Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1901-09-17

In the discussion of possible Presi-
Dental candidates some are prone TO
regard the sectional question as of over
shadowing Importance Those who live
In what are known as the doubtful
States are especially liable to this err
ror, because they are naturally willing
to furnish the candidates 1t is not
only customary to look to a few doubt
full States to furnish the candidates,
but it is not uncommon TO have some
portiOns of the country excluded from
consideration entirely. For years it has
been assumed that a Southern man was
unavailable, and a Western man al
most as much so. New York, Ohio, Illi-
nois and Indiana have furnished to the
two leading parties nearly all the cam
didates nominated since the Civil War.
New York furnished the Democratic
Presidential candidate in 1868. 1872,
1876, 1880, 1884, 1888, and 1892, and in
those campaigns the candidate for Vice
President came from Indiana three
times, from Ohio once, and from Illi-
nois once. From 1868 to 1900 the Re-
publican party took its Presidential
candidate from Ohio four times. from
Illinois twice. from Indiana twice, and
from Maine once During that time
New York has furnished the Repub-
lican candidate for Vice President in
five campaigns, Indiana once, and New
jersey once. Thus it will be seen that
comparatively small section of the
country has enjoyed a practical mo-
nopOly on candidates This is an I'M
fortunate condition, and one that can
not be defended by reason. Candidates
should be chosen because they repre-
sent principles and because they are
deemed fit to serve the people in the
executive Office Each party should be
at liberty to select its best man, no
matter in what State orr section he
lives. The race should be free for all.
and then public men everywhere would
be stimulated to offer themselves.
Neither the Atlantic coast nor the Pa
cific coast should be barred out; neither
the extreme North, nor the extreme
South should be forbidden to offer its
favorite son. The local influence of a
nomination is generally oyerestimated.
State pride is nice thing to talk
about, but it does not count for much
in votes. If man has qualities which
make him popular at home, those same
qualities will make him popular else
where, but very few men will vote for
a political opponent merely because he
lives in their State, and what little sup
port he wins in that way is Offset by
the partisan fear that his success may
strengthen his party locally. A candi-
dates strength comes from the princi-
pies and policies for which he stands
the only personal element being the
confidence that the people have that
out his platform.
For quarter of a century the South
ern States have been ignored in the Sc
lection of candidates. The Republicans
have had but few white Republicans
in the South to choose from, and the
bClhONidto VI IuG OOulu nave
rily renowned their claims out of fear
that they might embarrass the ticket.
Certainly we are far enough away from
the Civil War-certainly the passions
aroused by that conflict are sufficiently
cooled, to permit Southern man to
aspire to either the Presidency or the
Vice Presidency. Even before the
Spanish war called into the volunteer
army both Federal and Confederate,
the South had earned its right to be
considered a part of the Union, but
surely the commingling of the sons of
those who wore the blue, and the sons
of those who wore the gray, and their
service side by side at Santiago and at
Manila, ought to silence those who have
thought it unwise to place Southern
man on the ticket. Slavery has gone
never to be restored and the Democra-
cy now dominant both North and South
comes nearer to the ideals of Jefferson
and Lincoln than does the commercial
ism of Hanna or the imperialism of
Roosevelt.
1t is not time yet to select candidates
for 1904, but when the time arrives, the
Democratic voters should see to it that
the platform represents their wishes
anc that the candidates fit the plat
form.
If some one living south of the Ma
SON Dixon line is chosen for either the
first or second position on the ticket,
his place of residence will not weaken
him-not though he be an ex-Confeder-
ate soldier. We are engaged in
mighty struggle against plutocracy, and
we need the whole nation to pick from
when we select our standard bearers.
Merit, not section, should determine the
nomination; fidelity to principle, not To-
cality, should control Bryan's Com
moner.
The Great Prosperity of "Ne."
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