New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-15
Continued from page 4

,,.Lo.Lor ,,our conscience and methods Oh
thought will allow you to embrace the ne"
d;snensation. it matters not whether TINS
new order affects a local issue or puDlC
question. And, if you cannot embrace Ihe
new with all your heart and all your nina.
the hest thing to do is to write your reSl8Ilal
tion from Congress and from politics. ii
Won don't. YOUR constituents, developing an
unsuspected streak of obliging spirit, Will &c
II for YOU. There IS no place III American
politics for a half hearted man
When say that political success depends
on letting matters drift for awhile, 90 not
wish to be understood to advocate weakness
or 10 encourage shallowncss on the part o.
the nublic man. The real work OF a Con
gresham is to represent his people, ana nc
is \ GOOD Congressman just 50 long as ne IS a
Militant cxn0nent and champion OF those
things in which his people believe ana loi
which thew stand. 1t has been demonstrated
over and over again with striking emphasis
that YOU cannot successfully force an issue
against the wishes of your people.
THERE is another thing to be said IN tins
1 connection You probably have oftef
heard that corrupt politician Represented
some district There are isolated examples
perhaps. of such state of affairs There uSec
to be more Whenever 1t occurs, no more
blame is to be attached TO the man than u
the voters. One OF the astounding things IL
the history Of American politics IS the length
of time it took for the public tc realize ina
il could stamp out corruption at once II :
chose. If a man prefers to have hinsel
financed and his seat bought by corruptini
money, and is willing to vote tor that cor
rupting influence as a fair exchange TOT the
money that is his lookout. But, II the
voters know that he is corrupt and continue
TO stand for him that is their lookout.
In reality the charge OF dishonesty II
American politics is made too frequently
With the evolution Of political methods
with the introduction Of the direct primary
and with the spread of publicity regarding
all things in politics, the public has begun tC
realize that politicians are generally honest
both because the usual tendency OF human
nature is toward honesty, and because non
estv is the best policy in politics more thar
in any other branch Of human endeavOr. The
artist NAV be able to put over an lnslncert
painting. and the author may get away with
plagiarisms; but the politician, the man who
shakes hands with the voters and meets then
face to face, must have ideas OF his own anc
must mean what he says, or he will ncccS
sarily be ruined.
Aside from the Importance Of keeping II
touch with his constituents, the member Of
Congress preserves his political life only by
inceSsant service. It is no joke to say that
a Representative IS messenger boy toi
every man, woman, and child in his district
Whether the folks at home want Govern
ment Job or a package Of garden seed or a
rare book or some item OF special intorma'
ton, or whether they want a bridge built
across q stream or public building erected
in a certain town, he must jump to the front
when the bell rings, and he must be on the
lob with hard work until he has delivered
the goods, or has made it apparent that II
is impossible for him TO DO 50.
Much OF his time is given up TO seeing
people who come 10 Washington from the
home district, and he must devote even more
Of the time to circulating among his counties
during a campaign and at other times. The
most effective campaign possible IS that
which lasts three hundred and siXty-hve
days out Of the year. My acquaintance IL
the House has convinced me that the men
who have the strongest holds on their dis
tricts are those who answer their mail every
day. are willing to do everything possible