The Washington herald., 1916-08-09
Does Il Pay?

If long-continued vociferation, which not in
frequently will amount to ululation, can bring it
aoout-and the doctors say it is quite possible
this country is likely to be in state of coma
by next election day. 1t is agreed in all quar-
ters that the political campaign is to be
verbal conflict to be compared only with
that of 1896, the year of Mr.. Bryans possibly
never-ag again-to-be-e -equaled oratorical stunt 1t
seems to have begun already in Congress, where
good deal of time is being consumed nowadays
in discussing questions which belong properly to
the final spelbinding effort of late October.
Despite the reluctance of the opposition to
detect anything worth while in the speech of ac-
ceptance of the Republican candidate, the DEM
ocratic speakers will find abundance OF ma
teral to occupy their attention. and there is little
doubt that President Wilson's letter, when it
arrives will inspire the thaumaturgists of the
G. o. P. with all the verbal resources which are
necessary. As it is and will continue to be until
she establishes some sort Of protection against
such attacks the first blow of the campaign will
be felt in Maine. The list of speakers already
assigned to that defenscless commonwealth
presages overflow of oratory that is calcu-
lated to make all else seem tame by way Of COM
parison.
Does it really pay? According to recent
writer in the Atlantic Monthly, it doesn't for the
reason that Eve, a self-governing people permit
our affairs to be administered very largely, by
second-rate men," despite the fuss and feathers
we raise to elect them. Nobody believes that
the men best qualified in every respect for Of
hce are the ones who reach it. The time is not
yet come when Americans who possess ideal
qualifications for high office willing to accept
it under the present conditions. For one thing,
men of worth and fitness hesitate to enter the
! COmDetltlOn for high office heraIse how, kpOv
that under the present system their authority
would be limited that they would be unable
to do any sort Of justice to their own convc-
tlonS. The man in high office finds himself con-
stantly hampered as he enters upon his
trust on the hand by partisan obligation
and the other by lack OF authority to act in
dependently.
Another potent deterrent from public
career is to be found in the profound dstaste
fclt by some men for the unbridled personal
treatment which candidates receive at the hands
OF opposition spcllbnders This, however, must
be accounted a weakness and it certainly dc
tracts from a mans fitness In his Yale lectures.
Mr.. Hughes disposcs OF the matter as follows:
"In considering this question, the obligation
OF fairness in the criticism OF public officials be-
comes manifest. Criticism is the safeguard OF
the public. No intelligent officer would dispense
with It If he could 1t is the Iic-currcnt OF
democracy. But every one who wiclds the
critical pen or inGplges in critical utteranccs
should keenly feel his responsibility. We have
government of laws, and not OF men, but a
government after all, is nothing but men, To
create a disinclination for public life to make
men feel that its conditions with regard to self
respect and decent reputation are intolerablc, to
drive men of sensbty away from its oppor-
tuntles in sheer disgust and to leave public en-
Ployment the more accessible to adventurers, to
soldiers of fortune, and to political hangers-on
IS to letter progress and to put premium upon
ncfficicncy"