Citizens politically active as to townships, 80,000
Citizens politically active as to cities and boroughs, 20,000
Citizens politically active as to counties, 4,000
Citizens politically active as to the State, 5,000
                  Making a total of 109,000

Some allowance should be made, no doubt, for persons whose inclinations for position cover all the different fields—­who may be said to be watching several holes.  But we have not considered how many citizens of Pennsylvania are inclined to national positions—­the Presidency, seats in Congress or some of the numerous places in the general service of the Federal government.  These two classes, it is probable, would offset each other.

Subtracting, however, the odd thousands from the total stated, we may fix at one hundred thousand the number of citizens in the one State who, by reason of occupying some position of public duty or of being inclined to fill one, are actively interested in the subject of politics.  This is almost exactly one-seventh of the whole number of voters in the State:  it presents the fact that in every group of seven citizens there is one, presumably of more than the average in capacity and intelligence, whose mind is quick and sensitive to every question affecting political organization.  We are brought thus to the same point which we reached by an observation of the township system—­the fact that every part of society is permeated by the general political circulation.  It is like the human organism:  nerves and blood-vessels extend, with size and capacity proportioned for their work, to the most remote extremity, and the whole is alive.

Let us, however, guard strictly, at this point, against a possible misconception.  It is not to be understood that these one hundred thousand citizens are simply “office-seekers,” using the ordinary and offensive sense of the term.  The activity in affairs which we describe is distinct from a sordid desire to grab the emoluments of office.  The vast majority of the places, including all those in the townships—­which, with the aspirants to them, make four-fifths of the whole—­are either without any pay at all or have an amount so small as to be beneath our consideration.  But a small part of the offices which we have enumerated carry emoluments sufficient to furnish a living for the most economical incumbent.  The inspiration of the political interest evidenced by this one-seventh part of the citizenship is not an unworthy one at all:  on the contrary, it is that essential democratic inclination without which our form of government must quickly stagnate.  It would be foolish to say that no selfish motive enters into this tremendous manifestation of energy and effort (until humanity assumes a higher form the moving power of the mercenary principle must be very great), but it is fair and it is accurate to ascribe to the men in affairs a