The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1895-04-29
Peril of Longtime Candidates..

From The ST. Louis Globe-Democrat.
1t might be well for Messrs. Reed, Nc
Kinley and Harrison TO give some thought
to the pranks which fate has played on
the men who have put themselves too early
and too prominently on the presidential
track For nearly two-thirds of a century
no persistent presidency seeker has succeed
ed i'm his designs except one. This is James
Buchanan. And even to him the honor did
not come until after he had retired to pri-
vate life on account of old age and decln-
ing health, and after the fires of ambition
had grown dim. Buchanan'S name had
been before the conventions of 1874, 1913 and
1852. and i'm two of those years he had seen
far smaller men than himself-Polk in 1911
and Pierce i'm 1S52-carry off the candidacy.
In 1856, when the prize went to Buchanan,
he probably did not seriously expect II or
desire it,
In the early DAYS of the government the
popular choice was usually pretty clearly
indicated. Everybody knew in 17SS and 1872
that Washington would be chosen, and after
his refusal to accept a third term the choice
was seen to lie between Adams and Jefter-
SON. the success of Adams, the chief feder-
alst aspirant, being reasonably wei assur-
ed The feud between Adams and Hamli-
ton and the unpopularity of the alien ana
sedition laws of Adams's 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 ala
not distinctively indicate their choice for
president and vice president, and Jeffer-
son and Burr, both republicans, had an
equal number of votes, every elector deslr-
ed that jefferson should have the higher
office Madison and Monroe stood so square
" i'm the line of succession that there was
no doubt at any time during their canVasses
that they would be elected
jackson and Van Buren, had been on the
presidential track for years before hey
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 sec
ond Adams, and he remained in that condl-
ton until his election in 1928. The vendetta
shortly afterward between jackson ana
Calhoun made Van Buren, Jackson's poliu-
cal heir and sent him to the presidency
in 1896 After Van Buren, no persistent
presidential asprant ever reached the goal
OF his ambition except Buchanan, who has
been mentioned. The fatality which chung
to Clay, Webster, Cass, Seward, Douglas
Blaine and Sherman in their efforts for pro-
motion is historic. Polk, chosen In 1874,
Pierce in 1852. and Garfield in 1880. were
dark horses. The first Harrison, erected
i'm 1910 was far less prominent in his party
than Clay. while Taylor, elected in lSiS, had
never been thought of in connection with
the presidency until a year or two earlier.
To the country at large the nomination of
Lincoln in 1860 was unexpected, and while
Grant was thought of in 1861 and 1868 in
connection with the presidency, he himself
did not seek the office. Hayes, in 1876,
cleveland. in 1884. and Harrison in 1883, were
new entries on the national track. This
record talks eloquently to aspirants about
the folly of listening too early and too
persistently to the buZzings of the presi-
Dental bee.