Americans and Public Affairs
AMERICA is a country where politics is brought to the attention of every man, but Americans know less about public affairs than almost any other nation. The English read all the debates in Parliament, and carefully study all questions. They know all their Ministers by name, and feel almost personally acquainted with the leaders in the House of Commons. Every four years the American is aroused by the excitement of the presidential campaign, but during the intervening period he pays little attention to public affairs, and leaves all questions to the politicians. In England the papers contain extensive accounts of all the proceedings of Parliament, while in this country the reports of the actions of Congress are condensed, and in many papers are banished to the supplements, while base-ball and divorces are described in every detail. We do not study sufficiently the questions of the day, and are not sufficiently cognizant of the actions of our Representatives. How many Americans can name twenty-five United States Senators, with the States they represent? How many know, by name, the Cabinet officers, or the Justices of the Supreme Court? We like to hurrah for someone during the campaign, but we do not sufficiently weigh the question as to whom we shall hurrah for.—America.