Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1872-09-26
A Compal ison.

The Liberal, of last week, instltut-
ed comparison between the two
Congressional candidates for this
District, as TO their individual! merits.
With sublime Indifference to accura.
cy, our contemporary asserts that
"evely candid man must admit that
John p. Irish is IN every respect the
superior OF Mr.. Wilson, This con-
clusion is reached by the Liberal
after comparing the two gentlemen
as to their speech making qualities.
Nothing in the article from which
the above was quoted Indicates that
the comparison extended to any
other particular. OF course the con.
cluslon is Mt warranted by the argu.
ment.
To all disposed to think upon The
matter the question mist rccur; Is
it true that John p. IRISH is the SUI
perior o! James Wilson SO far as
mere ability to make smooth, pleas
ing public speeches is concerned, few
will deny that the superiority lies
with Mr.. |. Possibly Mr.. l. may
have more learning SO far as mere
scholarship is in question. Except.
ing these two points, and we appre.
bend that no claim can be made Of
superiority Tor Mr.. I. without a con.
test.
The two gentlemen have served in
the last three Legislatures side by
side, making their experience as to
time equal in length. AS legisla-
tor, hthc history OF their services
demonstrates that Mr.. Irish has but
little ability in comparison with Mr..
w. II Mr.. | has any special ability
in that line. his fellow legislators have
failed to recognize it. lie has stood
as the leader of his party in the
House, simply on account OF his po-
litical liability, as the Democratic
party have not aimed of late years at
practical, bcneficent legislation, but
at measures that would bring poli.i-
cal profit. 1t was fitting that such q
legislator AZ Mr.. l. should lead his
party. It IS doubtful If any Of Mr..
Is. friends can point to single
measure Of practical, beneficent leg
lslation which NJ. l. either orici
mated or championcd through the
Legislature. II measures for tho
good OF the State University are in
stanced, we have to say that he never
got law passed the House, for the
State University, without the CO.
operation and assistance of Mr.. w.
That Mr.. WIS. ability as a legislator
isot'an order above the average,is evil
denced by the fact that some of the
most important measures inaugural
cd by the two last Legislatures were
originated or championed by him.
We instance the various bills by
which the people have been enabled
to obtain and retain control of the
railroads, in important respects, and
the laws known as the "Herd Lava
These are not all, but they are
enough for samples. After service
of but two terms in the House, the
Republican members of tho last Leg
islature unanimously nominated hint
for Speaker. Certainly, he mus,
have some ability which his fellow
members could recognize, or this
honor, the first in the history OF the
Legislature of the State, would not
could not, have been awarded him.
Mr.. w. has the reputation OF be
Ing one the hardest working OF com
mitteelhen. Committee work is la.
borous, irksome, and tedious. It af
lords no opportunity tor brillian,
display of traisccndent oratorica
talent. This duty Mr.. w. nete,
shirked. His conscientious faithful
ness IN this kind OF legislative duty
has won him the gratitude Of the
people. We make no complaint Of
Mr.. l. in this respect, farther than I'd
remark that even his most partial
friends will not claim that he has any
taste or aptitude Tor this kind Of
duty.
After all, it is the hard working,
laborous, painstaking committeeman
that really moulds the legislation of