Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-08-27

the old Salem Chautauqua,
near Petersburg, close to where
Abraham Lincoln once conducted a
country grocery store, General Charles
Henry Grosvenor of Ohio and myself
engaged in joint lecture on the gen.
eral politics of the day.
By close inquiry discovered that the
Democrats of Illinois are getting to-
gether and girding up their loins for a
united and triumphant assault upon the
enemy's works, while the Republican
factions are clawing each other in such
Kilkenny catfish way that it augurs
well for the Democrats. Governor
Richard Yates fils appears to be
misfit in the gubernatorial chair, and
there are curses not only deep, but
loud, against the capers cut by his ma
chinists. 1t is supposed that his excel
lency desires another term. though the
signs indicate that If he forces himself
upon his party as the nominee there
will be an open revolt by the antima-
chine Republicans. Private Joe Fifer,
the ex-governor whom the late John
OLCl Alt6CAu hIOChcO lHtO COAudlOSC
condition, is manifesting signs of resus-
citation and is having himself numer-
0usly mentioned for governor, but IL
Joseph is really aware of which is the
buttered side of his bread he will
freeze ON to the Office which he now
missioner at salary of $500 per. He
had his day In court, and a generation
has grown up that knows not Joseph
Colonel Vespasian Warner, congress-
man for Clinton, is also mentioned for
governor. Warner-'P Pash," as his ia
miliars call him-is a fine gentleman
and would do honor to the place. He
and his most estimabIe family would
grace the guhernatorial mansion at
Springfield.
Benjamin F. CALDWELL.
Unless, however, the Republicans
cease wrangling neither Yates nor Fife
nor Warner nor any other Republican
will be elected governor of Illinois.
That honor will go to Benjamin F.
Caldwell, the able and indefatigable
Democrat who now represents the
Springfield district Caldwell is not an
orator; he is worker. He believes in
conducting the government as he con-
ducts his own affairs-on strictly busi-
ness principles. He has made an emf
nent success of his own affairs, and
he would make an eminent success in
the gubernatorial office, just as he
ton as congressman The only Ques-
tion appears to be whether Caldwell
Ben, as he is universally called all
over central Illinois-can be induced to
give up his place in the house of repre-
sentatives, which he likes and which
he can hold as long as he pleases, for
four years as governor. 1t is difficult
to discover whether Caldwell is really
ambitious or not, even after serving
with him six years in the house. He
is modest, unassuming and close
mouthed He appears to believe the
old proverb, speech is silvern; silence
is golden" For that reason, If no
other, he would make an ideal candi-
date for governor. If he will accept
the nomination he can call to his as
sistance the best stump speakers In
congress, who will give the Sucker
State great shaking up from Cairo
to Chicago. One thing, if he is ambi-
tious ought to induce Brother Cald-
wells run for governor. and that is
this: If Democrat is elected governor
in 1904 he would at once become pos
sible, if not probable, Democratic
presidential nominee in 1908, and Ben
jamin F. Caldwell would look well
seated in the chair of Washington,
wearing the mantle of Jefferson.
What's more and better, were he in
the White House people would know
that as good Democrat as ever trod
shoe leather was at the. helm of the
ship of state.
Human Nature Paramount.
Governor Durbin of Indiana may is
sue all the sonorous addresses that he
pleases against lynching and President
Roosevelt may write him congratu-
latory epistles until he suffers from
pen paralysis, but they will not there
by stop lynching. There is only one
way to stop 1t, and that is for all men,
white or black, to stop making felo-
nious assaults upon women. Rape and
lynching go together as surely as water
seeks its level. OF course lynching is
contagious, and, being started in
community by reason of rape, it
spreads to malefactors guilty of other
crimes To once more quote Mark
Twain, Human nature is very strong,
and we all have heap of it in us"
For some time it was popular up north
to abuse the southern people as bar.
barians because, under great provoca-
tion, they sometimes pulled off lynch
ing, but now that lynching bees have
become popular in the north and color
ed people are fleeing for their lives
from the Republican states of Illinois
and Indiana into the Democratic states
Of Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri
Republican Pharisees up north no
longer get hearing when shooting off
their mouths about southern lynchings.
The old saying. 'T4et him that is guilt
less throw the first stone," seems to be
of universal application in this country
just now. OF course no defense Of
lynching is herein made l am discuss
ing what is and not what ought to be-
Everybody ought to live up to the
Golden Rule, but such is not the case
1t is as true today as it was nine
teen hundred years ago that ''it must
needs be that offense will come. but
woe unto him by whom it eometh."
The latter is the one wlfO gets his neck
stretched. There is an unfailing meth
cd by which man may prevent the
violent elongation of his neck, and that
is to observe the law. common, statu-
tory and moral Otherwise he is liable
to be elevated to an inconvenient
height, with nothing to stand on.
Exit Miles.
The administration for some mex
plicable reason kept up its persecution
Of Lieutenant General Nelson A. Miles
down to the very moment of his retire
nlent from the army. Wherefore? Be
cause somebody has all along been
afraid that the greatest Indian fighter
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