The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-04-05
THE RIVAL CANDIDATES.

THE RIVAL CANDIDATES.
The candidates of the respective parties
for the position on the School Committee,
made vacant by the resignation of Mr..
Barker, are men presumably qualified for
the duties which one of them will be called
denial that either gentleman possesses
those qualifications which, in the event of
election, will enable him to assume his du-
ties with intelligence, and, guided by pure
motives, to reflect credit upon himself in
endeavoring to advance the interests of
our school system.
It's zeal for Republican success has led
the Times 4disingenously to attempt to dis
parage Mr.. Littlefeld by faint praise,
while no language is too flattering to ex-
press its tribute of admiration for Mr..
Lellan J. Tuck. Its efforts in this direc-
tion must appear amusing to those who
are familiar with the careers of both gen.
tlemen. We believe that the unwarranted
exaltation of the Republican nominee will
neither promote nor strengthen his candi-
dicy; that, rather, it will tend to make
more strong the position of Mr.. Littlefield
before the people.
Passing over without mention the quail
fl fications of Mr.. Littlefield, the Times states
with flourish that he is not well quail
fed for the position to which he aspires as
Mr.. Tuck. Then ever and anon, we are
regaled with the song of praise, with the
sounding strains of adulation. No one
can take exception to the expression of
judicious and merited commendation;
but this note of extravagant laudation,
this lyric and preposterous encomium, this
effusive hyperbole OF panegyric is offensive
and insufferable. To the fervid imagina
tion of the Times, Mr.. Lellan j. Tuck is
superior to all candidates, present or pos
sible, he is the ideal candidate, upon his
election would seem to depend the integ-
rity of our school system. He is the pink
of perfection, the acme Of excellence, the
paragon of candidates. And yet the ex-
pISoo otdtcuChS vi Pldi iooiCdi pIStShoAOh
is less reprehensible than the implication
of necessary and inherent superiority.
"Praise undeserved is satire in disguise"
We will not deny that the Times is a sue
cessful satirist. It's satire though unin-
territorial, is none the less effeotive. A
little better discernment would have
enabled it to avoid the tactical mistake of
over -praising its candidate. However, it
makes its claim with the finality of arrO-
giant assumption, with the assertive con-
fidence of an oracle, with the ultimate de-
cision of dictum. No grounds are given
for 30 fiattering an estimate of Mr.. Tuck.
But the Times has said it. He is superior
in qualifications to Mr.. Littlefeld.
The reasoning process from which was
drawn this conclusion must have been too
subtle for the comprehension of ordinary
minds, for we have failed to find any
which we refer.
1t would seem to us that we have here
good example Of quite common way of
supporting cause or a candidate. The
formula is simple and easy to follow. Con-
temptuously disregard facts in making
statement, dispense with promises in
reasoning, assume your conclusion and
with the courage of audacity establish
your claim on foundation of nothing
Now by iteration and reiteration your con-
tention takes on the aspect of automatic
truth; very properly, too, for an axiom is
self-evident that and needs no proof.
Now, what are the qualifications of both
candidates.! Both are college graduates,
both have been teachers. Mr.. Littlefeld
formerly filed the position of superin-
tendent Of schools, and is now a leading
lawyer of the State. Mr.. Tuck, to our
knowledge, has never had the former
honor, and is now engaged i'm the study
of law, preparatory to taking the examina-
tion for admission to the Rhode Island
bar. From this comparative view, it must
appear to the candid mind that IL one can
ditate is better qualified than the other,
that candidate is not Mr.. Lellan J. Tuck
Meanwhile why does the mellifuous
harmony of song no longer charm us? Is
there but one philomela i'm the Times
office.