Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-24

Hon. II. II. Carlton, Of Athens, is re-
ported az having said that he is not a
candidate for Governor. He thinks, l. he
is reported correctly, that the office
should seek the man and not the
man the Office. No doubt Mr.. Carl
ton is right. A man VINO persistenly
seeks an Office like that OF Governor
cannot avoid making pledges, and the
candidate who makes pledges Is owned,
practically, by the men to whom he makes
pledges. He is not a free man, and no
man who is not free to do what he knows
is for the best interests OF the people is
ut TO hold a great Office of trust and re-
spOnsibiIty.
For weeks, and even months, prominent
men in different parts of the State have
been using all the arts Of which they are
master, and all the influence within their
control, to improve their chances for get
ting he Democratic nomination for Gov
ernor. They have made some friends
doubtless, and perhaps think that they
have improved their prospects greatly.
We are not prepared to say whether they
have or not, but 1t is safe to state very
are great deal mere interested in having
an honest, conscientious and capable man
for Governor than they are in assisting
any particular man to crafty his amb-
ton, however laudable that ambition may
be, or to accomplish his political pur-
poses, even though those purposes, essen
TALLY selfish, might contribute something
towards the advancement OF the public
welfare. In other words, IL we are not
mistaken the people will choose man for
Governor because they want him, and not
because he wants to be Governor.
There is no reason why a man should not
saw that he would like to be Governor, or
why be shouldn't announce himself az a
candidate, but we submit that II is hardly
Identified or becoming in a man who as
pires to SO important an Office to button
hole every man in every county in the
State whom be thinks has an atom of in
iuence, and seek to win his assistance by
promises, or by any OF the arts of which
shrewd politicians are masters.
If a man is big enough to be Governor
he is big enough to stand on his rec
ord, and say to the people that while he
would feel bonored by being selected tor
50 great an office, and while he is willing
To do what is proper and right to get it he
will not promise to become the tool of the
big and little politicians all over the State
with the hope OF getting IL.
In this connection it is proper to say
that there are several gentlemen in South
observation-disclosures who are not unknown
throughout the Siate--whO have served
the people acceptably, who have clean
records in public and private life, and
who would I'll the office of Governor
creditably and satisfactorily. They are
not going to the county seats Of the differ
ent counties to tell the people how well
qualified they are for Governor, or
to the State capital to stand
on the street corners and beg every prom
inent man they happen to meet there
for his influence in their behalf 1t must
not be understood that they think ths they
ought to be begged to accept the office, or
that 1t is hardly in keeping with their
dignity to solicit favOrs from the people.
Their course is dictated by something
altogether different-by a respect for the
people and for the greatest Of the State
offices. They prefer to reach the Office of
Governor, if they reach it at all, free to
administer it in the interest of the whole
peOple,