New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-18
ruw vopx DAILY TRIBUNE THURSDAY, MARCH 49, 1880

leading Republican Senator who has been long
in public life and has the entire confluence
of his party, there is no question elther rs u
nj, fitness or as to the right OF any
man or set of men to urge his CLAIMS
II ia to his advantage that he has not been
unt,l recently considered a candidate, for he has
escaped the calumny and SANDER which are
the price of such prominence, and which no
one in that position, though chaste as
ice and pure as snow, has ever es-
caped He could not expect TO ENJOY
any such immunity from slanderous tongues
were he to be put forward rs an ac-
tual candidate for the Presidency. The ar
eumept that nothing is said against him
might easily be answered by the fact that he
has not been in o position to provoke attack
Against other men the arsenals OF SANDER
have been exhausted blackguardism has USED
I'D even its reserves; the whole strength OF
the opposition is easily discounted. Against
new man no enc knows what batteries might
be opened, or what mischief they might do
before the dispositions could be made to
answer or silence them.
But to be entirely frank, Senator Edmunds
There are many earnest and honest men, OF
course, who ardently desire his nomination !;
some of them no doubt entertain hope that
by some chance circumstance, or com
bination of circumstances, he may be
selected. The Vermont delegation, with
pardonable pride in their Senator, Will
urge the expediency and wisdom of such
choice upon the Convention. But We may as
well look at things rs they are, and not de-
ceive ourselves. Neither they nor anybody else
has reasonable expectation OF his NOM
nation. And this is no reflection upon
Mr.. Edmunds or insinuatiOn against ms
popularity or availability. Ii Is SIM
ply plain way of presenting the fact
that he is too. late in the field, and
that circumstances have narrowed the contest
down to other competitors. And let us say
right here, that if the Senator had been con-
spicuousy candidate, with a fair prospect
of success, we have not the slightest doubt
that among the most vehement OF his oppo-
nepts would be some of the very me1 ana
newspapers now giving him such an eiius-
i've advocacy. The conduct OF these men
and we do not mean to Judge them
by anything but their own acts and avowals.
and not then uncharitably-is not governed so
much by considerations of the candidates
fitness, the party's needs, or the country 5
welfare, as by certain other and lower mo-
tives, partly selfish and partly malicious. That
is to say, in their support of Mr. Edmnnds
they are actuated more by desire to
break down some one else than either to build
him up or promote the success of the party or
welfare of the country. There is in addition
the selfish motive founded Oh vanity, of max
ing themselves prominent by activity IN a
small movement instead OF being lost sight Of
in a large one.
There is an overweening desire on the part
Of some provincial newspapers to advertise
themselves by their eccentlcitics. Great al
lowance is to be made for this tendency. They
have such a mania for setting up for them
selves and not permitting their action to
be Influenced by others. that it actually
makes them unhappy to find themselves
in agreement with anybody. They with
draw from the crowd and stand of
alone to be looked at and t. cast q
shadow for their own admiration. The editors
Of these Journals feol competent 90 lead in
large affairs and far be it from TO dispute
them but being unable to, from the dsad-
vantages of location, they make the best of
it 10y putting themselves at the head of ont
of-the-way enterprises and small dsailections.
They distinguish between politics and
what they call journalism" Said a
representative Of this class once. upon
being questioned as to the wisdom
Of publishing an indiscreet private letter from
n public man whom the editor was urging for
high office apparently with all his might; at
"was not wise politics ] know, but it was
"uncommon smart journalism" The publica-
ton killed the candidate, but advertised
the PAPER. There is, we. fear good
deal more smart journalism than
wise politics in the movement for Mr. Ed
munds. Already, we observe there is a dis
pute raging as to who first started the "boom,"
and the quarrel over the patent bids fair TO
take precedence Of the main question. In the
minds of these editors the most important
question about the business, now that it seems
to have got a little headway, is nothing
touching the candidate or his chances, but
who invented him.
We have too much regard for Senator Ed
munds to withhold our sympathy for him
under this unlocked for and unproyokcd yisi-
tation.