Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-10-26
1a,lcaster frltelligenrer.
THURSDAY EVENING. OCT. 20. 1857
A Man Fit to BE Governor

THURSDAY EVENING, OCT. 20. 1881.
A Man Fit to BE Governor.
One of the marked characteristics OF
American political life is the desire of
the people to meet every candidate for
their suffrages face to face. They want
to see for themselves what manner of
man he is. They want to hear him
speak, that they may take their own
measure of his ability to grapple with
the public questions of the day. They
do not always demand that he shall be
exceptionally gifted with oratoricaI
powers. He may be plain of speech and
brief in utterance but they must at
least see him, that is the great point.
No candidate for governor has ever been
presented to the citizens of Pennsylva-
mia who has excited greater curiosity in
this respect than Mr.. Pattison. Nom
mated for the highest Office in the gift
Of the people at an age when most men
are only getting fairly started in life.
that fact alone intensified the natural
public curiosity In regard to him. Be
sides, although five years an occupant of
place Of vast responsibility and of a
supreme importance to the taxpayers of
the first city Of the commonwealth, he
was but little known in the state at
large. He was new man he must
show himself and make his own impress
sion. Mr.. Pattison has responded to
this call to the extent that his official
duties would permit, and the result has
been one Of unmixed popular satisfac
tion.
1t is not necessary, even if it were
possible, for gubernatoria! candidate
to meet ali the people; to visit every
town and county; to spend three or four
months on the railroad or turnpike !;
to exhibit himself daily and nightly in
an undignified swing around the circle.
The man who does this loses more than
he gains in popular respect and conf
dence. He sOOnS runs himself out and
becomes a sort of campaign nuisance.
His efforts on the stump grow ruinously
mOnOtOnOus. He occupies the position
in the public eye of political tramp.
PROFESSIONALLY this is General Beavers
unhappy plight to-day. He is much
weaker at this time with the people than
he was three months ago. Mr.. Pattison
has wisely pursued different course.
His characteristic announcement that
he would not neglect the duties
of one office to seek or secure
another was in itself an illustra-
tion of the man and his principles that
was worth thousands of votes to him.
He recognized the fact that the people of
Philadelphia had the first claim upon
him and frankly declared that he did
not propose to ignore that compact, even
to make sure Of going up higher.
In order to meet these somewhat con-
dieting obligations Mr.. Pattison has put
himself under a pressure that few men
could stand. He has made two exhaust.
ing journeys to the borders of the state,
travelling in all upwards of two thousand
miles, and made more than score of
speeches and addresses, and this within
the eunpreceientedly brief period of eight
days and another flying trip of this
character will be made during the pres
ent week. In the intervals between this
extraordinary campaign work the Demo
cratic candidate returns to his desk in
the controllers Office and performs a
prOdigious amount of labor in order that
no public or private interest may suffer
in consequence of his brief absences.
This is the kind OF fidelity to duty which
tie people can appreciate, especially ut a
time when the cabinet of q national ad-
minis.ration is scattered over the coun-
try engaged in various political schemes.
its chief law officer neglec:ing momen-
tOus public interests to help save from
deserved ruin an odious and corrupt
domination which he has publicly de-
nounced with the utmost severity.
In his bearing towards the people Mr..
Pattison has exhibited the same exalted
sense of responsibility that has always
characterized him. In this particular
his visitation to distant parts of the
state has been, indeed, a revelation, as
disccmfiting to the enemies of reform as
it has been encouraging to its friends.
Instead of seeing vain, immature and
untrnstworthy young man the people
have beheld a calm and even stern faced.
sober-minded. deeply earnest citizen OF
affairs, seemingly oppressed with the
weight Of responsibility which rests
upon him, and discussing, only with the
utmost gravity, the keenest intelligence
the sincerest motives and the loftiest
patriotism, the great issues of the day.
His set speeches and impromptu ad-
dresses alike all breathe the spirit of ur-
selfish ana unfaltering devotion to duty.
His earnestaess and honesty have been
manifest in every look and word. His
fearless courage as the champion of ad-
mlnistrative reform has been inspiring.
He has spoken right from the heart and
his words have gone straight to the
mark they are echoed back from every
hillside and valley throughout our long
disgraced and plundered commonwealth
as the imperative demand of the hour.
He has made no attempt at oratorical
display he has not flattered the people
with vain words; he has not avoided
vital issues and dealt in glittering gener.
alities art meaningless platitudes. He