The Saint Paul globe., 1899-07-09
RIVER AT S A. M.
THE COY RAFTsMAN OF THE M1ss1ss1p

There are as many methods of winning party
nomination there ways of wooEg widow or
systems Of buc<ing the tiger If we are to believe
the traditions of the fathers, in the good old days.
days old that recollection is of their badness
there prevaileda theory that has survived memory
the practice then. doubtless that office should seek
the man. Whatever longing for preferment might
fill the breast of the woudbe statesman the punetno
of the profession demanded that he stand wrapt In
the mantle of dgnified indifference and the proud
consciousness of his eminent fitness. until the uni
versa1 acclaim laid the coveted nomination at his
feet and begged him to accept it, Whatever Of
this tradition survives to this day is with hardly an
exception only among those who never obtain place
in government through the suffrage of their eonstlt
uentS. These affect fine for the means and
methods used by those who secure the prizes, and
scramble for nomination
If the traditions are more than alIegorical and
there ever was a time when office sought the man,
then among the many changes time has brought is
complete revolution in respect to this particular phase
of political life for the very diligently
hunts the office and office is only by the vigant
the active and the nerYy The modern says he wants
the office, tells his friends So lets the papers say so
and then huses for it with aacrity that permits
no growth of grass under his feet He 'lays pipe"
makes IDEALS" forms combinations" fawns upon
the boss tafes the boys, promises everything reck-
lessy, trusting to luck to escape their redemption
spends all the money has and can borrow in oil-
ing the machine He may not get there but he use.
the methods necessary to success and if he loses
is merely because other fellow is more expert
i'll playing the game. This is far cry from .the
traditional, always with the proviso that the tradI-
tions not legends.
Now and again, however presenting a case of DO
litical ataYiSm, have genuine the ancient
doctrine where the office does actually seek the man.
but it most frequently happens the party that is in
the minority, with nothing than hope of Win
ming. The nomination is given to some really ca
pable man, and, by Of those occasional revulsons
that help to keep parties in decent order elect
ed. When such unusual event it is apt to
leave other seekers after place impression that
it is the proper play to affect dgnifed reluctance to
engage in contest a preference for the joys OF
private life, but yielding to the opportunities Of
numerous friends the pressure of general recogni-
tion of his peculiar fitness for the place and modest
avowal of Willingness to the public.
Minnesota is being regaled with such a case
Sam Van SAINT, dubbed captain by the double virtue
of military service and the command of rafting
boat on the Mississippi, announces that he has re-
luctantly reversed the decision reached two years
ago. when count of noses resulted in giving the
nomination to Eustis, that he would never again
tender his distinguished and expert abilities and
peIienee i'll guiding steamboat to the people of Min
nesota as SteerSman of the ship of state. He does
this under the compusion of ga demand that has
come to him from every part of the state" which
he "fees it would be ungenerous in him to decline"
There is i'll this distinct flavor of the traditional
the dgnifed yielding of the statesman hunted by an
office and gracefully surrendering There is a coy
ness in this new bearing of statesman of the
RATS that is delicious. and would be charming were
it not that coy Sam IS the same old hustline Sam
who transformed the state two years ago made
court i'll every quarter and has spent weeks this
glorious spring time making still hunt for Ioten-
tial delegations. One need not put a severe strain
upon his Imagination to picture the interchange OF
wnks between Sam and Sinclair as the former hand
ed the latter his cOyy worded announcement for i'll
sertion in the Winona Republican.