New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-05-03

| that another term was due him, and they gave
it to him. He took it as reward; he has
used it as personal belonging and distributed
the offices under him upon the same idea as
that on which he received his own: as favors
to favOrites.
Have we not had enough of this for the past
seven yearsi Or are we to keep on offering
the Presidency to popular favorltes who are
without experience or capacity, or 10 favOrioe
sons whose only claim is party servlce1 III Is
said of Messrs. Conkling and Morton, one the
favorite son of New-York, the other OF lndi-
ana, that they have stood by the party and the
Administration, and ought to be rewarded; OF
Gov. Hayes, the favOIite son OF Ohio, ana
Gov. Hartranft, favOrite son of Pennsyl vania,
that they have been successful standard
bearers have "saved" their respective
States; and it is urged that the RepuDllcah
party owes them such recognition OF their great
services as would be contained in Preslden-
tial nomination. For the same reason ex-
Gov. Jewell, favorite son of Connecticut, is
pushed forward, though in his behalf 1t
is added that he has shown ability
In one department of the Government,
and has in his place initiated and carried out
many reforms. But the truth about all these
fav0rite sons is that they have had offices at
their disposal and have made themselves
favOrite sons by a jjudicious distribution. They
are not urged because of prominent fitness,
or because the popular voice has designated
them as proper candidates; they appear as the
representatives of the principle of favoritlsm,
and nothing else. Now this very principle OF
favOritism, which the claqueurs very properly
represent in the endearing name they give
their candidates, is one that great many
independent voters, and a great many honest
citizens as well, who do not call themselves
independent voters, but who vote habit
ualy with their party, believe should be
put down. They have no favOrite except
it be the candidate best qualified, and who can
be most surely depended on to give the
country honest administration and good gov
eminent. They expect nothing themselves
from favoritism, and they are not willing to
be used as tools to carry out system OF favor
itism for the benefit of Others The endearng
epithet applied to the candidates named has for
them no charms. They have seen enough and
altogether too much of that principle in the
conduct of the Government for the past seven
years. They are sick and tired of it, And to
the voice of the charmer, presenting his little
candidate with his affectiOnate little endear-
ment they say, Not any favorite son, II you
"please."
There could not be occasion more inoppor-
tune for presenting candidates of this sort
than in the selection of q successor to Gen.
Grant. And it so happens that most of these
favorite sons are of the Grant class and the
Grant political family. They would perpetuate
his line and his policy. 1t has been plain for
a long time that the People do not desire and
will not have President of that sort. Within
a few months it has become almost equally
clear that the Republican party will not have
any such candidate. If the country owes these
gentlemen or any of them debt of gratitude
for great services in saving the nation, Jet
them put in claim for salvage. The Presl-
Dental Office will not be used in payment for
sucb services any more. The country is look
ing for man fit for the place, not for q
favorite upon whom to bestow it.