Hattiesburg daily progress. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 18??-1909, 1902-11-27
OLD GROVER TO THE FRONT
Editorial Expressions Of the Proba-
6iI:ty Of His Candidacy.

The Chattanooga Times has been
moved by the remarkable Cleveland
to the following COM
ment:
There Is no flavor of candidacy in
Mr.. CleveIand's restoration to almost
universal popular favor. The whole
country knows he wants nothing it
couldgive him. The whole people
are aware that his honesty aud
courage are unquestIonable, and
they know that he never knowingly
advised them against their interests.
They realized that he saved the
country, midway of his last admin
istration, by a rare exhibition of
courage. They know that we owe it
TO him that the exasperating nui-
sauce, the Venezuelan boundary
question, was promptly and forever
put out of international politics. In
a word, Mr.. Cleveland's qualities as
a man, statesman and patriot, are
beginning to be appreciated at
something near their real worth.
1t will strike the average Ameri-
can thought that the argument of
the Times destroys its assertion.
What is more calculated to give "a
flavor Of candidacy" to man than
popular recognition of the proof of
his qualities as a man, as a states
man and as a patrlOt?" Suppose
"the whole country knows he wants
nothing it could give hIm"-there is
no argument In that against the
favor of candidacy. Striving and
wanting are the only way to posi-
tion-much as the saying has been
abused, the office does, sometimes,
"seek the man." Says an ancient,
if not scriptural, proverb: Seek
est thou great things-seek them
not"
The Atlanta constitution argues
the question more logically, In an
article on the least and 1904" 1t
says by way of promise:
. We are told now that the fight for
the presidency in 1904 Is to happen
in the east. The prediction is based
upon the democratic sOlldity of tie
south and the equally republican
solidIty of the west. Hence 1T is
argued that if there is anything
gainable toward making a demo-
cratic majority in the electoral vote
it must be found in the eastern end
of the country. From present APP
pearances the diagnosis seems to be
reasonable.
After citing reason in support of
the diagnosis" the ConstitutiO n
says:
The statement carries with it the
proviso that the democracy shall
adopt platform that will not
alarm the country" and will nomi-
nate for the presidency "a man as
far removed as possible from the
populism of the past and the social
ism of the present"
Naturally "the provIso" is not
relished by the Constitution. But it
thus faces its Interpretation candidly
and ininchingly:
Ergo, the next democratic national
platform should be a self-confessed
libel on the party's past conduct,
finished off with a harmless repeti-
ton of Lincoln's declaration in favor
of "a government of the people, by
the people and for the people," AS
for candidates, the demand quoted
would mean that all those who were
loyal to the party standard in 1896
and 1900 must be repudiated and
made to 20 away back and sit down.
The most available candidate then
appearing would be Grover Cleve-
land, but the third term Grant
could not get would hardly be re-
corded even to the Sage of Prince
ton.
With him thus eliminated, to
whom else could we turn?
Aye there's the rub-"to whom
else can we turn?" The Constitu-
ton, otSall papers, has stated here
the facts in two particulars, as they
have long appeared to The Herald :
First that no man who was loyal
to the past two platforms or tickets
of the democracy can be held an
available" candidate in the east.
And, second, that this eliminates
every other democrat of note other
wise available, save ex-President
Cleveland. The Atlanta Constistu-
ton, it is much and marvellous to
say, interposes no other obstacle IN
it's conclusion but the Grant rule.
This may or may not avail-no one
can measure theaforce of an undIs-
puted availability in a conven-
ton seeking the presidency, the
great American political sweep
stakes.-Yicksburg Herald.
Frisco Surveying Party.