Political Work for Young Men.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2030, 11 July 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

Political Work for Young Men.

"A iMLincivN,'' eaysßarke/'isapVlo'iopher in action." The bs3t politician is tiia most piaclical idealist. When we rerrKmbsr that a lan-e part— perhaps the {'rentes* part— of the idealhm of a cjtintiy resides in i's young men, we understand why at the piesent time our joung nion arc looked to more and moie as a i«i/enp r at'ng force in politics. Wh.it a stupendous and far reiolung power would oorua into existence were the political idealism of the nation to b3 concentrated and converted in f o effective political exertion 1 The energy of this Kind that li»s latent for want of an outlet, or wastes itself ineffectually in mistaken channel 1 ", far outweighs the plender amount that has its perfect working as a practical fOlf 01 cg. From our experience can wo not pilnt out some coriect course of political aotivity by wbich this mass of power may be energized? There is eeon everywhere) an involuntary reaching out for Borne suah guidance, together with an overeitimation of th« real value of this unenersizod power, and an evident misconception of the methods by which it is to make itself fwlt. Says an earnest writer, for ios'-anee, ia one of The Century's " Open Letters" for Augu c t : "When the political machino »hall ba turned from its present usps and al uses into a power for the extermination of ?enous evils, . . . . our ' critical ind.ffoionce' will g.ve place to a whole-hearted enthu?ia?m " "If they will give ua a party which 11 based upon principle s*,5 *, we who hokl the principles will work for it eiithu3ia«ticT.lly." These expressions, v, ith others, load cno to wonder whether zeal is not prematurely mistaken for its effect?, and to ask of the writer — and in general of the earnest young men of the country who arc daily declaring their higrt political principles— what is, in their opinion, the nature and mode of express on of this quality of politic d enthusiasm. What is their conwp'ion of this " wer*< " ho fseelv offered and promised a* valuable suppjrt to tho pirty managers? Wtut is political woik? The expression of a mere sentiment of re form and hone«ty, without well-diiect d practical (ffort, cpn'jtitut o3o 3 no po'/cr in politic 5 !, an 1 cJIs for no recognition on th ) part of political m-iiv^ers. There is a pap of conaidtrablp width between a laudab'c interest in political affairs and the accomplishment of a definite result in practical politic Political potfor lie3 distinctly beyond political zeal— furthbr than many young men imagine. How, then, shall they tianainnte ztal into work and powrr. As affording some clue to those who are endeavoring to come to a practical solution 01 th\« question for themselves, let the writer oftvr a few humble suggestions from the ex perienca of one of that class — young m?n — mod nearly concerned in this matter. Auiid ptos nt political conditions, the recognition of homo hiich principles as the following id, the writer is p&rsuadad, inevitable, if earnest youug urn would swj their enthasiasm directed into effective work, and their work cro *ued by power and succss. (1) First, then, leStbe young men recognise arul accept the positive distinction bptwe^n actual politic il work and a meroly thoughtful interest; in national issues and general political r«fornn. lUinembor Aristotle's supremely practical distinction between though!! and acuon, betwean a capability and an activity, a yearning and a fulfilling. National politics form an unpractical fi>ld for the exercise of n yourg man's energies. No young man of moderate capacity can exppot to assume any important part in the discussion nnd riia semination of their fnr reaching principles, or to undertake any valuable or oven promising work in behalf cf them, strong and eappr as m<ty be hia political feelings. National campaigns and largo political controverts aro conducted tbiough the newspapers and On the stump. The writers and the oratois are tha effective workers. It is a broad and general work, comprehensive in it* spirit and in its results; and m^n of experience and popularity arc tho^o on whom it falli. When we turn to the sphere of local politics, there appears a marked difference. The genius of municipal politics ia tho genius of the wardclub. Hf ro it is that genuine political work id eesn — that work in which every man of political standing must have served appun ticeship — that work by winch in the begin ning a man clirub3 out of obscurity and weakness, and seizes position and influence and control. In the work of that sphere belong canvassing?, solicitations, buttonholing^*, persuasion of fricnd3 — e^ry ppscieo of ao tivity that is likely to secure to oneself a majority of the voting body. Ifflaeuca, good-fellowship, wido acquaintance, boldness, psißuasivenetia, unflagging zeal ; a list of some of the necessary qnahtiee is the best exposition of the natuio of the task that calls for them. The sphere thu3 laid out 13 to bs for us our real political wor';. It comprises, in truth tho greater portion of all political activity ; but it is the only portion open to tho young men of to-dt>y, who are about to make a bepiuning of laboring for tboir principles. L^t them, therefore, cast aside that conception of politics ■whiijh imagines that th<} political machine ia moved mainly by the pow&r of thought, nnd that they accord irgly hold a part of that power in tho nselved by virtue of their high intellectuality. Let them reali3e the intense commonplaces and practicalness of tha fundamental a^oncits of politics. A patriotic interest in national political isaue=», however unselfish and noble-minded may b-s the passion, U not political woik, and never mill be. Lat the young man take for a text tho words of .1 political leader of ability who wa9 once a«ked what n>3 thought of tho yon r >g man and tho scholar in politics. " Tlir scholar," he said, "stuiics a German authority on tho Constitution, and eotne books on comparative pohtica, and goes out into the world with a notion that ha ia a representative figure of the scholar in politic*, and wonders that the people do not recognize him and send him at once to Congress. The Echolar should cultivate) the eimplo ways by which he may influence his own neighbour hood. The first thing for a soholar is to learn his duties to his own neighbors bo'ore he can enter into tho political hfo of tho poople. . . . To bo good for anything in the pub lie service, a yontig man needs to have fotne scnac and fxjenence as well as money and education, lie sbould go to caucused as a klm'er garten, to conventions as a primary school, into the seivice of his town as a grainnm -school, to thu legislature as a gymnasium, and to the world as hia university. Too often tho younj; man is a Btudent of politics, not a [oltiijian." Observe again BurKo'a definition: "A politician ia a philo aophtr vi ac'ion." " You may note," said lSturrFon, in almost his lateßt public address, " that each aspirant who rises above the crowd at first mikta hi3 obedient apprenticeship in patty t ict Ci." Npver forget, then, that in practical pilifics is to bo found for beginncra their real political work.

(2) Lit this be a aecond general principle : Direct your work under the conviction that the control of nominating bodies is an important condition in the succeas of your principles. It is the only condition which relieves