The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-11-06
EDITORS AS CANDIDATES.

1t viii be interesting to note the
progress of Col. Watterson in politics
Tired of telling other people how to
carry on public affairs, Col. Watterson
proposes to give them an object lesson
in case the people are mindful enough
of their own interests to elect him Gov
ernor of Kentucky and then President
of the United States. His candidacy
for both offices has been declared and
now the stage waits upon the play
AS a general thing an editor is poor
candidate. If he does his duty he makes
personal enemies faster, perhaps, than
any other man engaged In legitimate
pursuit. II he does not do his duty, he
earns the disdain of the very men VINO
would be most hostile to him If he did,
and that Of the public as well. The
other day a bright Kansas editor, adj
dressing a Press Association said: II
there are four men running for Sheriff
and the editor supports the man who
wins he has made one friend and
three enemies If his man loses he
makes four enemies" The jest lacks
nothing in truthfulness. 1t cOndenses
the experience of editors all over Amer
lea and helps to explain their unavail-
ability as candidates for elective posts.
Horace Greeley, the only professional
Journalist who ever ran for President
Of the United States. though the nestor
of the press and a man whose editorial
influence was without parallel in his
time, nearly ended the career Of the
Democratic party while completely end
ing his own. AS a Republican editor
he had made enemies of every siren
nous disciple of the party which finally
took him up and of many leaders and
followers in the party he had served.
Quotations from the old files of the Tri-
bune gave no comfort to his new
friends 1--WE do not argue" he had
once written, that every Democrat Is
a horse-thief but we insist that every
horse-thief is a Democrat That
epigram cost Horace Greeley a million
votes, but 1t was only one of many that
were not less acrid in tone and cruel IN
sentiment No editor, seeking ballots
for himself, can evade the deadly quota
ton. At some time OF other he mas
written things that offend almost every
important interest-or his paper mas
printed something of the KIND, ana
when he runs for office old scores are
settled. Poor Greeley, when the cleo
ton of 1872 came to a close, had the
fewest electoral votes to his credit OF
any Democratic nominee for President
since the electoral college was formed
Thurlow Weed, with all his political
power, let other people run for office
He knew better than to try himself
When James G.. Blaine made his grea
campaign, "reminiscences Of his news
paper days returned to plague him
Mclean running for Governor OF Ohi'
could make no Roadway; and wheI
whitelaw Reid ran for Vice-President
on the ticket with Benjamin Harrison
he contributed powerfully to the latter
defeat. Indeed one Of the elements o
Blaine's disaster was his friend Reid
unpopularity.
Henry Watters0n has committed II
his long editorial career all the sins 70
which candidates from the press ar
defeated. He can be indicted for tn
bite of ten thousand epigrams; he ca
be arraigned for the exposure Of a mul
titude of shams and for the defeat o
fnnumerable schemes to raid the treas
ury: he stands accused Of the courag
of his convictions and OF the pride o
his opinions and is challenged for tn
strength by which he has battle
with the tendencies that. in his opin
ion, are threatening the integrity Q
American public and private life. Flo
these offences the way to high office
barred TO him, Unless some miracl
takes place he will never be Governo
of Kentucky and even a miracle coul
hardly elevate him to the Presidenc
OF the United States.