Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-12-11
SEEKING OFFICE.
ANKENYlSM ANALYZED BY THE
TACOMA LEDGER.
To Seek an Office Is Not Reproach, Where
Fitness Exists, but Persistence In an At.
tempt to Purchase Honor Dissraces the
individual and State.

To seek an Office, when one knows him.
self to be fit and the Office one of honor,
is not q reproach to any man, says the
Tacoma Ledger. But to seek the ONCE
when unfitness is apparent, and when
the chase for preferment has degenerate
ed into q habit, is course that lacks
dignity. It ought to be in itself reason
for the rejection of an aspirant. 1t puts
him in an attitude Of beggary. His fell
low citizens reject him. He keeps in
! training for achsnce to berejected again.
He is proof against rebuff. He seems to
have no proper pride. He has set his
desires upon a certain thing, and while
it remains beyond his reach still will he
cry for it. He shapes his daily course
so as to be in position to apply again.
For many years Levi Ankeny has been
possessed of the ambition to 60 to the
senate of the United State. Why? The
question is not difficult to answer, and
yet it involves some analysis OF the man.
Another man having had his claims re-
jected TO r long unbroken period would
be glad to retire. Not so Mr.. Ankeny.
He is Just as determined now to have the
coveted seat as when he went after it
first.
Not that he is competent to fill the
seat, not that he thinks he would be
competent, but that he is averse to hav-
ing any cherished plan overthrow. If
he possesses pride and this pride has
been injured, he is willing to subject it
to the chance OF farther hurt for the
sake OF the chance Of showing that when
he sets out to do thing that thing has
to be done. The matter is purely one of
personal interest. We're it not he would
be willing to let the people through
their legislators, name the senator they
want.
There are ways in which men show
their fitness for public station. One OF
these is intelligent and spontaneous pro-
motion of the public welfare. 1t is by
fulfilling we'll the smaller duties that be-
fall. 1t is by the incidental display OF
qualities that are necessary to the occu-
pant of the position in view. Ordinarily,
men do not get to be senators because
they set out with the aim of becoming
such. They do what there is to do for
the people and the party, and their
worth is manifest. They do not have to
send agents out through the common.
wealth to drum up admiration and sup.
port. Mr.. Ankeny is shrewd man in
many wavs. Certainly he must know
his own limitations. Without doubt he
has the assurance that in the senate o.
the United States he would be compe
tent to answer roll call, and that little
more would be expected of him.
The people Of Washington would moi
expect more and his associates at the
national capitol would soon learn t.
expect no more. There is certain
order of mind that thinks an honor MAJ
be purchased. When man is governed
by this idea and has the price, he doe
not 20 about the business of campaign
ing as man holding . different viev
would 60. His process is mucl
more simple. He proceeds to produc
the price. This is the Ankeny plan. II
has found that he cannot be senator b
the rules that are supposed to COVER
such matters and which, happily, d
generally govern them, and so he pre-
poses to be senator anyhow. To PERM
him to be successful would be a blo'
not only at the reputation of this stat