The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-06-06
THE mEANING CT THE LETTER.

MI Blaine's letter must, Of course, be
understood RS meaning that be Will take
nomination if rendered TO him at Mime
5pOlis, and that, in lis judgment, lis slate
ment 10 MI Garrison that be was not
candidate Goes not preclude his accepting
tie nomination if lie can get it. II others
put upon the Garrison letter broader in
depreciation than Ar. Blaine thinks il viii
bear that is theIT lookout
Throughout our history The Office of SecTa-
tary Of State has been regarded as a step
ping stone to the Presidential nomination,
but there were but three Presidents who
graduated straight from the SecTetaTysbip
Of State to the Presidency. Those were
Madison, 81 0nToe ana John Quincy Adams.
All three stepped out Of the State Depart
ment into The White House without hating
midway In other cases an interval elapsed.
jefferson was Secretary Of State from 1889
10 1894 but he did not become Pres dent
tai 1901. Martin Van Buren, served two
years as Secretary Of State under jackson.
lie Lad been out of Office six years when be
was elected to the Presidency. James Blu
chanau served a full term as Secretary
under Polk. He bad been eight years out
of PClk's Cabinet and four years Minister
elected 10 The Presidency. With the excep-
ton If these SIX statesmen no Secretary Of
State ever became President, though most
Of them have aspired TO the Office. Clay,
Webster. Cass, Seward, Eyarts and Bayard
all flied IN turn the office which Mr.. Blaine
has just resigned. and all figured as Presi-
dental candidates. Two Of them, Clay and
Cass, we're actually nominated by national
nd fofl cd r. oil Nj
Of the six attained the goal Of his ambition.
The last Secretary who became President
Buchauau-was nominated thirtY.six years
ago, and he took good care 10 get out of the
country and keep cut If FIRE during the
years preceding his nomination.
Il Is not TO be denied that a change has
taken place in political methods within the
past century. The original idea was that
man Of ability should rise from Congress
man 10 Senator or foreign Minister, then 10
Cabinet Minister, and finally, if ne ripened
in harness, to Chief Magistrate. But this
plan presupposed larger measure Of public
Intelligence than politicians have been will
ing to cOncede. Half century ago nomi-
mating conventions began to allow more for
RVailability-that is to say for a supposed
hold on the fancy Of the masses-than for
aChIUh ttl Ecu 6bhLbbHdu5I4Ds mus Daniel
Webster was passed over for General Har-
rison IN 1870, and for General Taylor in
1913 Other examples VIII occur to the
reader. The dominating notion Of modern
conventions Is to choose not the man who
would probably make the best President,
but him who would probably poll the largest
vote among twelve million citizens. all en-
dowed with tie suffrage Irrespective OF
their political Intelligence. And as the at
tributes which distinguish an IDEAL Chief
Magistrate are not those which dazzle the
public eye. nor those which furnish a bur
den for campaign miustrelsy, il does not
seem as certain as might be wished that
parties will henceforth choose their best
men 10 carry the party banner in political
contests. Tinsel may utweigh solid worth
There is 10 post in the Government ser
vice which exacts higher order Of ability
than the Office Of Secretary Of State 1t is
invariably filed by the ablest member Of
The party in power. Yet Of the great men
who have been Secretary Of State during
the last forty years-Jeremiah Black. VIII
liam l. Marcy, Seward, Washbume, Hami-
ton Fish, Blaine. Frelinghuysen and
Bayard only two have ever been seriously
considered in connection with the Presi-
dency