New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-30
ANOTHER DEL SION.

Accommodating the "nOn-partisan deluslon
under which some of the more active and n'leht
OF the earnest young persons engaged IN reform
movements labor, and perhaps part OF H. II
the notion that the man. whoever he may De-
who desires an Office is necessarily unfit for H.
Tho idea finds expression in the somewhat trite
remark that 1.-THE office should seek the man.
not tho man the Office" This has come to be an
accepted political provcrb. 1t has been uoihs
duty I'm political campaigns ever since CAM
noigns began That Is a rare caucus or conVeh-
tion In which some fervid orator does not pre-
conf in glowing terms the claims OF candidate
whom the office seeks and who does not seek
Tho Office And when such candidate is nom
mated he is usually found shrinking from liie
nublc gaze IN the anteroOm OF the convention
with thn manuscript of his speech Of acceptance
in his nocket II the young gentlemen VINO
think. or suppose they think, that the essential
ouo,idcotion in a candidate for public office IS
that he does not want the office. wouid give 'iie
subject n little more serious ref1ectoh-h 'l'!
would for instance endeavOr to recall any I'M
nortant political position that has ever Deeh
successfully filed by man who consplciouSN
oortorpned tho honor and Stunned the rcspon-
sih,l,tv Of it-thev would perhaps perceive That
tbc nroycrb which sounds SO we'll Is tribe
hollow.
Al the convention of the Good Government
clubs the other night we observe that CONSUL
cradle stress was laid upon this idea. EA Nh!"'
Hewitt was loudly applauded when he said me
only way TO reform the city government was
"for the independent men who do'not want oii't
70 get together and organize ana No''' anu
added that there were In the Good "oNrrh,
ment clubs with their membership OF o'oVo
"morc men than were ever known 10 DC oIE"n
lied for good government and not Tor oliceS'
mower or patronage for themselves. MI
Hewitt IS Il Democrat who, Jealous rs lie un
doubtcdly is for municipal reform, ana con
scjous. as he cOnfesses, that the party OF winch
no has been lifelong member mas lhaue
Urptcled work Of governing the city, cahho'
unite bring himself 10 admit that the phr'y TIC
has all his life opposed Is any better thah inc
ono he has always supported This Is not uli-
natural. But It IS only just to say that' HIS po.
litical bias. his parsanship Tor IL u 'hat "n"
no less has led him into very gross miSrepre-
scntation. The 5000 members OF the TOod "oN'
ornmcnt clubs are not the only ones VINO nave
ever organized for good government. lie I''
nublican party which has pOlled lOooOo No'eS
In tho CITY was organized for good government,
ord has been fighting for II these many years
rocardless of offices, power or patronage. Ihey
have consistently and constantly fought the
Democratic oliCarchy which rules the town, ana
T. ,s n libel upon them to say that they nave
NAT hnen sincere They have seen the Demo
cratic nartc resort to all sorts Of evasions ana
dodgos TO maintain its hold n party upon
novor in the city, and one Of their favorlte
dodcos has been to pretend virtue and NOM
,nato such a man as Mr.. Hewitt for Mayor
There IS no organized party IN existence that
has tonight Tammany at the polls except the
Republican.
II is not made up entirely OF men who shrink
from the responsibilities Of holding offices. IL
contains an abundance Of pnbllc-spIritu men,
who are not only competent but willing 10 hoid
office: men, too who prove their claim 10 puDllc
confidence by confessng worthy amOltlon 10
gain distinction by faithful service III puDhc
capacity instead Of parading mock modeS'y
and pretending unwillingness or self-dlstruSt'
The Young men who indulge In huency ABOUT
the drcadfulncss OF ofiice-seeklng ana the SUI
prcme need OF finding man who says he does
not want an Office In order to press him INTO
service forget that the office or President Oh
| Governor. Of Mayor. never in the whole course
oP orr history went that way; never sought an
unwilling or reluctant candidate, but was al
WAYS sought Mr.. Lincoln was not by any
means unfit for the Presidency because he
sought the office, nor does It necessarily follow
I'm any case that because man believes him.
self competent for position, and does not con-
ceal his willingness TO take 1t or even bis anx'
iety to obtain It, he IS not the proper man for 1t.
lie may be the best The young men indulge
in too hasty congratulations. Oiiice-seekers are
as n rule selfish, no doubt; but who isn't! Ana
isn't 1T Just a little presumptuous for the o'oN
members OF Good Government CLUBS 10 arroga'e
all the unselnshness and all the patriotism TO
themselves, and on that account claim mat
they. and only they, should select the cltys
rulers? We suggest mildly that they DO more
| thinking and less talking.
| The HOMESTEAD SCANDAL.