Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-01-04
SOUND AND SENSIBLE.
President Mckinley Is Opposed to
Omce-HoIders Being Delegates
to the National Convention.

President Mckinley is stated in New
tain republican leaders that he would
much prefer that no federal otficeholder
be chosen delegate to the next repub-
lican national convention. In express
ing such a wish the president certainly
represents the best sentiment of his
party, and it is to be hoped that his re-
quest will be respected in all the states.
Every state has within its borders plen-
ty of republicans well qualified to rep
resent it in the national convention.
None is SO barren of suitable material
as to be obliged to call upon those whose
tenure of federal office may at least
give cause for suspecting their impair
tiality as between possible candidates.
Certain gentlemen who enjoy the
emoluments of office under the ma
tional government will undoubtedly
rise up and personally or through the
mouths of friends declare that the pres
ident is trying to deprive them of one
of the rights of citizenship. The argu-
ment may sound plausible to the un-
thinking, but it ignores one of the de-
cencies of politics. a national conven-
ton is intended to represent the un-
trammeled will of the party. Suppose
the conduct of president should be
such as to greatly displease the major
ity of his party. The presence in the
convention of men under personal OBJ
legation to him may nevertheless pro-
cure the denomination of such presi-
Of ha will nf ba inr ~
ty. There have been such cases, and
the fact that such suppression of a
party's best judgment has always been
followed by defeat at the polls en-
phasizes the necessity of following the
presidents advice now.
The national convention is the grand
inquest of the party, charged with the
duty of formulating the issues on
which it will appeal to the people, and
with the responsibility of selecting the
men who must put into effect policies
which the people shall approve at the
polls. The national convention must
first consider measures, and next men.
To permit the presence of delegates un-
der a strong obligation to a particular
man is to allow the jury to be packed
Only unreasonable professional civil
service reformers ask that in taking
public office men shall cease to exercise
the ordinary duties of citizenship. Com
mon sense finds no difficulty in draw
ing the line, and public sentiment now
demands that otIceholders shall not
be allowed direct voice in the choice of
their official superior.
President Mckinley is aheady as
sured of denomination by the repub-
lican national convention. He is thus
removed from any possible temptation
of securing his own success by packing
the party grand jury with men under
personal obligation to him. He is try
ing to set new and better precedent in
party management and to end prac-
tice that has always given the opposi-
ton ground for criticism, that has
often been productive of scandal and
dissension and that has sometimes con-
tributed to defeat. The presidents re-
quest is sound political sense, and the
republicans of the several states will
do well to observe it. A national con-
vention without federal officeholders
as delegates would represent more ac-
curately than has ever before been pos
sible the best judgment of the active
members of the party not in office, UP
on whose energy depends success at the
polls.-Chicago Inter Ocean.
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