Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-03-15
Political Barnacles.

often prevented by the selfish ambi-
ton Of its promoters. The times
may be suspicious, the cause may be
ever 80 just, public opinion may
largely predominant in its favor and
yet the cause suffers ignominious
defeat because Of the selfishness and
poor judgment Of its ndhcrcnis. This
unfortunate result IL frequently
brought about by the persistency
with which the chronic ofiice-seekcr
thrusts himself into the arena as the
"only available candidate" It mat
tiers not how unpopular the man be rs
an individual, It matters not how
often or how emphatic his unpopular
ity has been demonstrated still the
itch for office has become 50 saturated
in his system that whenever there is
anything in sight his lightning rod is
up. He never waits 10 learn whether
he Is wanted; he never considers
whether he can command the sup
port Of the largest number Of voters,
at time when votes are needed; he
never looks around TO see whether
there is not some other person who is
equally as well qualified a. himself,
who Is much more deserving and
much more likely to command the
votes Of his party than himself, but
he wants Office and he wants it bad,
and he proposes to "gct in before
anyone else. II he has once been n
candidate or had taste Of Office his
ambition becomes doubly intensified.
lie then claims whatever he aspires
TO by kind Of pre-emptivc right.
This unfortunate class Of indiyid-
uals has its representatives in all
parties. Anyone with littlo obscr-
walton can select the professional
Office seeker in every party. lie is
invariably telling you that he is not
seeking the office, but that he finds II
almost impossible to resist the impor-
tunities of his friends; that his mail
IL loaded down with urgent requests;
that he shall allow the voters to east
their ballots for him. lie will relate
these startling facts four times day,
II you happen to converse politically
with him 80 often. We have these
cyesorcs in Dickinson county, They
bob up ever time there is Il good office
in sight. II they fail in getting one
thing, they want another. We know
Of one man who already has mapped
out n plan by which he proposes to set
his stakes for either Of three offices
II he fails in the first, he proposes to
try the next best, and II unsuccessful,
then he will bc in the race for the
third.
The barnacle il difficult for n party
to handle. Ordinarily he Is good
partisan aud has a respectable follow
ing which cannot he sighted with
IMMUNITY, BY thrusting himself into
the arena, he often finds himself 50
comfortably situated that in order for
the party to dispose Of him it must
take care Of him. Sometimes he
casts himself into the ring doubtless
with very little hope Of winning the
prize, but with the expectation that
he may be in position to "trade'
with the fellow who does win. With
n few delegates pledged to him he
may hold the balance Of power and by
"throwing his delegation" to this or
that candidate he finds his influence
Of quite commercial or political
value.
The most serious results from this
class Of ollice-scckcrs IL that men who
can command the entire strength of
their party, and most likely to draw
votes from the enemy, are deferred by
the persistent and unseemly crowding
of the barnacle, from permitting their
names TO 90 before the people at all.
Aud in this manner the barnaclc sue
ceeds in getting delegation or n
nomination to the cndangcring of the
entire ticket.
This condition of affairs is not con-
fined to any county, or district, or
State, but 1t exists everywhere where
offices are to be filled by popular vote.
1t Is condition that confronts all
parties. The trouble is not so often
as to who will make the strongest
candidate, but how to get rid of the
barnacle in order that the strongest
candidate may be nominated.
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MI