The Weekly Tallahasseean., 1902-02-28
MORE OF THE SAME.


the subject of politics, six months in
advance of the opening of the real
campaign. On every hand we have
been effusively congratulated upon the
editorial in our last issue, under the
caption, PLENTY Of Time" This is a
source of much qualification to us for
many reasons. Outside of the fact that
there may be still another or other can
didates for the Congressional honOrs,
if would be a dangerous aye, an eX-
ceedingly dangerOus-state of affairs,
wdfe it possible for any man whose
profession is and has always been poll
tlcs to force a personal campaign near
ly year in advance of the action of his
party, and then calmly fold his hands
and say, "This is my place. was in
the race first. You should have come
out first, or at least when 1 did. AS
you did not, you must now stay out"
Such a state of affairs would have
the effect of perpetuating in office a
set of men who, while drawing salaries
for one position would do nothing but
watch the turn of political tides, and
complacently guide their political barks
into every harbor that hove in sight,
if it promised better emoluments than
the one of which they were already
masters. There must be limit to
mems ambition, else one success would
bring on a mania for another in such
rapid succession that the duties OF
office would soon be lost sight of in the
scramble for personal advancement by
those holding political positions.
If Democracy means anything it
means that all men are equal. That
one candidate has no vested rights over
another, unless his ability to better rep
resent his people than an opponent
elevates him to a vantage ground. That
is the only superior right any man has
under our system of selecting represen-
tatives. To substantiate this reason
ing we only have to call the readers
attention to the popular sentiment
which has for years existed in this
State in favor of primaries. 1t was
claimed that the convention system
permitted the politicians to secure
pledges enough to control them, and
thus defeat the popular will. This be-
lief was so strong that the people
through instructed representation at
the last State convention abolished the
system.
Why was this done? Obviously that
every member of the party, irrespec-
tive of station or calling in life, should
have the privilege of. going to the polls
and voting for,the man Of .htschoice. If
the professional politician is to be per-
mitted to go around among the unsus-
pecting a'yeaP in advance and secure
pledges before the party managers have
opened the campaign, and the voters
are to consider this trap binding obli-
CATION, have We been bettered by the
change? Would that not defeat the OBJ
ject of the primary at the very out
start?
You, dear, reader, will be told the
other fellow had the same privilege, if
you happen to be one of the pledged,
and in holy horror they will magnify
the solemnity of your act. The Talla-
hasseean asserts that when you elect a
man to Office, you do so with the eXpec-
tation that he will stay in his Office and
attend to his duties. You do not eX-
pect him to be continuously setting
traps for your next vote. If man en-
ters into an obligation through any
kind of sharp practice it is not binding
upon him. He has a right to recall his
promise at any time it may be made
manifest that deceit has been used to
secure the promise.
Another important thing to be taken
into consideration is: A private indi-
vidual, poor man, without large
official salary, cannot carry on a per-
sonal campaign for year or more. 1t
costs too much money. Because man
is too poor to do this, may it be practic-
ally said that he shall not aspire for
office? Some Of the best men we ever
had in Office were poor men, Many Of
our best men today are pOOr-in fact,
nearly all our best official timber is
composed of poor men. Shall their am
bitions be throttled by men who are al
ready drawing big salaries from Tie
public treasury, enabling them to carry
on a personal campaign of a years du-
ration-or more? The Tallahasseean
thinks the answer of every one of it's
readers will be NO.
And that they will so express them
selves at the polls.
THE STATE FAIR.
The people of Tallahassee and Leon
county have an ODDortI1nitv to secure