The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1895-05-01
THE PERIL OF LONGTIME CAN
DLDACLES.

1t might be well for Messrs. Reed,
Mckinley and Harrison, says the st.
Louis Globe-Democrat, to give some
thought to the pranks which fate has
played on the men who have put them
selves too early and too prominently on
the presidential strack. For nearly two-
thirds of century no persistent presi-
dency- seeker has succeeded in his de-
signs except one. This is James Bu-
ehanan. And even to him the honor
did not come until after he had retired
to private life on account of old age and
declining health, and after the fires of
ambition had grown dim. Buchanan's
name had been before the convention. of
1874, 1s4S and 1852, and in two of those
years he had seen far smaller men than
himself-Polk in 1874 and Pierce in
lS52-carry off the candidacy. In 1855,
when the prize went to Buchanan, he
probably did not seriously expect or de-
sire it.
In the early days of the government
the popular choice was usually pretty
clearly indicated. Every body knew in
1888 and 1892 that Washington would
be chosen, and after his refusal to accept
a third term the choice was seen to lie
between Adams and Jefferson, the sue
cess of Adams, the chief Federalist as
pirant, being reasonably well assured.
The feud between Adams and Hamilton
and the unpopularity of the alien and
sedition laws of Adams administration
left no room for doubt that jefferson
would be the peoples favorite in 1900,
for though under the law at that time
the electors did not dis.inctively indicate
their choice for president and vice-pres-
ident, and jefferson and Burr, both re-
publicans, had an equal number of
votes, every elector desired that Jeffer-
son should have the higher Office. Mad
ison and Monroe stood SO squarely IN
the line OF succession that there was no
doubt at any time during their can
vases that they would be elected.
Jackson and Van Buren, had been on
the presidential track for years before
they reached the white house. Jackson
had been in the hands of his friends two
or three years prior to his defeat in 1924
by the second Adams, and he remained
in that condition until his election in
1928. The vendetta shortly afterward
between jackson and Calhoun made
Van Buren, Jackson's political heir and
sent him to the presidency in 1886.
After Van Buren no persistent presiden-
tial aspirant ever reached the goal of his
ambition except Buchanan, who has
been mentioned. The fatality which
clung to Clay, Wooster, Cass, Seward,
Douglas. Blaine and Sherman in their
efforts for promotion is historic. Polk,
chosen in 1874, Pierce in 1852, and Gar
field in 1880, were dark horses. The
first Harrison, elected in 1910, was tar
less prominent in his party than Clay.
while Taylor, elected in 1S4S, had never
been thought of in connection with the
presidency until year or two earlier.
To the country at large the nomination
of Lincoln in 1850 was unexpected, and
while Grant was thought of in 1857 and
1858 in connection with the presidency,
he himself did not seek the office.
Hayes in 1875, Cleveland in 1884, and
Harrison in 1888 were new entries on
the national track. This record talks
eloquently to aspirants about the folly
of listening too early and too persistent
ly to the buzzings of the presidential
bee.