Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-03-30
both the gracious and magnanimousj
act in this instance.
Federal omcials in Politics.

Federal Officials in Politics.
The St. Louis Globe Democrat, the
leading republican newspaper of the
southwest, issues this note of warning
regarding the pernicious activity of
federal Office holders in politics:
1T is to be hoped that the absence
iof cabinet officers from the conven-,
ton also means that federal officials
of all grades will be scarce at tLat
gathering. 1t is to be hoped likewise
that the government placemen VINO go
to Chicago as spectators during the
convention will avoid all attempts to
use their official influence toward the
advancement of the fortunes of any
aspirant The scandal which was
created by the presence of fedora. Of
ificials at the Minneapolis convention
in 1892 is remembered by good many
republicans.
"'Mr. Chairman, | hold in my hand
a list of 130-odd Office holders who
are delegates to this convention, nine
tenths of whom live in states where
jority. The trouble comes not alone
from these men, but it comes from a
pressure of between 1000 and 5000
government Office holders, who swarm
| the corridors of the hotels, and fill
these galleries, and haunt the dele
gates, who ought to be in Washington
and elsewhere attending to their bust
Nn ,bn n
states would like to have little
voice in naming candidate for the
presidency.
These were the words of Mr.. VOL
colt of Colorado, one of the Blaine
| delegates at Minneapolis. Mr.. Roose
welt was not delegate at the conven-
ton of 1892. He was a member of
the national civil service commission
at that time, and was attending to
his duties in Washington. He remem-
bers, however, the indignation which
was expressed by republicans all over
the country at the pernicious activity
| OF the federal placemen at that con-
vention, and as he took close inter-
est in politics then, as he does now
he can recall the hostility which was
aroused by their presence and their
work for the man who gave them
their Office.
| "Mr. Roosevelt can also remember
that the activity of the federal officials
at that convention was one of the
causes of the defeat of the conven-
tons candidate. General Harrison
was a good president, but he made
the mistake which was made by some
of the republican and democratic pred
ecessors in attempting to run his
party's caucuses, primaries and con-
ventions, in addition to doing the
work which he was elected to per-
form. Distrusting the sentiment Of
ihis party, he allowed the convention
tof 1892 to be packed. by his placemen,
SO as to render his nomination GER
ltain. In doing this he made the SUI
preme mistake of failing to look be-
yond the convention to the election.
He assumed, as many unwise repub-
licans are assuming today, that the
people will be sure to ratify the Sc
lection of the convention, regardless
altogether of who that selection may
be. AS consequence his democratic
opponent, Mr.. Cleveland, received an
Overwhelming majority at the polls.
Republican victory in 1908, despite the
recent shakeup which has taken place
III each of the great parties, is proba-
Bile. But the margin will be closer
than it has been in recent campaigns.
In order that We may have any mar.
gin at all, however it is necessary
that the candidate be man who will
be supported by all elements of the
party. The way to make sure that a
candidate of that sort will be selected
is to let the republican voters nomi
nate him. The delegates who are
elected by the free voice of their party
without any pressure from Washing
ton, will more faithfully reflect the
lparty's desires, whether those dele
gates are instructed or not. that gov
eminent placemen can reflect them
These are elementary political truths
and no man in the country knows
them better than does Mr.. Roosevelt