The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-04-28
Fifth Congressional District Of Mis-
sissippi

o. K. Singleton as "a worthy Representa-
tive and available candidate for re-elec
tion, merit the thoughtful aud impair
tial attention OF The voters Of the 5tf
district. J will Eot assert that opposi
ton 20 him, is exactly ineratitude. Foi
defeat comes inevitably sooner or later
in the career of every politician. Bat
tine grounds of opposition urged against
him i'm certain interested quarters, arc
not well ,aken. II would be hard Il
persuade the plblc that any approved
public servant should be black -balled
simply because he is old, (and therefore
presumably more experienced) or be
cause he may have said he might not
continue in public life. Under thi;
rule, all the hoary sOlous OF the country
would be retired when stated with honor,
or weary of the public yoke. Of this
question the people, who arc the silent
majority. will have their own opinion
and be Their own arbiters. Not until
they drop q man out Of politics, can he
be said to be dropped. Then and not
until then, is ne really dropped The
fiat of few can never do it. The yeo-
manry o. the party, the bone and sinew,
do not generally depreciate faithful
public services, nor capriciOusly decapi-
tate "A staunch and honorable public
servant Certain it is, they will not
recklessly snub him Human nature
has little Of the blessed weakness and
leayen of righteousness left yet, and
will not be frivolously swayed by fear,
favor or compulsion, when it comes to
.hasty de-erti0n of old friends Sin lie
ton is conceded TO be "A good politician
with a wide, national reputation, north
and south; conspicuous parsonage at
the Capital, versed in the intricate
affairs of government, skilled in parlia-
meutary usages, initiated in all the
faesse of political arts, subtleties and
demagoguery, and qualified for his place
by long, active and arduous experience.
What does the South need more at
Washington, ut this crisis, than these
Qualification and influence
What does she need more taan men,
we'll equipped and fortified at all points
TO hold their own, and measure lances
with the well trained, sagaciOus and ac-
complisheG politicians sent .here from
the Northern States? Men Of mark,
distinction and polish, learned in lore
and practiced in polemics, are indispen
sable to cope with the stslwart athletes
they viii be called on to encounter.
Raw recruits won't do. Mediocrity won't
do Mississippi cannot afford, at this
iuncture, to hazard her proud prestige
and old time fame in the hands of un-
known and obscure men. She must
maintain her rank at the fore front, in
the van, and keep pace in the great race
for laurels and precedence with her
sister commonwealths. In the onward
march of this era, of ever hurrying and
shifting events of pregnant import,
wide-awake, live and expert leaders
should be at the wheel and helm. Not
for the sake of fl ftttering the vanity or
budding ambition Of any untried man
or embryo statesman should Mississippi
lose ground she may never recover, or
jeopardize great interests and 0ppertu-
tunities now at stake. And what is
true, in this regard of her, applies with
equal pertinence, to every other South
ern State. The whole South needs now,
more than ever, its ripest scholars and
statesmen mt the national Capital.
And in this connection, it is worth
while, to note a scarcely considered, vet
no less veritable cause, why superior
class of politicians is growing relatively
smaller at the South than a, the North.
Under the imperative force Of circum-
stances, obvious to every one, the condi-
tions of Southern politics are such, since
the war, as preclude the development of
the high traditional and bean ideal poll
ticiau. In the absence of two rival
parties. the vigorous friction necessary
to perfect full and finished orators and
ready debaters is lacking. The theatre
of politics is contracted to the limits ol
one party; the contest is narrowed be
tween the members OF one purity; the
performance ends with the nominations
and debate and discussion Is summaflly
cut off The five minutes rule seenr
come to stly and prevail in the hTsting'
as we'll rs in parliamentary bodies
Old time speech m king and oratorica
conflicts are absolute things Of the past
Verify, OJheilos 0ccupation may indeed
be considered gone. For a redho'
political campaign, ia days of yor'
under the old regime. was supposed to b,
the natural avocation of politician
the congenial element in which h
reyelIed. the atmosphere in which h
lived aud moved aud had his highest be
ing. Here he waxed warm and strong an'
great and graad TWAS q prolific schoo
for the nurture OF a numerous ci tss o
able politicians of the past generation
The old fashioned stump speaker, hei
aided by the roar of artillery, the biar
of trumpets, the pomp of banners an
the cheers of the crowd Where Is he
Where are the elden time barbecue
and mass meetings, when the crowd
were swayed by magnetic oratory as o.
bag-pipe or tocsin of war, ana "ne
the welkin resounded with the clario
tones of fluent eloquence and Impa
stoned harangues, scarcely less excltlp
than the thunders OF the cannon an
the martial strains OF the brass oands
These exhilarating scenes were Tn
politicians paradise, his alpha an
OMEGA and his supimHm boa,Dl, his all !
all. his battle ground of glory, and col
stituteJ the essence aud substance OF
things seen or unseen or hoped for Ca'
youT eve over the State. Where is ths
brilliant constellation of great mel
that galaxy of profound political phiios
pliers. with all the name lmplie
whose lofty genius embellished her Al
te bellum annals and she'd effulgent lu
ire ON her nameg There are some,
be sure. 10 be counted on ones hnger
But her forum, alas, Is comparative
deserted, save only by the hitlt
shades of her mighty dead.
Therefore, the lack OF preparatlt
and training. supplied by the ancient Gu
tom os canyassing on the stump, shon
be borne in mind in selecting men te
Congress. To retrieve the defect Al
compensate for lost opportunities al
exercise in active campaigns, they mn
possess either unusual natural aoilitl
or enjoy the advantages acquired Dy s
tended experience end service III
halls Of Congress ITSELF Iircuinsp'
ton should then be used IN dismiss'l
approved and capable pubic men, Y
are thus circumstanced, and quaiined
handle important public measures,
make room for beginners who are
makable for nothing more conspicuo
han other ordinary citizens.
o. r.. Singleton seems TO me, one
the ordinary citizens, the best chance
sight. His mantle wont fit everyoo
who thinks it will.
p S-Yonr readers will generally
prove your position on the 1arloil' ,u'
business. 1t hurt the Democra,ic par
hurt the State, but hurt Carroll cou'
more than all. They lay the blame
another county. But hardly thin
crowd frosa an adjacent county eo'
invade my county with impunlty
commit such an act, and NOT even
known. Ny county would haroiy Y