Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-04-02
Editor Declines
Senatorial HOnOrS

My Dear MT. hunl. Allow me 10
thank you for the kind mention you
made of me as a suitable candidate
ty. 1t is indeed gratifying to feel
that a strong newspaper and so many
influential men in a neighboring city
look to me as worthy timber for such
a responsible and honorable place.
am free to admit the prospect
strongly appeals to me, and since
reading your kind notice putting me
forward as an acceptable and posi-
BILE candidate, and since receiving
personal assurances of support from
so many of the business men of your
city, as well as my own, have seri-
ously considered entering the can
vass / would hold it a very great
honor to be elected from Jackson
county to the state senate. Indeed,
it is a prospect which, it seems to
me, should appeal to any citizen am
bilious for the future of this county.
Hoped TO Serve District.
1t has always been my hope to be
of use to my community and / have
made from time to time what has
amounted to some personal sacrifice
in pursuit of enterprises for the ad-
vancement of my locality, but what
have attempted so far has been only
as a newspaper man and private citi-
zen, never having been a candidate
for office, either elective or appoint
i've; nor have | ever privately aspired
to political preferment. There is a
grave responsibility attached to seek
ing and holding public office and it
would not appeal to me on any
ground other than that of material
good to be gained for the community
and firm conviction that ! might
prove the instrument through which
the most good could be accomplished.
Men Good for Something.
II is unfortunate for the country
that so many men aspire to office
with but motives of personal aggran-
dizement and for private ends.
shall never be one of those, for the
tinsel of distinction does not appeal
to me as such. The notion is becom
ing common that a public office is 6
sacred trust that the power at
tached to it is but temporary anC
representative, TO be used by the in
cumbent in executing the public bust
ness to the best of his ability. with
out private design or political bun
combe. AS that view broadens tn
demand is increasing for higher pur
posed men-not only good men, bu
men good FOR something and VIII
stand for definite principles. Tn
people no longer look upon publ
offices as sinecures for good fellows
There is need for hard and conscien
tious work. and only those who hav
the ability, the disposition and capaC
ity will hereafter be looked favor
ably upon as candidates for politica
honors. That growing sentiment au
gers we'll for the future of our coun
try.
Party Passion Subsiding.
Party passion Is subsiding and er
long II will have been entirely subor
dinated TO that larger patriotism
through which. alone. wholesome gov
ernment can long endure under dem
ocratic form.
The people now groan under heav
tax burdens. When they exercis
less partisan zeal and greater car
as to men and results, those now ad
ministering government recklessl
and extravagantly will be brought /
see that carelessness, corruption an,
waste will no longer be tolerate
and will mend their ways to saw
their political necks. even thoug
they have no higher purpose in doin
IT, Administration will prove juste
and our system will gain a firme
hold on the people when II become
Impractical for designing politician
20 attempt to force favorable actio
on unfavorable legislation by crack
Ing the party whip.
Partisanship Hurts Efficiency,
An independent, high-minded cit
zenship, demanding service and ecor
omy from It's public men. will quickl
breed a generation of courageous, II
dependent, responsive politician
Ultra partisanship and over-organizi
ton is fatal to economical govern
ment. Political organization has.
and always will be most effecti,
when the spoils system is rigidly el
forced, for spoils hold political nj
chine together as nothing else ca
Private favoritism and spoils in pu
lie administration results in spoil
tion OF the people.
so. you see, | am not ultra-part
san. The greatest reoaon Tor ~