The Forrest City times., 1911-09-08
CHANCE Ys. FIDELITY.

nominated Mr. John Calling IT.. zs a candidate far County and Pro0ate Cierk.
 Mr JoGH Gzr.iug. Jf.. .s oHe 6f Forrest City's brightest and best ris- IDg young men. and is vel qualified to fiIl the ocice He is also deserving of the utmost confidence and esteem of tie people among whom he las been reared. His election 10 this CT any other office if be wanted an off ee would be comp piiment worthily bestowed. and Ae would be faithful to any trust. + is 29s9 true, as stated by Subscriber, and is worthy Of sincere consideration a al times of political activities. that the young men should 6e given chance and encouraged in any aspirations which they may have 10 serve their fellow men. And they should be encourag- ed 10 qualify themselves for public duties, so that they may be ready If called upon t0 serve. No reasonable man can find any fault with Sub scriber'sa reasoning along this line, but we will follow 1t out just a step further and suppose that after he has qualified himself in all things and has been called, wouldn't 1t be even more diseoaraging to think that af- ter he had served few years, during which time he has devoted himself to the business Tn hand and becomes an expert, that he should then in the regular order of things, have 10 be displaced by some other younger man, who would take his turn, and be dis placed. ad inhnitum: These are mat ters to be considered. and are equally important, that while the young men should have chancs, the older men must not be crowded out, but must be retained or advanced and rewarded for their long years of fdel- ity and patient study. tr raining and preparation. Having spent the best part of their lives in preparation. and in equipping themselves for the very duties in which they are now engag- ed, 1t would be unwise and angrateful to displace them and turn them away just as they are in the zenith Of their usefulness.
 The Times Is democratic ta the | core, and 1t does not believe, as a rule, in keeping one man In the same office all his life, but there are excep- tions to nearly all good rules This case that we are discussing is an ex- ception.
 Capt Merwin has given the best years of his life in equipping himself in his present work, and he is now a past master Few men attain to his efficiency, and few men in his position devote so much time to the tedious duties and routine of their office, or have longer hours of labor. And, withal. few men devote so much time to the accommodation of the public. Merwin is never too busy nor tee tired to go out of his way to accom- modate you when f has to do with the records or the office, or, for that matter, his private fund of general information, which, by the way, is positively remarkable.
 NIT. John Gatling, Jr, is studying law, and expects to pratice that pro fession, and we doubt if he would care to abandon his studies and the practice he receives in his father office, To enter politics. But if he i does, and with all his ability and cul. tiyated talent, We doubt if he nr any other man in the county could fil the position so satisfactorily a> Capt. Mer"in. He k peculiarly and natur. l ally fitted for l., and by long service as deputy. and many years as princi- | pal, has attained an efficiency rarely equalled and never surpassed by any man in any chosen field of operation. 1 The best interests of the county will be served by retaining Capt. Merwin: though leaving him out of 1t, there is not another man in the county that we would rather see County and Pro bate Clerk than John Gatling, Jr
 Above is published without the knowledge or consent of Capt Mer- win, and Is not meant 10 be parti. san political article. nor to put a damper upon the political aspirations Of any one or upon Mir. Gatling's ann bitions in this direction, if he really has such, and we don't think he has: but it is simply our honest, high opin- ion of Capt. Merwin as d man and as public official. and our belief that the county's best interests will be Subseryed by his reelection.