New-York tribune., 1900-04-05
ADMIRAL DEWEY IN POLITICS.

Admiral Dewey has added appreciably to the
interest of contemporary politics. The projec
tlon of q new and unclassited candidate for the
Presidency into the arena is In itself enough to
attract wide attention and challenge politicians
to take fresh account of stock. When the new
candidate is a man of Admiral Dewey's great
reputation and interesting personality, and
when. instead of being forced into receptive
attitude by popular enthusiasm devotion to
some public policy, he offers himself frankly
and joyfuy on the simple strength of his own
standing as National hero, decided spice of
novelty is added to the situation
The country IS accustomed to statesmen on
hunt for the Presidency. They commonly file
claims on their real or supposed training IN the
science of government, and promote them by
the political machinery at their command as
result OF long service and experience in public
affairs The country also has been accustomed
to military heroes. Some have been instru-
ments of parties wishing TO trade on their popu-
larity. Others, making parties their instruments.
have put themselves forward as representatives
of an idea. But Admiral Dewey is neither the
instrument of a party nor the exemplar of an
idea In that respect he differs from all prede-
cessors His position less resembles that of
Jackson or Grant than-if the comparison with
the Incompatible may be allowed-the last
Mayor of Long Island City, whose motto was:
NO party. No platform. Just Gleason!' The
people woke up yesterday to find they had
new candidate for President, and when they
asked on what ticket he would run and what
principles he would represent they found it was
q case of NO party. No platform Just Dewey.
Jackson when running for President stood for
something He was the representative of the
new democracy breaking away from the leading
strings of the educated classes who were the
ar1r odr fn{S Stroto Of no
eminent. He was the embodiment of the pioneer
spirit Grant was as little of q politician
Dewey, and perhaps as ready. so far opinions
ordinary questions went to accept the prin-
ciples of either party. But at the close of the
Civil War he stood squarely for preserving the
fruits of that war, and the party which had
carried il on rallied about him. Perhaps Zach
airy Taylor was more nearly the forerunner of
Admiral Dewey's purely personal candidacy
than any other President. but in his case it was
a party seeking the individual instead of the
individual seeking party.
So there is something new under the sun and
something uncommonly worth watching The
curiously inclined have chance to speculate to
any extent on the influences and motives which
have induced the Admiral TO change the view
which he positively held q few months ago.
There is plenty of room, too for speculation,
and as yet no room for anything else, TO the
effect of this explosion on other Presidential
possibilities. viii the delegates to either party
convention begin bidding for the Dewey popu-
larity asset? Will they bid against each other
and, If so, what principle of selection will the
Admiral decide between them? If neither come
forward. shall we have a "Just Dewey" party
against them both, and would the conqueror of
Manila furnish to the anti-expansionists that
much sought for escape from the dilemma OF
! tba ell fro
Bryan? While asking many questions of this
kind people also study their idozed Ad-
mral' They have known him as simple and
ingenious and they now find him exhibiting
those qualities TO a degree not expected in poll
tics. 1t may be taken for granted that they will
think no less Of him that account but
whether or not they will think an ingenious
statesman dealing with the schemes of willy
politicians as desirable as ingenious naval
hero delighted with their appreciation is an
other of the problems open only to speculation.