The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-26
PRECEDENTS FOR SCHLEY
swRONGED MEN, AND THE PRESi-
DENCY IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
The Case of Mcclellan Cited for the
Admirals COnsideratiOn-POpu
lar Idols Of Past Campaigns.

brooklyn Eagle NDem.)
Let us see if the apprehension or predic-
ton attributed to some that unless Schley
is ''righted" or quoted the country will
elect him President in 1904 is based on
probability. Admit TO avoid argument,
that he is "a wronged man. the victim
of a bureaucratic conspiracy, is there
presidency for him in that role? There was
not one in it for Mcclellan in 1864, who
had al least as much to his credit by the
contention of his friends as a 'wronged
quantity and the victim of a conspiracy
as the Maryland admiral has. Abraham
Lincoln easily beat Mcclellan, whose griev-
ance was blown to huge proportions and
whose personality was most attractive
though vacllation and incertitude were
charged against him also when action
should have marked his course.
The present President is a hero too.
He has characteristics as distinct as those
of Lincoln. Incertitude or vacillaton was
never charged against him. He suffered
the slightings of Alger & Co. He would
have no odds to give even to Schley In d
competition of bureaucratic wrongs. He
carried a hill, led a force TO victory
suffered the contumely Of regulars and the
disparagement of volunteers, but he came
home, ran for Governor, and, far from ex-
plotting his sores or his service, he ham,
mered the two Van Wycks and beat one
by showing that the nominator of both had
struck down free judiciary in the person
of Joseph f. DAILY. With the administra-
ton in mis- hands, it's achievements to his
credit and four years of probable pros
perity as his capital, with a lustrous war
record of his own, with honest money, ex-
pansion, civil-service reform and an 18TH
milan canal in his score, Theodore Roose-
welt could give to w. S. Schley something
to think about as the exponent OF griev-
ance, however acute or picturesquely work
able.
Nor does the claim that 1.-The admiral is
the most talked-of and admired of living
Americans" prove enough. So was Horace
Greeley. So was James G.. Blaine. Yet an
unmagnetic soldier beat the first and a then
little known but greatly trusted reformer
beat the second-while in 1880 even
GaTed 6eat Hf be
superb" hardly knew the elements of state
craft. People rejoiced to make him major
general-the same in rank as rear admi-
ral-yet they did not think that Spottsylvania
or Gettysburg or Cold Harbor battling as
suredly qualified even hero for statesman
ship. They might not think Santiago was
fitting school for the presidency.
NOT A TAYLOR AGE.
but tne prO-Scnley pres
idential argument for 1904 is Look at 1S4S.
when old lack Taylor was chosen President
with a hurrah and see if history may not
repeat itself" Well, Taylor was not elect
ed with a hurrah." He was barely elected
at all, and then only because Samuel ].
Tilden and John Bigelow and other Free
Soil Democrats exhibited Martin Van
Buren, and Charles Francis Adams as bolt
ing candidates against Cass and Butler.
pro-slavery Democratic nominees, and beat
them in New York State Democrats elect
ed Taylor Wings never did. In the next
place, the election of Taylor accomplished
result that Whigism America ever
was proud of or sought to duplicate 1t was
a slavery-ridden, largely ignorant little
America of twenty-six States and 20,000,O 900
people that elected Taylor and Fillmore in
1S4S. The contemporary Republic of forty
five States and of 500 600 people does not
number Taylor among its presidential sue
cesses or Fillmore among its precious ma
tional assets There is hardly a man who
voted for Taylor now living who is stirred
by the memory of the result more than he
is stirred by the memory of a rough and
rather foolish fight that went his way and
hurt the other fellow" Taylor had no
more equipment for the presidency than for
the pulpit. There wasn't vestige of states
manship in him. Fillmore was a gentle
manly negative, who never did wholly
wrong, unless he was forced to, or wholly
right, unless IL was OBVIOUS ana unanimous.
He was overplaced and unctuous urban
ity of unimpeachable dignity and of unre-
lieved dizziness. Folk are no more proud of
the Taylor-Fillmore campaign than they
are of an epileptic fit. The moral glory of
1S4S was the boiling Democratic movement
in which were the potentiality and promise
of Abraham Lincoln, freedom and national
ity, later.
1t isn't necessary to say anything against
Admiral Schley. He has been already nomi-
mated by Richard Croker, who never named
a+r,ri oil LOT f1Ar.r fa1
winner in his life. and whose present claim
to respect and confidence rests on his re-
cent loss to his party of it's greatest strong
hold and on his galvanization of Organism
in 1900. AS political failure he is howl
ing success. Admiral Schley deserved a
more suspicious prepayment There is a dis
tinguished Brooklynite who could give to
the admiral points on Mr.. Croker as a
formidable fatality.
The personal aspect of the case however
can be let pass. The nation will need more
than a personal grievance in 1904 1t will
not raise running to a political is
sue. The Democracy will require more
than a gamble in more or less militant
hero in 1904. especially when his ideas about
tariff or revenue reform, expansion or
the gold standard or colonial policies or
commercial treaties or national or interna-
tional questions are unknown the
speech of Martians or the local life of the
Pleiades.
GROWTH IN GREATNESS.
This is the most intelligent people in the
world. 1t issues and reads more books and
papers than all the rest of the world put
together. Its presidential campaigns are
the most intellectually searching, testing
educational and trying ordeals that any
nation has ever instituted. The standard
of its presidency has constantly advanced
From Tilden to Mckinley it's candidates
have been significant of unmistakable plat
forms and policies. right or wrong Its
Presidents of forty years, Lincoln, Grant,
Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland Har-
rison, Mckinley and now Roosevelt when
merely named, suggest no investment in
negatiOn, in personal grievance, in Grass
ignorance of civic principles or in fiabby
readiness TO champion anything that may
win
No man born of woman knows whether
the caressing commander of the Flying
squadron is a Democrat, a Republican
a Populist or a Single Taxer There is
no evidence in all the records of the age
or the earth to show whether he knows
what the principles Of any of those parties
are. He may, but the secret of what he
thinks they are has been we'll kept
He might or might not be the
greatest presidential candidate among
sailors. He would certainly be a