The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-09
CANDIDATES AND OFFICES.

OF any honorable man. 1t is the highest ex-
preston of confidence that can be given to
citizen by his fellow-citizens in their nu-
ncipal relations, and should be so regarded.
There are some unpleasant features in its
duties as at present arranged by law, and the
Office is stripped of some of the power and
prerogative which should rightfully belong
to it. Yet with all the drawbacks, it is still
an Office of trust and Importance, and in the
hands of a man determined to magnify it
and to impart to 1t the force and tone of his
own high personal character, it would be
found place in which could
be usefully employed the highest
kind of talent and the best
purpose. We are not saying this in the way
of reflection upon anyone who has been the
incumbent of the place, but tits said because
of the fact that so many men who have been
asked to stand as candidates have, for one
reason or another, steadily declined to per-
nit the use of their names. 1t were folly to
blink the fact that there is no inconsiderable
opposition to the denomination and re-elec-
ton of Mayor Grubbs How we'll grounded
this opposition may be- or how WIDELY diff
fused and influential, is not to the prese mt
purpose; the existence of this opposition
has led to the canvass of other men, and to
the solicitation of other gentlemen to allow
the use of their names in connection
with the place, and thus far it
is no secret that the quest has been we'll
nigh worse than useless. 1t is all right for
gentlemen to be opposed to Mr. Grubbs, and
to fill the air with complaints against the
propriety of his nomination; but the practical
answer to all of this is, where can better
man be found, or what better man will come
forward and announce that he considers the
Office worth saying to the voters that he
would take it, and discharge its uties to the
best of his ability, and lend to it the influ-
ence OF his character? So far that man has
not materalized, though the search has been
diligently made on behalf of those who
have not regarded the denomination of Mr.,
Grubbs as polite. 1t has been suggested
that it is the business of the conven-
best candidate and then nominate him. This,
in the way in which it is stated, is the SUI
premest nonsense. The convention might
assemble, could nominate any one of score
or a hundred of men, to whom the thought of
the people may have turned and then adj
iourn only to find the nomination perempto-
rily declined. Such course of action would
be as absurd and futile as that of the King
of France who marched I'D the hill and then
marched down again The plain, practical,
sensible duty of the members of the conyen-
ton will be to give the nomination to the very
best available man before them; to choose the
best from among those whose names are
presented for consideration with reason
able certainty that the nomination will be
accepted, and an honorable and earnest effort
made by the nominee to have the action of the
convention ratified and confirmed at the
polls. To do less or otherwise would be to
tritle with their duty, and to put the party
they represent in questionable and danger
Gus attitude before the people
1t is not a healthful sign when men put
away from themselves the duty OF serving in
public Office. There are duties as well as
privileges in American citizenship; and one
of the duties is to fill public Office, when
called to it by the untrammeled voice Of the
majority of the people. If men of the
highest grade of character and fitness are to
make it the habit to decline the sacrifice it
may be, of accepting the trust of office,
then they and those like them can
not with Justice complain if office be-
comes a thing sought for by the
unworthy and through unworthy means.
There will be a steady declension in the
grade of officeholders from year to year, I'M
til public administration becomes so bad
that it will be less of sacrifice for the tabled
good citizens to come forward and take
their proper share of the burdens of citi
zenship than it will be for them TO pay taxes
upon the property they unfortunately hold
subject to the power of the incompetent Of
iicials their own negligence and selfshness
have forced into power We are talking
this way because of what has been openly
said recently with respect to the approach
ing Republican convention, and the subse-
quent city election. The existence OF the !
talk and OF the tendencies is notorious |
What shall be done? If certain men are to
peremptorily decline to even con-
slider the question of acceptance of
Office, and vet those who will take upon |
themselves that duty are to meet attack from
the very ones who themselves sLirk the re-