The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-18
Right Men for the Legislature.

Editor Morning. NeWs: Soon the voters
of Chatham county will have before them
candidates for the legislature. OF course
every man who interests himself in such
matters will have his decided choice. Those
who do not take any particular interest in
blowing the party horn for any one IN par
tfcular will simply wait 10 see who will be
chosen. Your writer has been too long in
public life not to know something about
legislators, for 1t was his especial business
for many years to have to do with legislat-
ors.
A man at home following his regular
calling, and may say q success in his bust
moss, popular with his fellow citizens, Is
taken up and made legislator. he goes
TO the capital OF the state a stranger to the
business he will be called upon to do. He
is taken completely out of his line OF
thought, and the result is that as legis-
lapor he is q failure, in a greater or less de-
gree, as TO doing anything in particular, or
making any reputation as thinker or law
maker That has been my observation
with hundreds of legislators, and some
became so disgusted with the business OF
law making that no inducement could be
offered them TO serve for a second term.
Many said: This has been my first and
my last experience as legislator, could
not be paid to come again, | am entirely
out of my element" Yet some OF those
men were anxious to try their hand at legis-
lating as an experiment, but they soon found
out that draw wing bills discussing and de-
Tending them on the floor was something
out of their line of thought.
1t is not speech making, pretty talk, elo'
quence and grandiloquent speaking that Is
! wanted on the floor of Legislation, but plain,
practical. sensible, common seuse views
men who can talk from experience, judg-
| ment, reason; men whose minds grasp COM
mon sense principles, sensible policies and
just measures. the result of observation aud
thought. There is such a thing aS growth
| maturity anu decay. In the halls Of legis-
lation we want maturity, not growth nor
| decay. The young man in his goa Is in his
growth, the man in his middle sos and full
40s is in his maturity, aud the ma1 past his
Cos Is In the lane Of life and is a slow
goer, has thought, experience and observa-
ton, provided bis mind has not run into a
| deep rut OF one thought or idea, One idea
men are narrow men; one idea men cannot
grasp any business outside of their immedi-
ate vocation. Rufus Choate of Massachu-
| sets, one of the greatest lawyers Of his day,
was perfect failure as legislator. He
knew law and nothing else. In the court
house he was a legal giant; as a senator,
talking tariff. public works, internal i'm
provemeate, etc, be was eat Of mis- element.
Every man TO his business, but not bust
ness beyond his capacity, education and
everyday thoughts.
Legislators are not born but made, and II
takes time TO make a good one; experience
is all important TO make good one. But
where a man has genius or talent, that
faculty of the mind in which he can quickly
and readily adjust his mind to new ideas
and new surroundings, he can aud will
make good legislator. The only trouble
with some men is that when the winds Of
applause blow fresh and strong with them
they lose their heads and become fools, SO
to speak. They are easily pulled up and
spoiled. The level-headed man knows just
how to value himself.
Now word as to who should represent
Chatham county. / see a number of names
suggested. Some Of the gentlemen know
and others do not. But we want men OF
age and experience as Legislators; men who
take business view of legislation, men
who from their experience can talk not as
theorists but as practical men. Men who
have talents to readily grasp new ideas and
thoughts. Active business, enlarged bust
ness, diversified business, gives an enlarged
brain and grasp. We have SUCH men-men
who are by nature thinkers, progressive
men, and somewhat aggressive men.
Ii Savannah has any especial interest Bhe
"ohOo iOOAo0 dAGoE, Luen SoAeCb Luo uldu beSt
suited by thought TO engineer that interest
as legislator. His knowledge is all i'm
portant. II she has nothing particular she
desires, then send three men blessed with
fine common sense. They will be in the way
and stop bad legislation. The talent to
suggest is great talent Had Napoleon
but listened to TalIayrand as suggestor,
he never would have died on ST. Helena.
But that aggressive spirit Of his sealed his
doom in time,
The first question voter should ask him
self is: What qualifications have so and so
for legislator Can he fill the bill in every
PARTICULAR Is he easily influenced by any
interests! Has he any selfish interests
which he wishes TO aid by special legisla-
tioni Has he talent enough to hold his hand
with able men? Has his experience been
such as ito command respect? Can his
friends use him for their purposesl Or is
he like Bill Collins ram, who had head
OF his own and not afraid of anybody or
anythingl win butt both friend or foe if
they get in his way. individuality Ia what
we want In legislators, decision OF charac-
ter and an investigating mind.