The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1873-12-11
POOR MR.. BLAINE,

Mr.. Speaker Blame had an eye 10 the
Presidential Chair. When the salary
grab was under consideration he ostenta-
tiously requested that the Speaker be ex-
cepted from its operation-and his request
was granted. He took pains to cultivate
q sentiment, in Congress and among the
people, that he was opposed to the salary |
grab. But his action in this new Congress
has exposed him before the people in his
true cclors. He wants the votes OF the
peopie--but he wants determination first
and he knows the power Of members Of
Congress in securing delegates to nation
al convention, and that if he offends them
he can never receive the nomination. The
result is that he has used his official posi-
ton to save the salary thieves from being
degraded from their positionsin the House.
He has Endorsed them by placing them in
honored positions at the head OF powerful
aud important committees. Without go
ing infinitely through the list we will recall
attention to one or two conspicuous speci-
mems. The name of Butler is more often
sively associated with the salary bill than
that of any other member in the House /;
but instead of giving him back seat the
Speaker has promoted him TO the chair
manship of the Judiciary Committee
more honorable position than Butler has
ever before held in the House. Blaine has
made this kind Of preference even where
he had no possible party motive to inhu
ence him. He has promoted Fernando
Wood to the COMMITTEE Of Ways anC
Means, higher and more coveted com
mittee than he has ever before served on
aud placed Mr.. Cox who spoke against AM
voted against the salary grab at ever
stage and returned his back pay last spring
upon his old committee on Foreign Affair
where he served from 1861 to 1865. How
can the Republican Speaker excuse himsel
for discriminating in favor Of Mr.. Woo
and against Mr.. Cox in the composition c
the standing committees He feels tina
an explanation is needed; and accordin
to q Washington dispatch in the. Ne
York Sunday Mercury he has already in
vented one. The only weak points in NJ
Speakers apology are that it is false an
preposterous According to the CORE
pendent of the Mercury, the reason he giv'
foI honoring Wood at the expense of OK
was, that it is settled custom for the su
cessful candidate for Speaker 10 put h
defeated competitor on the Committee
Ways and Means. Had there been such
custom Mr.. Blaine would have made
disapproval of the salary grab all the mo
emphatic by deviating from the custom
this instance He makes up the comm
tees at his own pleasure, and no custo
need bind him, especially when dealt
with political minority who are too weak
do him any harm But in truth there
no such custom as Mr. Blaine pleads
his defence We need GO no further bs
than to his own action at the Organizat
of the preceding Congress TO explode t
lying pretenee. In the Forty G.
gress George ". Morgan, ofOhio, was
Democratic candidate for Speaker, the v
standing as follows:
James O. Blaine. .....,...... ..................,
George W, Morgan. .......... ........ .........,
But Mr.. Morgan was not given place
the Committee of Ways and Means, t
Committee having been composed as
lows.
"Or Ways and Hedps-Henry l. DAVIS, OF Ma
chu-ctts, Horace Maynard, OF Tcnness =, Will
d. Kelley, OF Pennsy lyauia. James Brooks Of
York Gn-tavus A Fiukemburg, OF Missouri,
ace G. Buehard, % Illinois, Ellis H. Robert,
New York, Michael G. Kerr. Of Indiana, and ia
H. b ok, of Kentucky.
Mr., Blaine's apology therefore falls
the ground, being refuted and exploded
his own action in the last Congress.
preference of Mr.. Wood to Mr. Cox disc
es his own real mind and the actual TEN
of his Republican associates in the Ho
respecting the sahry-grab If they v
to-day to defeat it, it will be because 4
feel entirely certain that the Senate
either take no action on the bill or refus
concur in its passage. Whatever may
the result, Mr., Blaine has shown him
to be a weak man who has not the cour
to take the side Of the people against
Credit Moblier, salary thieves in
gress. The people will leave him to
his support from the creatures he has
tected and shielded FROM the just indc
ton of an outraged constituency,
From the n. Y Sun