The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-22

aspiration fixed and impossible All
along the political coast lay emblems of
their wrecked hopes.
These are the facts, and with them in
view Roosevelt received his nomination..
The question, then, that presents itself
is: Did he thus accept the situation or
go deeper and divine the true spirit of
all the history bearing upon this matter2
1t Is well worth looking into and Is
FREIGHTED WITH ENCOURAGE
MENT
to one of Roosevelt's bravery and optin,
ism. AS already intimated, example has
been so overridden by precedent and
prejudice as to be lost sight of entirely.
Not many recall the presidential conVen-
ton of 1882, and those who do so remen-
Der 1t only as the beginning of O con-
venient custom, that will likely continue
indefinitely 1t is now about seventy
years old, and the last two national gath
erings had much of the character of the
first. They again bring to mind the in
tention of it. And 1t is that which invites
the consideration Of the people, and par
ttcularly of the governor of New York.
1t was called to name president. not
then, but four years hence. And it did
SO. Now that is the point, and it was
| the whole force of inspiration that we
miss. The outward show, the form, the
organization, is all that is retained. The
central idea has departed. And 1t has
done SO to the detriment of one man
only, the nominee for vice president. All
| other features of the convention system
are worthy of retention, but this one
seems extremely harsh.
Since the reversal in 1904 of the custom
that prevailed in the succession Of Adams
and Jefferson on up to the time of Van
Buren's nomination, George Clinton and
Elbr1dge Gerry died in the office of vice
president, and several resigned. The ex-
ceptions that remained were Daniel D.
| Thompkins and John c. Calhoun. The
latter's ambition to grasp the reins of
government IS historical, and is quite as
familiar as that of Clay and Webster.
And in one sense he was the
MOST POWERFUL POLITICIAN
and the principle that made his party
| dominant. He was a ruler. and a prophet
He controlled through his state and sec
ton the remote and diverse elements,
and he predicted with precision the result.
1t was awful, but was Identical in nature
| with the mad genius of Calhoun. The
| presidency was not for him. but whatever
! his chances would have been with Jack
| son out of the calculation 1t was his
prominence as an aspirant that gave rise
to the first convention. He was big game.
and 1T required a master stroke to kill
| him Off. Nothing could well better show
| the high estimation Of Cameron than the
| fact of jackson and his crowd turning to
| him In this emergency. And the great
| statesman of Tennessee had a way of
| holding on to others when he felt that he
was entering a hole His tact and sly
ness seem to have evaded his biographers
1t was not at all to Cameron's credit
that he took UP the cudge1 against his old
friend, but he did so, and by national
! convention opened up the way for the
| vice presidents advancement
In. the seven campaigns between 1904
and 1892 we see only two men, Tompkins
and calhoun, who were. as incumbents
OF the second office, eligible to the first.
Ihat Is avery short list, and is one Of
the many evidences that we are likely to
find relative facts, scarce when nn a hunt
Tor them Then take the vice presidents
from the death of Hobart Back to 1896.
rand out of the lot Of sixteen 1t would
nave been possible to nominate and elect
only two for the presidency These were
Hannibal Ia Hamlin and Schuyler CoIfax.
ana the extraordinary popularity of Lin
coin and Grant, who were
RENOAEINATED AND RR-EI1EITED
/ practically puts them beyond the range
OF consideration. Tyler, Fillmore and
johnson succeeded in case of death sew
erai :a4ed an office, and the rest would
nave been defeated through the change
IA. party. government So, while the fact
stands that since the constitutional
amendment of 1904. excepting the action
OF c0nyention at Baltimore, the
vice president has not been held eligible
to the head i of, the ticket, 1t is found
UPON e. imitation, that he has had the
Tnerest1 shadow of an opportunity had
+ the sentiment Of his party been Favorable
1G- N1IH al
beneath az great deal of vagueness. and
nlistlliderst anding, seems to rid SRo6se--
Neit5s way OF Its supposed impediments
AFTER all, If we except faith there is
nothing like certain knowledge for giving
one sense Of security And Gov Roose-
Velt will find that, whatever obstacle he
may encounter in a still higher flight
will be attributable far more to prejudice
than truth.
1t is never commendabIe to boom or be-
little any one, yet at, the same time a
man is entitled to his chance and all the
encouragement he can get. The nominal
ton of Roosevelt is one Of the most ex-
ceptional things in our politics. Not that
1t isn't one of the sanest and most ap-
propriate; its exception consists IN the
fact that circumstances are more favor
able to his further elevation than thew
have ever been to that of any nominee
or elected vice president except Van Bu-
rem InlS IS not generally understood,
and likely does not occur to even the
governor and his friends, yet 1t is a very
plain truth. We do not charge anything
for the suggestion, but If Roosevelt
deems it to- his interest to clear away
Whatever Is prejudiciaI against a vice
president he will do well, to accept 1t
and give it the widest possible publica-
|. ton. 1t would be altogether in the line
of education and, in a general way, ad-
vantageous. Another favorable factor In
this popular problem is that President
Mckinley stands for a second term when
his party is at the height Of it's renown
and usefulness. Nothing presages dis
aster; and, by fair computation of
principles and statistics, it will continue
dominant indefinitely. To this condition
both Mckinley and Roosevelt have con-
tributed, and the knowledge of it would
leave the latter in formidable position
upon the presidents retirement And
that can not be said Of any other man
from r. M. Johnson to A. E. Stevenson.
BEATING PARIS TEEATERS
Figaro Tells Two Tntereaffue- Sforfaa