New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-19
CHOICES.

A second choice is not often 4 choice al all
If any man is eveIybody's second choice, the
only thing certain IS that nobody prefers hiln'
When Presidential elections draw near, now
ever. the wiseacrcs who never look below the
scrlacc are sure To go about asking every Dody'
WHO'S Your second choice y The bored clu-
zen. who really has no disposition to choose but
once. usually answers the first name that comes
into his head. and 50 gets nd of foolish ques-
ton.
A choice for the Presidency means something
II NAV mean a strong personal liking or inter
est. II ought 10 mean deliberate Judgment
that. alt things considered, the nomination OF a
certain candidate is a duty. But the man VINO
has n personal interest or preference never
thinks of other possible likes or diShkes II ne
cannot have the man he wants. anybody not
positively offensive will answer. And the man
who deliberately judges that the nomination OF
White is a public duty cannot have any opinion
about Black or other candidates named, except
that il i, a duty not to nominate them. Inc
sccond-choce-monger if he had asked the he
publicans in October, 1850, whether Hancock
was their second choice would not have been
more foolish than usual.
Voters who know enough of public affairs to
have first choice that is worth anything
always find it necessary to stop there. To
choose between candidates whom they do not
choose is absurd The mental attitude of the
man who has his candidate ticketcd A. first and
b. second. and so on 10 the end of the list, may
be outc fitting for the race-course, but it simply
disanol6cs for the performance of grave
pubhc duty. In practice, the voter who gets
far enough to have second choice Is usually q
more or less rusty weathercock, and Is anxious
only Ia get on the winning side. The support
of such men is half-hearted and not hall help
fnl and candidate may well pray to be rid OF
tbem. When some of Mr. Stewards friends, IN
the Republican Convention of 1850, began to
whisper about their second choice. shreWd
WesteIDer said: That ends it; Lincoln will
win"
II may occur to many that the supporters of
Mr.. Blaine do not spend their time in looking
for dark horse " to ride. They are generally
of friendly disposition toward several other
candidates. and are not throwing mud at any,
hut their choice is James G.. Blaine. If the
Convention respects their judgment, he will be
nominated; if it does not, the judgment OF
Others will prevail. They are not anticipating
in all the pivotal States will be entirely dsrc-
garded or treated with contempt. If 1t should
be- possibly the subsequent proceedings may
not have very great Importance. 1t can hardly
make much difference who is nominated, II 1t Is
70 be done in such way rs to render success
impossible, and it Will therefore be grave
question for the Convention whether it can
afford to permit SANDER and falsehood, or free
trade threats of boiling, to name candidate for
the Republican party.
On the other side, there is host of men who
are all discussing their "second choice" The
waiter upon providence, who names the candi-
date nomnally preferred, is usually careful to
add: "But my second choice is" somebody
else. This has the advantage of suggesting
that his third or fourth choice may be the man
who is to be nominated.