Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-06-19

With reference TO tho selection Of
candidates for public Office, duty
which now confronts all political or
ganizatIons in this State, the Newark
Ledger makes these timely and foroeful
comments:
This is not the time for small men.
Every man chosen at the primaries
must be clean and strong and without
. faint Of factionalism, The time is
here when automatons will be relegated
to the silence of ''inocuous des-
uetude," and figures of blood, brain
and manhood, which rise above the
petty officeseeker, will be needed.
There are men in the Democratic
party, today who love the party. Men
who are fearless, intellectually strong,
and accept office not as n place of
barter and exchange, but for the best
good of the whole people. These men
win the admiration of the staunch sup
porters OF the party. The independent
voter gladly welcomes the chance to
support such men.
Will these mon be placed upon the
ticketY 1t is tire duty of those having
this power to see that the best men arc
placed on the ticket. 1t means new
The record of some of the men holding
office today is enough to bring the
blush Of shame to the cheeks of honest
men.
The time is here, and the people
demand change. Every honest man
wishes fer it, and by the strength of
the honest voters, the change will
surely come.
We are all familiar with the old
saying; Tho office should seek the
man; not the man the Office" But ii
is fact that this homely aphorism
has been relegatcd to the past.
And yet it is within the memory of
many voters of Delaware when this
good old rule prevailed to very con-
siderable extent, particularly with
respect to nominations for the Legisla-
ture. Many county convention has
been held at New Castle, composed Of
delegates who went there without
pledge to any man or men, and whose
selections as candidates for the State
Senate and House Of Representatives
were unknown until the work of tho
convention was publicly announced.
And this has happened rs recently as
1876. In Kent and Sussex it used to
be the same, and as rule the nomina-
tions were most worthy.
1t is different now. Candidates fol
legislative nominations do not wait tc
be brought out. They spring up on
every side, and appear to be unduly
anxious to secure the nominations
There is no doubt that in selecting
candidates for the Legislature il
would bs safe rule for voters of al
parties to resolutely set themselve:
against the men who are cxtremel,
anxious to secure the nomination. II
nearly every instance such men arC
actuated by selfish motives-either al
representatives of still more selfish
interests behind them, or as men wit
seek the Office for the personal prof
they may derive from it.
Unfortunately, it is impossible t,
eliminate these selfish and persona
motives from primary politics, and tn
most serious feature of the situation /
that they are always at work and Of
the alert, while those who retlec
honest public sentiment and stand 70
no private interest whatever are almos
invariably indifferent to the issues @
tho occasion until it is too late to max
their influence felt.
However, there is still time fo
considering this important subject
The date for making nominations il
snypral weeks distnrt Tlet rho vote,
OF all parties resolve to mark the cand
dates particularly for the legislatiy
nominations-who seem to be actuate
by personal motives or to represer
selfish personal interests, and resolutel
cast their votes against them.