The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-12

Chronic Candidates.

Chronic Candidates.
TO the Editor OF the Indianapolis Journals
Like the poor. we have them with us aIways
Henry Clay was candidate for the presidsncy
more than quarter Of q century, and 90 Was
Cass and Judge Mclean, and 90 have been
dozen or more, and the tribe increases. They
are as much to be pitisd = blamed, for the fault
is not all on their side, perhaps not half. Still
they ought to learn something from the fate Of
their tribe generally. They never succeed. and
their injudieious friends should learn something
also. There is little doubt that Tom Corwin or
Wm Fl. Seward could have been elected Presi-
dent in 1874, but the friends Of Henry Clay in
sisted and he consented. No one imagines that
Seward could have been elected in 1860. though
he insisted on trying IL and his friends were i'm
Fortunate. Judge Mclean went to his grave be-
lievine that if he had been the candidate In
1886 he would have been elected, but nobody
ever shared that belief with him. Akin to this
10 kind Of popular idea that the race Of Gin
and always have been. whose friends, often by
and with their own advice and consent, are will
ing to take the part Of Cincinnatus, and abandon
the quiet aud ease OF old age to save their coun-
try, but they are nearly .alwayn . failure 1t
was no dislike to General Grant that made the
instinct Of the people revolt against his third
term project. They do not believe that any one
man is necessity, and manly men have great
reluctance to entertaining soch an icea
Shakespeare did the reputation OF Julius
him cry out. 'sHslp me, Cassius. or
l sink The people expect brave men
20 help themselves, hsnce there Is . popular re-
pugnance against this thing of hunting for Gin
cinnatusss or Cassiuses. The Democrats OF
Ohio tried 1t q few years ago by. resurrectine
Ex-Governor William Allen. He had once led
them to victory, and they thought that OF
course William Allen. just on the verge OF the
grave, would save them. but 1t was mistake.
The world moves away from old men very rap
idly / have no idea that General Grant, il
alive and WE'LL could be elected now, and am
very sure that there are several chronic candi-
dates for Office that would have to carry an I'M
necessary load If they should be nominated.
And this applies to other Offices as we'll AS TO the
presidency. Thirty years ago we had In the
Treasurer's Office in this county, as q
clerk, . most excellent man. personally,
and most competeut man. For twelve
or fifteen years he was . candidate for the Office
but always failed. We had later, similar case
In the clerks Office Blaine has been candi-
date for the presidency about twenty years. so
has Sherman. Excellens men they are, but
ought not their friends to remind them of the
fate of Clay and othersa There is . time to
moves away from the young men Of to-day very
rapidly. Some men grow old, but don't know
it. / hope that when get old will have sense
enough to know it; meanwhile let as recognize
the fact that we do not want chronic candidates
for any or our Offices this year. neither do We
want to resurrecs the dead or the nearly dead.
Let the friends Of Blaine take him
at his word, and assume that he
knows when he has had enough
and so of all who decline candidacy. We are
no sinking Caesar. who needs to cry, "Help.
Cassius, or We sink" The very call for some
retired OLD man il an implied confession Of help
lessness. The Republican party is not only q
grand old party. but it vigorous and grow
ing young party. just fairly entering upon q
grand future. Neither in this county, nor In this
State, nor in the Nation do we need the fortu
itous aid Of antiquity nor the prestige Of for
who can be 1usted TO lead U.S. u l. SEE.