The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-25


Grant, the present Speaker OF the House would
have done his best for 1t at Chicago. Four years
from now, however, the Vice-President elect
hopes to distance all competition. No shrewder
or more willy politician will make the effort
II he is not successful his failure may be attrt
buted to the same cause that defeated Web
ster, Clay, and Douglas-an over-anxious effort
to secure the prize. The manner In which he
figured for the Vice-Presidency may, In some
sense, be taken as a guarantee that In ascend
ing the ladder to gain the topmost round he
will make no false steps.
COIfax i'm the Administration.
Heretofore the Vice e-Presldent has, with few
exceptions, been little more than figure head
in the Government. Nothing can make him
much else except an accident, as in the cases oi
Tyler, Fillmore, and Andrew Johnson. To be
sure, he has, or is supposed to have, more or
less influence with the Administration but it's
generally exerted in quiet way. On account
of his having no patronage under his CONTROL
he has usually been allowed to designate one
of the Cabinet officers. This, however, Is
mere matter of courtesy, there being
no legal precedent for it. Hannibal
Hamlin named Secretary Welles, and his
choice has proved SO unfortunate that future
Vice. Presidents may hesitate to exercise the
privilege. learn from an intimate friend OF
Colfax Zone of the men he has "slept with)
with the distribution OF the patronage. 1t is
questionable whether he will even avail HIM
self of the poor privilege OF naming Cabinet
officer. II the pleasant Speaker OF the House
wants to be President four years hence, he
could not pursuea wiser policy. Thereare at least
cne Thousand applicants for every office In the
gift of the President. or course, but one man
can get 1t, and nine hundred and ninety-nine
go away not only disappointed but angry. No
dc 40 mt
he is determined to disappoint the whole thou
sand so that none of them can say he is partial
to one more than another. This will enable
him TO enter the field uneneumbered, and with
q clear record. 1t will be time enough for him
to remember his friends when he comes into
his kingdom Ia these calculations, however,
Grant Is left out of the question. If he wants
to be President for eight years. instead Of four,
Coltax will have to tArry at Jericho until his
beard grows both longer and greyer.
The Administration Organ.
One of the customs which the Democracy be.
queathed the Republican party Is an Adminis-
tration organ. Your readers, Of COURSE are aware
that this machine is somewhat different from
the.comm on street organ. But 1t Is necessarily
like that in many respects. Any newspaper
which becomes the organ Of an Administration
is expected to play only such tunes as are set
for it by the President. 1t can have no music
live, Independent journalist In former years
when the Democracy controlled the Treasury
Department, 1t was O profitable business to
publish the "organ" of the Administration. 1t
was in this way that old Frank Blair made all his
money. Gales and Seaton, Of the InteHi0eneer,
might have died millionaires, had they en-
ployed some other clerk besides Johnny Coyle.
But your Republican party Is more circum.
spect. 1t draws the purse.strings of the Gov.
ernment more tightly, and does not keep the
door leading to the Treasury vaults so much
sjar. Since the Republican party came into
power there has really been no Administration
"organ." During Iincon's time 1t was rumored
that the Chronicle reflected his views on all
public questions. But this was merely
q rumor. Stanton put one of Its editors into
the "Old Capitol" prison with as little cere-
mony he would have hung Rebel spy,
Think OF General Jackson going back upon old
Frank Blair in that style while he conducted
the "organ" Of the Administration! When
Andrew Johnson turned his back upon the
Republican party the old IntelEt0encer thought
the good days of Gales & Seaton had returned
and 1t would once more be the "organ." But
your tireless radicals rooted up everything that
savored OF the old extravaganza of the Democ-
racy. First OF all the Government printing office
was established, and the thousands OF fat jobs
that had made more than old Frank Blair rich
and happy-for these were always given to the
"organ," as q sort of pocket-money-disa
peared. Then, as If this was not q severe
enough blow to private enterprise ~ Congress
passed law limiting the Government sdver
Using to such an extent that 1t really amounts
to very little in q year. Being an "organ" now
don't pay, financially speaking. But you must
not suppose that there is no paper ambitious to
be Grants "organ," not so much for what is to
be reaped at present, as for what may be cleaned
hereafter. JosEPHUs.