The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-17

Secretary Longs chances for receiving the
Republican Vice Presidential nomi-
nation at Philadelphia, it will
be generally admitted that his
personal attitude in relation to the efforts
mis- friends are making in that direction is
decorous and digniied In an interview
! printed in The Times yesterday he said:
81 think Gen. Joe Wheeler very happily hit of
tins lndiscriminate boom business in the Vice
PresG>ntia! line Soon after he returned
rom the Philippines, you remember, there
was good deal OF talk about General Wheeler
being put ON the Democratic ticket for Vice
President He brushed the matter aside by the
declaration that the mention of his name was due
TO the pdrtiality of personal friends and had no
other significance That is exactly the way
view my own case
The position taken by Mr. Long, as
shown in the above extract. is in happy con-
trast to that of another Republican who
| aspires to party honors and who is pa
| trolling the country in search of votes at
the convention. although plainly notified
by the head of the organization that he
| is not wanted. II places the Secretary
| upon the solid and righteous ground of
considering the Vice Presidency a position
/ clined.' 1t is distinction which he would
not refuse. but one for which he could not
J bring himself TO ask
If the quiet good sense and admirable
propriety of Mr. Longs course in this con-
nection appeals to his political associates
as pleasantly as it does to us, his modesty
and reserve will not hurt his prospects.
We may be permitted to go further and
say that it would go hard for the Philadel-
phia Convention to find more desirable
running mate for Mr.. Mckinley than the
Hon. John d. Long. Geographically con-
sidered he fuliills every requirement of the
situation The Presidential candidate will
be, as he is, representative of Western Re-
pubicanism Mr. Long would acc.r tably
represent that OF the East; the better,
perhaps because he comes from the dis
tnct East. New York does not quite as
forcibly convey the sectional idea desired
Moreover, since Governor Roosevelt does
not want the place, there is nobody in his
Commonwealth of commanding prominence
enough to be seriously considered.
1t seems safe to assume that should the
nomination seek him Mr.. Long would
make an ideal candidate for the Vice Pres
idency on ticket with Mr.. Mckinley. He
has been closely and intimately associated
and identified with the Administration
since it came into Office in 1897. Through
all the time intervening he has been
both officially and personally a reflex
of its policy, its standards of con-
duct, and its purposes. In all of its
vicissitudes, uncertainties, and changes;
in its opposition TO war with Spain; in its
determination to exculpate that power
from blame for the Maine horror; in the
later policy of armed intervention in Cuba;
in that of condoning the offences of the
beef contractors; in short, in everything
that has happened to it, Mr.. Long has
demonstrated power and ability to be as
philanthropic. as placid, and as plastic as
the President himself.
If homogeneity in Presidential ticket is |
an advantage it would be found in the |
conjunction of Mckinley and Long. We |
have often witnessed, with keen regret |
and fear of consequences, a tendency on |
the part of national conventions, after ,
over lilt ltSlttHtidi num-
ination, when that has been duly settled, |
to accept almost anyone proposed for the
second place in haste and with scarcely |
thought given to the strength, character, |
or qualifications of the latter. Obviously. |
this is wrong. In view of the grave con-
tingencies involved the Republican Vice !
Presidential candidate in every respect
ought to be as able. as amiable. and as
pliable as the Presidential candidate.
Judged by this measure there can be no
question of Mr.. Longs entire availability
II his chief and he were to receive the
suffrages of the people in November, ard
such a deplorable thing as the death OF
the former during his term OF office should
happen no possibility of revolution against
or trouble to the Administration control
would result Mr.. Long would be found
exactly and as conscientiously willing to
accept direction, to have his mind made |
up, or his convictions and proclamations
changed for him, as his lamentcd prede-
cessor. He would simply continue to be
President Mckinley reincarnated under a
different name.