The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-03-21
THE LEADERSHIP OF THE SENATE.
Rumored Rivalry Between Merton and
COnkliEg.
From the Cincinnati Commercial.

=
Mr.. Morton tor the leadership OF
the Senate. The former is already
disputing the superiority of the lat
ter."-Woshtngton dispatch TO the
Ne,0 York Tribune.
No doubt ConkIing is anxious to
become the "leader OF the Senate"
He is an ambitious man, aud will
never be easy while he is q step be-
hind any other man. Morton how
ever, has a few advantages over
him.
In the first place, the leader OF
the Senate must be on friendly terms
with the President; and though
both Morton and Conkling enjoy
this happiness, yet Morton is al old
er, closer, more confidential and
more trusted friend of Grant than
CoBkling, or any other Senator.
Morton was powerful friend OF
Grant during his early career, play
ed prominent part i'll making him
President, has been his right hand
man all through the Presidency,
and has not only been the cham
pion of the Administration policy
but the author of a considerable
part of it. Conkling's acquaintance
with Grant does not date back half
as many years as Morton's, and
Grant did not take to Conkling till
after he (Grant) had broken with
Conkling's adversary, FentOn, some
three years ago. In fact, until that
time, Conkling's relations with
Grant were not at all lovely. Nor
ton has thus great advantage over
Conklins.
In the second place, Morton is on
far better terms with the body OF
his fellow Senators than Conkling
is. Morton is personally popular
COnkling is very unpopular in the
Senate. Conkling carries his dicta-
tOrial ways to an uncomfortable ex-
tent. He has used insulting or at
least insolent or sarcastic language
in debate to at least half his fellow
members, and with q great many OF
them he Is not even on speaking
terms" OF course, he won't look
at Eenton; he won't even nod to
Sumner; he won't speak to Schurz
he looks with contempt on Casserly
and other Democratic Senators
and he treats in patroni Zing way
those on his own side of the Senate
whom he recognizes at all. Nor
ton, on the other hand, is full OF
good fellowship. He never seeks
TO show his own superiority, and
never tries to plant sting in the
heart of an adversary. Even in the
heat of debate, as the champion OF
the Administration policy, be never
INDUCES in personal vituperation OF
it's opponents. He did not break
with the Liberal Senators who turn
ed agaiBs; Grant last year. He took
part in the removal of Sumner from
the chairmanship of the Committee
on Foreign Relations; but even af-
ter Sumner had delivered his terri
bic diatribe against the President
last year, Morton still met him in a
frank and friendly way. He is too
much of a man to indulge in the
puerile habit of mot speaking" to
those with whom he has political
differences. Hence Morton, though
Il strong partisan, is held in high
esteem in the Senate by meu OF
both parties. By thus refraining
from envenoned attacks, and By
keeping up friendly relations with
ali his iellOw-members, Morton has
another advantage over Conkling.
In the third place, Morton is a
man of larger and more powerful
mind than COnkling. He is not a
tool of the President; nor q mere
echo of the party. He is a great
enough man TO have views of his
own. He is an originator of
policies and public meas
ures. He cousults with Grant, but
does not take orders from him. He
thus gives more valuable support to
Grant than q thousand tools conld
give. He renders more service to
the Republican party than it could
get from all the demagogues in the
country Conkling, on the other
hand, is not q man of broad or orig
intense mind. He never origina-
ted any public policy, any import
ant measure, or even any party
plans. He seems to be a more de-
termined man than Morton, but
mere determination, without tax
ing circumstances into account, is
not an element of strength, but of
weakness. He springs al his sub
ject with more fury than Morton,
but he gets no such grasp of 1t as
Morton. In intellectual scope and
sweep, in the tOtality of his SUBJ
stantive powers, he is greatly the
inferior of Morton. Morton's elo-
quence is at times swelling and i'm
pressive-whiIe ConklIng's oratory
is formal, narrow, sarcastic, fretful
and vaunting. In the Senate, Nor
ton has O certain authoritative way
about him, which is quite different
from the pretentious ways of Conk-
ling. Morton gives an impression
of leadership; Conkiing does not.
Morton's leadership is easily accept
ted; Conkling's would not be. In
ali these things, Morton mas advan- |
lagos over COnkling in the Senate.
In the last place, Morton has for |
4 dozen years been recognized |
throughout the whole country as q !
great popular leader. He won ma
.ional fame as "War Governor"
and this has constantly grown dur
ng his senatorial career. 1t is q
great advantage to the leader of the |
Senate to be known as q popular
political leader, as Morton is. It
gives him strength in the Senate,
md nelps him in securing public
support for his measures. Conk-
ing has never been a popular po-
itical leader, not even in his own
state. He does not possess the
rats required for popular leader
hip. He has twice been elected to
he Senate by the State Legislature
tut he has never had any reputa-
ion in the way of directing or con-
the public sentiment of
he nation. The advantage, in this
aspect, that Morton would have
yer Coukling, in the contest for
he leadership OF the Senate, could
OF easily be Oversiated.
CoDkllng has one advantage over
Iorton in the matter of health, and
J his superior as TO legs. Bot, after
II, Morton has strong constitu-
on, and all Of the vitality needed
,r lis place.
We don't believe the EXCITING
ontest" of which the Tribune
peaks, would be as exciting as it
'ould be if the forces of the con.
'sting parties were more evenly
atched. 1t seems as though Nor
ms relations to the President, to
Is fellow Senators and to the par
:, his experience as a Senatorial
Id popular leader, and his intrinsic I
overs as a man and q politician,
We him advantages which the am
tious Conkling will find it rather
Lrd to meet. But still ConkIing
IS the privilege of doing his best a
ID If he should get what he is az L
r, he will certainly have shown z
At he aaT auruasfuf dfFanr,Ik,a.I y