The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-11-23

The Lancaster Inetlttgeneer of yesterday
week, in plain and forcibly written article,
speak, of the confidence repOsed by the peo-
ple Of this State in the Democratic party as
evidenced by the resTl, of he recent cleo
tan, and hoping from il, aud similar re-
salts in other States fer a triumph in the
national contest Of 1880, earnestly impresses
upon the Democracy the imperative duty
of taking care hereafter that none but the
very best and most competent men are
nominate for official positions. Although
what the Ia,el!igencer says Oh the subject
is not new, stin it's advice cannot be too
often nor too vigorously impressed npon
tue Democracy of every county in the State.
What the I.teliigenc6r aims at has always
been the avowed purpose Of the Demo
C attic party ever since it was organized 10y
Thomas Jefferson, who rigidly insisted that
every man upon whom Office is conferred
should be both honest and competent. This
is the Democratic theory, but the practice,
unfortunately, has notoriously not been up
to its requirements. One ofthe II. ost singu-
lar features in Pennsylvania politics is the
irrepressible habit of men aspiring to re-
spousible positions for which they know
aud feel that they are incompetent. This
inability to see ourselves as others see us
has led 10 more unfit nominations by State,
district and county conventions than all
other causes combined, for the reason that
the sheer force Of brazen and persistent im-
pudence will often succeed where positive,
but retiring, merit would hopelessly fail.
Prior to the meeting Of the last Democratic
State convention, the names Of some men,
from a ;houghtless feeling Of local pride,
were seriously advocated for Judge of the
Supreme Court, the nomination Of any one
of whom would be a shame and reproach.
They nearly all disappeared from public
view before the convention assembled. and
the good sense Of that body enabled it to
steer clear of the rock of Scylla on the one
side and Charybdis on the other, and to
nominate Judge Turnkey, whose eminent
fitness for the place was not a debateable
question. II incompetent aspirants for Of
flee were promptly remanded to the rear by
nominating conventions, their annual out
crop would grow small by degrees and
beautifully less.
The IntstStgencer also avows its settled
determination not to advocate the selection
or any man for Governor next year "who
asks us (the editors) for our advocacy, or
who we have good reason to believe is per-
sonally pressing himself for the nomina-
ton" We endorse this sentiment in all its
length and breadth, and in everything that
it implies. No man with a proper sense Of
self respect would seek nomination for
Governor by huckstering his political wares
throughout the State, or making personal
appeals in his own behalf and any one who
/ would thus stoop to conquer ought not to
receive any countenauce in State couven-
tion. There are numerous Democrats in
the State, fist class men in every re-
spect, any ono Of whom would mako Gov
ernor such as The people would be Justly
proud of Such man the Democracy W i'll
insist-npon having as their cand idate, and
they propose to discover him without his
own personal aid or assistance 1t will be
shown, we think, in the next Democratic
State convention that the nominations then
/ to be made will seek the men, and not the
| men the nominations.