The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-11-21
WHERE HE STANDS.
'sArthur as Candidate'' as Viewed
By a Washington Paper.
The President Only DESTROYS That
His Successor Shall BE Repuh-
Iican--A solid North Neces-
sary for success.

WASHINGTON CITY, Nov 21.-The Capital
has q doubIe-leaded editorial on the desires
of the president in the presidential campaign
of next year, in which under the head oil
The President as a Candidate" 1t says;
"The president fully comprehends the SIN
eerity and value of the manifestations
of favor with which various sections OF
the country have received the sug-
gestion that he be nominated in 1884
as the Republican candidate for the presi-
deney during the past week. 1t gives him
pleasure to perceive that even in that portion
of the press not especially friendly TO him
the subject is treated from the point of view
of what is best and safest for his party,
and not merely as question of what is TO
him personally acceptable or desirable.
1t would be gross injustice to Mr.. Arthur
to represent him in the attitude
of forcing himself upon the Republican party
or as willing to compass nomination next
year ty methods which would be sure to raise
a sharp personal issue within the party, SINH
lar to that unfortunate contest that preceded
the convention of 1880 President Arthur Is
far too sagacious politician to blindly pur-
sue a selfish purpose regardless Of the welfare
of the great political organization to which
he belongs.
ITO reach a true understanding of Mr..
ATthur's position relative to the next presi-
dency-and this the country may as well be
in possession Oft should be known that he
perfectly comprehends the fact so clearly in
dictated by the recent elections-namely, that
while the Democrats having possession Of the
solid south may elect president by carrying
the state of New York without carrying the
state of OHIO, it is absolutely essential TO Re-
publican success that the Republicans should
carry both Ohio and New York, and that no
candidate who can not be fairly sure in adj
vance of earring both of these states ought to
be placed on nomination, or even to have his
claims considered To nominate any man who
can NOS attract the full Republican vote
of both these states would be toinvite failure,
both fur the candidate and the party, and to
attempt to force upon the convention any
candidate who did not possess the entire con-
fiienee of the great mass of Republican voters
would be about as suicidal piece of political
folly as was ever known.
THE question that presents itself to the
presidents mind, therefore, is not whether
by the help of solid Republican delegations
from states which can cast no Republican
electoral votes, it is possible for him to secure
a denomination next June. Doubtless that
might be done. But Mr.. Arthur's whole
course since he has become president has
shown that he realizes the Importance of a
united party and that what is known as 1906
politics is not the sort of thing he prefers to
engaged in He feels that his administration
has fairly suited the party, and that it re-
quires but one thing to complete for it sue
cessful record which is to secure a Republi-
can triumph next year. 1t is far more import
ant to Mr.. Arthur that his successor should be a
man of his own political faith than that he
should be his own successor in the White
House. 1t is well known that the president
had hoped for such definite change of the
political status Of several southern states as
to enable the Republicans to count with some
confidence on securing their electoral votes
for the Republican ticket next year This
would have had two convenient results-it
would have avoided the necessity of concen-
trating all Republican efforts on the state of
New York, and it would have given to the
votes ofthe delegates from Virginia and some
other southern states in the next Republican
convention value they can not now possess
The election in Virginia was 20 overwhelm-
ing a victory for the Democrats thai all fur
ther talk about carrying the southern states
for the Republican ticket is useless. The vic
tory of 1884 must be won ON the same field as
that of 1880, if it is won at all, and the single
question now to be considered is under what
Republican leader that victory can be most
surely and most easily won.
president Arthur feels that if his admins
tration has been satisfactory to the country;
if our relations with foreign countries have
been peaceably and honorably maintained; if
the finances have been well administered; if
errors and scandals in internal affairs shall
have been found not to exist; if the army has
been ably directed, and the restoration of our
decrepit navy honestly and efficiently begun;
in a word, ifthis administration is what the
people desire it to be, and if his nomination
can best warrant and assure Republican
victory next year, then he can not refuse
to allow his friends to give him their
support -