The San Francisco call., 1898-08-04
THE MAN AND THE OFFICE.

HE political situation in this State furnishes an 1 object lesson in the wide departure from prlni-
 tive and purer methods.
 Men pick themselves out for Governor, Tor sen ator or for other office, and proceed to make organ izations, combinations and programmes looKlng to personal success. candidate for Governor insists upon naming the delegations to nominate hln' "hch amounts to the nomination o himself Dy hnSeH- Candidates for Senator desire the privilege of nom mating candidates for the Senate and Assembly pre- pledged to vote for their nominator. The matter IS not left to the people for decision They not per mitted to sit in judgment upon the merit Of men. That is passed upon by the men themselves Inc only choice left the people IS on election day. and that entirely between two sets ot candidates who have, by these processes, practically nominated them selves and passed upon their own fitness for ofhce It is to be hoped from the beginning already made, that the Republican party i'll California will exhibit better method that 1t will pay no heed to these various pretenders and self-seekers and in freely chosen convention freely select candidates who repre- sent, not merely time-serving and temporary devo ton to its principles but abiding belief in them Let 1t be established that in such a convention the office Is to seek the man. not the man the office. Let the right of the people to select freely be restored to them.
 When a candidate has himself selected delegation for himself taking 1t into a convention to trade for votes for himself let it be understood that such dele gation being personal property and i'll party sense representative, has more influence than the can didates pocket-comb penknife or other item of per sonal property.
 r When this system of personal politics is destroyed we may expect decided improvement in the atmos- phere of official life The personnel of the public off cary will undergo change for the better. Public administration will cease to be game of personal advantage and will appear in the interest of the peo pie, who have instituted government as means to the wise and economical transaction of the public business.
 When this freedom is restored to party to select its representatives and command them instead of being commanded by them, merit may hope for recognition and men will seek preferment by deserv ing it in the name of their talents and their virtues
 For long time such qualifications for office have been subordinated to the capacity for intrigue and the faculty of making personal organizations and cabals strong enough seize nomination regardless of the wishes of the great masses, which make up parties.
 The system too long in vogue has been copied bodily from that which prevailed in decadent Rome. The political prizes offered by the rich resources of the mistress of the world caused politicians organ ze bands of retainers, who opposed force to force and walked over the rights of citizens The choice of men for the great offices of the Roman common wealth came nnay to De made Dy nara KNOCKS III the streets between bands of braves. From these phy- sical the plane of street riot the tran sition to civil was natural and easy, and each change in the great offices finally decision in widespread civil strife. In this way for three cen turies Roman politicians had prepared the way for Caesar and Caesarism remained after him, the per marent condition of Rome until her vast structure fell into ruin.
 From a candidate for Governor naming the dele gates who are to nominate him to the enlistment of partsans armed to fight for his elevation is very short step indeed The long step is taken when his right to practically nominate himself is conceded Let it be recorded to the glory of the Republican party of California that denied the right to take the first step and therefore destroyed the possibility that the second can ever be taken