
his article he says:
"The Irish element in my judgment
Is too able, too energetic, too sound
morally and physically, to be wasted
upon petty politics and petty Offices.
Far better for them would it be if
they all would give themselves to
business and professional pursuits (ex-
cept those reserved for the altar and
for the cloister); far greater would
be the results in substance and in
honor"
Commenting, on the foregoing, the
Irish World says:
The Irish have genius for politics.
This is manifest wherever they have
settled. These qualities which make
! for the leadership of men come by
nature to the Irishman. Judgment,
magnetism, knowledge of men, per-
severence, even the streak of the des-
Eperate, all belong to the Irish character
and are just the qualities which win
dominance among men. An Irislnman
is a born politician. :. He, can no more
help it than he can help being what
he is. What the danger and the ex-
citement are to the gallant soldier the
political game is to the fiery Celt. He
loves fight and when he cannot have
it amidst the smoke of cannons, ne
takes it on the battle-f field of politics.
But the question raised by the cor
respondent is: us it worth the
while?" Is it worth the while for the
Celt to subject himself to constant
and violent criticism for the paltry emol-
uments of politics? Is the honor he
reaps sufficient compensation for the
blows he gives and takes? Why should
he stand to the forefront in every fight,
only to find himself bounded by the
press even though he struggles to give
an honest and efficient administration
of any Office committed to his hands? ?
When we stop to think, would not
the same strong qualities, which wins
politics, carry the Irishman into sue
cess in every walk of life? Might it
not be better for him every way to
eschew politics altogether and to cul-
tivate some other ideal? Are not the
rewards elsewhere more precious, more
enduring, more satisfying? Noisy
contentious politics with its tempta-
tions, it's compromises, can scarcely
add peace to the heart and conscience
To feed at the public crib is always to
invite suspicion and insult
Taking it all in all. is not zone Of the
Irish Element" right?
The Celt has shown himself able In
many departments Of endeavor.
Some of the best lawyers who have
graced the bench and the bar of ou,
country have been the sons Of Irish
ten. The names of Charles O'Conor
| of Judge Brady, and of the Judge;
White and McKenna Of the United
;, States Supreme Court rise readily te
, our lips. .--.
, There is hardly a community Of any
size in the country which does not
contain some physician of repute who
} is proud to boast his Irish extraction
, The medical profession seems to be g
natural heritage of the Irish.
AS contractors the success Of the
t Irish is proverbial. Nearly all tht
= giant undertakings of our country have
: passed through the strong hands Of the
,, Celt. For the most part, he has beer
the practical man-grasping proper.
| tAOAs dAA IeSuAIS IHAOukH tue HdtlVs
power of genius His sons will b,
A trained engineers. They will yok,
r science with natural aptitude.
We beg to suggest that not enough
of our young men are entering tn,
different departments of engineering
h Our Catholic colleges are deficient il
r this line.
We will welcome the day when /:
Catholic Scientific Institute will stan.
~