The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-02-19

exception of plain Shelby Cullom, who
is proud of being plain, like Lincoln,
as he says, and like the plain people.
none Of them has come right out and
said frankly that he wants TO be presl-
dent.
Such straightforward frankness is not
considered in good form by our pubic
men. It is neither good etiquette nor
good policy, they think, and so, When
they do not affect - be unwilling 10
take the nomination, they seldom al
low themselves anything more than the
coy admission of the late Mr.. Barkis.
They are willing to ALLOW their names
to be used in the pet phrase or some
thing of that sort.
They say il is not modest or delicate
for man TO say out and out that ne
wants the presidency, because that Is
saying that he thinks he is well fitted
for ii, and, they think that il does not
sound we'll for them to say il. But the
main reason for not saying II IS tnat
they think the people do not like to be
told that they are seeking the Dresl-
dency, but prefer to be humbugged with
the old fiction that they are trying 10
get away from the presidency.
The prime minister Of England may
least for parliament, but the president
of the United States must be selected
by the people because he is their ser
want, theoretically, and not their ruler
Therefore i cannot quote word from
Mr.. Reed, for example, to prove that ne
is a candidate for the presidency, and
nothing on the surface of things can be
produced to confirm my belief that he IS.
know that he like all other candidates
is working hard day and night for this
great. prize, the greatest possible 10 an
American public man, but all this work
is carried on in private, and only It's
results will appear in such a way that
they cannot be traced TO the efforts OF
the candidate himself.
A foreigner who did not understand
our politics, would not know, from any
thing which they have said or done,
that Mr.. Reed, Mr.. Mckinley, Mr.. Allis-
on and the rest, always excepting SEN
ator Cullom, are candidates for the
presidency of the most active, indus
trious and indefatigable sort. Their ST.
lence on this point and on delicate ques-
tons generally might come to be sig
nificant to him, but he would have TO
study the matter under expert teachers
before he would understand it as fully
as we do.
It sometimes takes years for US here
in Washington, who know sooner or
later all that is going on in politics, 10
prove that a given public man Is can
didate for the presidency. For example
Senator Allison after being voted for in
one national convention after another,
after having been held up to the country
by the newspapers and public men of
his own state as a candidate for years,
is hardly willing now 10 admit that he
is properly TO be called an asplrant Tor
the presidency, and if he should be I'M
successful in the coming convention he
could declare that he never was can
didate and successfully challenge con-
tradiction, so far as his own uterances
were concerned.
He cannot help it, of course. If his
friends use his name, elect delegates,
carry on a propaganda. establish head
quarters at the national convention and
in every other way act just as if he was
responsible for what they do in their
understandable enthusiasm. Allison
with his feline tread" said ingalls, in
1883. $50 that you can't tell whether he
is coming TO you or going from you,
has a great advantage over the other
candidates for they are noisy compared
with him.
Nevertheless, I make bold. with the
rest of Washington, TO say that up to
this writing six candidates for the
presidency have appeared in the sen
ate this year, besides Senator Hill and
German on the Democratic side. This
being. thus far, a Republican year. the
Republican candidates are me inter
esting, because more important.
They are, up to date, Allison Of Iowa
who is, of course, easily first, and, in
deed. the only formidable candidate
Quay, of Pennsylvania; CullOm. OF Hi
nois: Davis of Minnesota; Elkins, OF
West Virginia; Teller of Colorado. Be
siles these sherman, Hawley and Cam
eron might be considered candidates on
the retired list. BY the time this letter
| is published there may be additions to
the list of active candidates.
Whose candidacy is announced to-
day?" has become the daily question
among senators. who are having lots
| Of fun out of this. as they do out of al
other matters. Nothing is too seriou;
| for the senators 10 joke about. l mean
| of course, those senators who do joke
| and they are the great majority OF the
| senate The senate can only he under
stood by thinking of it constantly as
a club where all the members know each
other thoroughly and where most OF
them are fond of chatting and testing
| and even of practical jokes.