The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-06
OLD MEN TO THE FRONT.

Some time ago the president of a
railroad company in the West an
nounced that his road did not wish to
keep in its employ any men over
fifty years of age There was a storm
of protests over making the age of
fifty the dead line of usefulness
and the railroad president had to
withdraw from his untenable position.
With most men, the period of their
greatest usefulness is after they have
passed the half century mark. To
suggest that men who have reached
that age ought to be retired is to les
sen the worlds supply of the best
trained heads and hands in all lines
of endeavor.
Two events in politics this year
shows that "the old man" is still a
potential factor in politics. The nomi-
nations of Hon. Henry G. Davis, who
is eighty-one years DID, for Vice.
President. shows that the. national
Democracy believes in "old men for
counsel and the activity of the nomi-
nee shows that the candidate has en-
listed with 'the young men for war"
Mr.. Elihu Root, "the greatest man
on either side of the ocean Gas Roose-
welt says) devoted much of his speech
to criticising the Democracy for nomi-
mating an octogenarian as Vice Presi-
dent. If the party had nominated as
young a man as Aycock or Montague,
the Republican orator would have
complained that the Democracy had
nominated "a mere boy, lacking the
years that bring wisdom AS a
matter of fact. however, in nomi-
mating Mr.. Davis, the Democrats were
not trying to please Mr.. Root or his
Northern Securities Company and
other trust clients. The fact that
they disapprove it indicates that the
Democracy acted wisely. An old
fashioned political sage once re-
marked: "In politics. find out what
your enemy wants you to do, ana
then do the other thing In the light
of Mr.. Roots objections to Mr.. Davis,
it looks like the Democrats at st.
Louis were guided by the advice of
the old-fashioned philosopher
The announcement was made few
DAYS ago that Hon. Benton Mcmillan
had withdrawn from the contest for
United States Senator in Tennessee,
thus leaving the field clear for the re-
election of Senator Bate. AS matter
of fact, enough counties had already
instructed for Bate to insure his cleo
ton and Mr.. Mcmillan announced mis-
withdrawal only to secure harmony in
counties where the Mcmillan
contest had grown warm and threat
ened further dissensions. Mr.. Bate is
over eighty years old and is not in
robust health like Mr.. Davis, but his
long and honorable service and con-
tinued devotion to the best interests of
his constituents has made 1T 1mpos-
sible for any one to defeat him. Sew
eral able and virile men have in former
contests entered the lists against him,
but the "old man. has pursued "the
even tenor of his way and every time
won the victory. Mr. Mcmillan is an
able and popular man. He would take
high rank in the Senate. AS a men,
Der of the House for twenty years he
held a place of commanding i'm
portance and made national reputa-
tion He was twice elected Governor
and made a model chief executive.
His friends assured him that he could
easily defeat Senator Bate The re-
suit shows that they underestimate
the strength of 'old man Bate, who
is now assured of life tenure in our
highest legislative halls
The young man in politics idea
that would retire all men who have
attained three score and ten has been
rudely jostled in the case of Henry u.
Davis and William b. Bate. 1t all
goes to show that you cannot make
length of days the test of activity aiSi
usefulness, and that the world, with
all it's rapid movements, still feels the
need of the counsel of the men whose
long experiences is beyond price.
Since the above was in type, we find
that the Richmond News-Leader
makes an admirable reply to- the OBJ
ection to Mr.. Davis, on the score OF
age, raised by Mr.. Root. We quote
Mr. Root was talking in the teeth
of the statistics of which the Republic
cans are so fond. The life insurance
tables tell us that the chances that
Judge Parker will outlive Mr.. Davis
are about fifty to one to those that
Mr. Davis will outlive Judge Parker.
If the William e. Gladstone of 1891
was the Democratic nominee for