Year: 1876

dren instructed in the politics of the coun-
try, in the bearing which the triumph or
defeat of certain measures of the past has
exercised, in the influence which the en-
actment of laws embodying principles
now pending will have upon the future.
The average American of tie present
day is born politician ; from his earliest
recollection he can call to mind the fierce
discussions of principles that made the
great points of difference between the two
contending parties. He was led to almost
believe that on the success or defeat Of
certain party measures hinged the future
with the firm determination that when
the age of majority was attained and he
could rank with the 'sovereigns of the
land, he would be firm in the support of
the principles he had been taught to
believe we're so fraught with unmixed
good to the country.


There is, however, side to the question
which is not a pleasant one to contem-
plate. 1t lies in the universal tendency
of the present times, to judge of p:inci-
pies by the men who advocate them to
hold party responsible Tor the acts of
those who may have been elevated to its
leadership. And, so far does this tend
ency go, that political campaigns are
getting to be fought more upon the per-
con olit, % tho rdi1otoe Ia ,,,o,,, ooco,
than upon the party principles. This is
q correct proceeding in its way-and if it
were applied indiscriminately by the
voters Of all parties there could be no bet
ter rule of political action. There is a
gradually increasing feeling in favor Of
political independence among the better
class of citizens, and this feeling, which
aims TO correct party abuses can, if di-
rected Alright, do much for the publication
Of government. The aim of men of true
independence should be to battle for party
| principles when the leadership is to be
trusted, and to exert themselves within
the party to always secure such leadership.
And to do this requires something more
than merely to go to the polls on election
day and deposit ballot it requires the
presence of grave and influential tizens
at those gatherings where political power
originates. Every man should be Il poll
tician-the nature Of our government and
laws demand it as one OF the duties in
cumbent on every citizen. n OF the kind
Of politician that brings politics into
disrepute-but one who makes it study
to see that the direction Of government
affairs is given into the hands of the right
kind of men and to consent to the leader
ship of none other. To this end he should
study closely the bearing of every pro-
posed measure, the character and stand
ing Of every one who seeks his suffrage.
And when men show by their record that
| they are not the ones on whom public
trust should be devolved, the ties of party
should not hold bm to their support.
The great fault Of the politics of the pres
ent day is that even the most unselfsh Of
party leaders too often lose sight of the
general good in their desire to gain some
partisan advantage. This was never
more strikingly illustrated than in the
recent investigate duplicating Belknap.
The reports affecting the Secretary of
| War were no sooner bruited about than
every Democratic journal WAS seized
with spasms of virtuous Indignation. A
| n ttt tn nfa ba 4
parties but since it has been shown that
some Of the prominent Democrats are as
deep in the mire as anybody, there has
been a remarkable silence. 1t is not so
with leading Republican journals. With
one accord they have pror ounced for rig
orous measures against offenders of every
rank. They have no idea of having the
Investigations come to stop because the
cast of the net brings up all kinds of po-
litical fish. But the fact is the Demo-
cratic party has SO bad II a record of its
own, that the only hope it can ever have
lies in the errors of its opponents. With
them more than with Republicans it be
comes matter of necessity TO pass over
the short comings of their own leaders,
while picking flaws in the records OF those
on the other side. So to-day it is more
or less dirty principle of politics to hunt
up the dark side of the character of men
in public life.


We are a nation of politicians, bnt not
IN the high and elevated sense we should
be. We content ourselves too much with
voting the ticket representing the plinci-
plies we believe should govern, but leave
the management of political affairs too
much in the hands of men who make pol
itcs means of livelihood. SO long as
the latter class of citizens do this we must
not be disappointed if rascaity gains the
upper hand and we find it holding places
where honor is demanded. And the fault
lies equally with both parties-a change
of party would only be change of
thieves. If we want to return to the era
of honest government which marked the
early days OF the Republic, we must make
politics n study and a business also. The
great trouble generally is that those who
are most deeply interested are more act
i've in coEdemning an evil than in en-
deavoring to remedy it presenting only
the uts inertig where energetic action is
required.


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The BLACK HILLs.-The daily reports
from this first class humbug confirm our
first impression. Every day parties re-
turn with the old story of these exc te