The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1882-06-16
A WAR CANDIDATE" FOR CON
GRESS

In IA half.column article. devoted TO
the candidacy Of Mr.. Hutchinson, Of
Houston, for congress, the Houston Age
does not mention anything else about
Mr.. Hutchinson but his war record.
This war record is all very good, for peo-
Pile respect brave man who fought like
man for his honest convictipns,w whether
in the Confederate or the Union army.
But in the name OF common sense it is
to be hoped Mr. Hutchinson has aome
other qualifications FOR congressional
Office than the mere fact Of having
served honorably in the Confederate
army. We know men who made superb
soldiers in that army; who came home Mt
the end OF the four years covered with
the scars OF bsttle-"sHns peur ct sans
reproche." And they are good mon and
true, in all the relations Ot life. And
yet there are some OF these
men We should regret to see elected to
congress, for the simple reason that we
do mot think they are fitted ior the
place. One makes successful lawyer,
merchant, farmer, doctor. builder, cat
tie raiser, banker or manufacturer, or
whatever avocatlon he has a turn for,
but he would probably prove failure
Rs congressman, thus mortiiylng HIM
: II, his friends aud lis party. The ARe's
favorite may possess all the necessary
qualifications Tor tho office to which he
aspires that If not called IN question.
But it would have seemed more practi-
cal and sensible to have said something
about his familiarity with the questions
and issues that arc likely to demand the
attention OF congressman; his capacity
as worker; his tact in dealing with
men, his force as an orator or II debater
hia views on matters Of public
capacity for usefulness, ns compared
with other men, when once III congress
These are the points that people con
slider when they nro estimating man'r
availability for public Office. And yet
in the Ages appeal FOR Mr.. Hutchinson
there is not word, not even the shadow
of the faintest allusion to these points
merely his chreer from the beginning Il
the close OF the war IN 1855. 1t il sev
enteen years since that close, aud til,
Age makes u blank OF these, tho lates
years, OF Mr. Hutchinson's life. He ma!
have been asleep, like Rip Van Wlnklo
no far as the Ages knowledge OF hin
seems 10 20. Gen. BeHurogHrd was
gallant southern soldier, and Il fey
years ago the New Orleans people, who
love and honor him, wanted to send hin
to congress he protested and declined
because he said he had been trained IA
Il soldier aId felt he had n,
turn for congressional life. The Age hal
also heard OF Gen. Joseph +. Johns, ON
He served in cOngross two years aud ad
mitted he made blnnder in going ther,
that he had no tact or fitness for til,
place and WAS glad to abandon it. Tn,
people OF his district took him at hi,
word, too, and it was no reproach to HIM
1t If 1882 now, and there are no battles
thank Heaven, to be fought The Age
might be practical. like other peopl,
and first consider Il mans present fit
ness, for present duties, and then bring
in his war record, II ne has one. II he
hasn't 1t is no disgrace to him, Tor many
prominent men OF to-day were boys dur,
! ing the war. Let us select public mer
! for what they are now and bid fair to h,
in The future--not what they wer,
) twonty yehrs ago.
-y