The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-25
MIR. CHUATB's CANDIDACY.
A Criticism of HE Qualifications for che
Benat-.

make n few observations on tho Choate can
vass for tho United States Senate. The friends
of Mr.. Choate seem to predicate his flRh; sole
ly upon his great attachments, his ability to
fill the place, and the purity and dignity Of his
private character.
These qur lities are essential. highly essen
tial; but as important as they are, they do
not constitute n sufficient title to the support
OF the Representatives OF n great political party.
That he is q man OF character and learn
ing, especially legal learning. none will dsny,
but there are other things to be considered
when n man Is put forward rs a candidate for
the exalted position of a Senator in Congress.
A member of an opposition party may possess
the qualities OF scholarship and dignity, but
would he therefore I've entitled to the svsoort
OF party opponents because of them? think
not. The two qualifications OF a candidate for
Senator should DO equipment and party loyal
ty: they should be one and inseparable. No
man should be selected who does not possess
both. Now. does Mr.. Choate measure up Ia
this standard?
1t may be recalled with profit that Mr.. Will
liam Brookfeld spent three busy weeks prior
to the meeting Of the Constitutional ,onven-
tion In endeavoring to convince Republican
leaders that Mr.. Choate was n Republican, and
Mr.. Elihu Root. In his speech nominating Mr..
Choate for President of the convention, laid
much emphasis upon the fact that he know
of his own personal Knowledge that Mr.. Choato
was n Republican. All of which means that
prior to the time when the Republican party
had something in its possession which Mr..
Choate desired, he was not known to be a meme
Der of its organization. / do not know, but
am rather Of opinion that a reference to tho
CitB Record for the past ten years will disclose
some interesting information concerning this
Gentleman's political activity.
Where was he in tho dark days of the party
IN this State? Could lie not have given us the
benefit of his sage counsel? Could he not
have employed his legal talents to expose and
punish fraud, as did Col. George Bliss and
other Republican lawyers? Could he not have
inspired the party to greater effort in this State
by his imperishable %oratory2
But the great lawyer remained silent during
all those dark DAYS, and now, after victory has
been achieved, largely through the instrumen-
tally of the faithful party workers under tho
leadership of ex-senator Plat, who has stood
by his guns in sunshine and in shadow, he comes
Forward as a candidate for the United States
Senate. No man deserves election by Republi-
can representatives whose Republicanism needs
a certificate of character.
What would the world think of Cuba II, after
achieving her Independence, she should bestow
her honors upon Il man, how ever distin-
SN'4NN, "Ao III IL IeuI uuTlDR tEGoO
DAYS of strife and war, to the obsruration OF
Gomez or Maceo, IL the latter were alive,
What would other nations have thought of n,
hau we selected a peace man instead of Wash
lhRton after the Revolution for President? Az
with nations. so with parties. They demand
equipment in a candidate, but they also de-
mand loyalty and unmistakable Identification
with the cause they represent.
AIR. Choate has no more claim upon the Soma
torship than Mr.. Plat would ha va upon a JUS
tceship OF the Supreme Court. Nay, not so
much. II the achievement of the late unla-
mented Constitutional Convention ar. a speci-
men OF that gentleman's genius for construc-
tive craftsmanship. There is not a lawyer In
the state who does not know that the old Con-
stltution was inestimably superior to the re-
vised one. LOOK at the proposition investing
tic Layers of cities of the first class with the
power u veto or approve all City bills. II
makes the Mayor of each one Of these citiea
the Governor of the State as soon as the Leeis-
lature adjourns. Bills In his DO session at that
time cannot become laws without his approy-
al. The Governor has no power In the matter
whatever. and tho Legislature. being ad-
1ourned. cannot pass them over the Mayors
veto. Hence, you see, 1t makes the Mayor of
New York. Brooklyn, or Buffalo the Governor
OF the State after the Adjournment of the
LEGISLATURE. and we all know how far the
Judgment of some of these Mayors can. be de-
pended upon.
Look at the proposition requiring all bills
to be upon the desks of the mem oers in their
final printed form three legislative days be-
fore they can be passed. This places the Legis-
lature at the mercy Of q printing firm, for tho
Constitution also requires that the legislative
printing shall be done by contract. Thus. you
see. in the lat part of the session an error in
the spelling of n word will nArasait ata . ha Va
turn of the bill to the printer. after which IL
must repose three legislative DAYS upon the
desks of the mem bers. when another mistake
maT be discovered. which will require a SEQ
ond return to the printers. and so on dd IN
fnitum. A corporation desiring to defeat leg
islation near the end of the session would
only have to bribe n rascally printer, or tri-
angulate n strike. This is another one of tina
beautiful features engrafted by Mr.. Choate's
Intellectual Constitutional Convention, and
several much more idiotio than these were
defeated by the smallest Of small majoritiea
through the good sense Of some OF the buck
wheat" lawyers who follow Mr.. Platt's lead.
II truth. throughout tho entire Constitu-
ton there is evident a desire to usurp the funo-
tions OF the Legislature. All of these things
snould have been left to tho legislature. The
Constitution is not q legislative instrument, ID
Is the compass by which Legislatures should
be guided. Experiments should not be made
with 1t. for they cannot be easily remedied or
repealed in case they are found impracticable.
/ will not say much about the wisdom of re-
leving the Court OF Appeals at the ex pense Of
the ~litigants. The court and tho l~itiganta
could have both been relieved by increasing the
number of Judges. But this would have lea
sened the dignity attending a Judgeship with
out court, and therefore the work of the court
was diminished by limiting tho appeals. So
in a large number OF orders involving a SUBJ
~stantial right the litigant is denied the right
OF having his matter reviewed by the highest
court in the State. This is craftsmanship. and
u very high regard for the rights of the people!
II Mr.. Choate's friends are willing to rest his
claims upon the work Of the Constitutional
Convention. I am sure Mr.. Plat will ba will
ing TO have them do SO. The only good fea-
ture of the revised portion OF the Constitu-
ton Is the apport!onment amendment. and 10
was submitted separately to the people be-
,ause 1t was believed TO be favored with a little
mt IT,. Ilt .-l -.. ,uf- ,a-x.