Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1871-08-10
From the Davenport Gazette.
Vim. d. Allison Is . Statesman.

Mr.. VIM. B. Allison is avowedly
candidate for Senator, and, If we
are correctly informed, has been Wis
iting different sections of the State,
and adopting such measures as he
deems advisable to secure his elec.
ton. Mr.. Allison served eight years
in the Lower House OF Congress,
longer than any other one person
from this State, and has acquired
legislative experience that should not
fail to be valuable, should he be
chosen to the Senate. From his re.
cord in Congress, the people may
judge of his fitness and capacity. 1t
he has made his mark while in one
branch, if he has secured the passage
Of local measures demanded by our
interests, then the presumption is,
that he will be equally useful and inflr.
entail, if elected to the other. What.
then, are the facts? What did he
achieve while in Congress-what po.
sition occupy? . 1t is to be noticed,
in the first place, that though serving
eight years in the House, he never
attained the position OF Chairman of
a standing committee, and this, we
take it, is evidence that he was not
recognized by his compeers as man
of great ability. He served with
James +. Wilson, Hiram Price, John
A. Kasson, aud for the last two
years, with Geo. w. McCrarv. Mr..
Wilson was for several Congresses
the Chairman Of the judiciary Com
mittee, one of the most important In
the House; Mr.. Price was placed at
the head of the Committee on the
Pacific Railroad, place of great re.
sponsibility, while Mr.. McCrary, at
the beginning OF his second term, is
now Chairman OF the standing Com
mittee on Elections-thus showing
that men Of ability are at once recog
nized and put forward as leaders in
legislation. Mr.. Allison was never
thus recognized nor complimented,
and we are thus compelled to infer
that ne was not regarded by his as.
sociates as a man OF marked ability.
Ho is a gentlemrn OF pleasing man.
ners, and prepossessing appearance,
not overly modest or retiring; and
we cannot but think that his failure
to be appreciated, is not to be attrib-
uted to any effort on his part. He
has always held subordinate posi-
ton on committees, though, we APP
prehend, this can scarcely be said OF
any other member of the same length
of service, while his political friends
have been in the majority, and re-
sponsible Tor the initiation of le2is-
laton.
Now, has Mr.. Allison, in any 9TH
er respect, been regarded as lead
ing member of the House? Re-
member that he was in Congress oil
through the war, and during the en-.
actment Of the measures of recon
struction, when the grayest national
questions were being discussed, and
there was great diversity of opinion
among the ablest minds; yet who
ever heard Of Mr.. Allison on these
important subjects? What speech
of his attracted the attention OF the
nation, or reflected honor on the
State he rcpresentated? I? It is true
that all through those perilous times
the State Of Iowa was ably represent
ed, and her delegation stood high be
fore the country, but the reputation
we acquired was earned, not from
the Third District, but by some Q
those we have named above, aud 9th
ers. This is the record Mr.. Allison