New-York tribune., 1874-06-12
I SENATOR WHO DOES NOT KNOW.


Wisconsin has two Senators. 1t is believed
that they fairly supplement each other; that
each has in abundance what the other con-
spicuously lacks. Mr.. Carpenter is said to be
one of the most brilliant men in the Senate.
He has to be to fill the requirements OF the
situation. He has frequently surprised the
Senate and the country with the number of
things he knows. His colleague, Mr.. Howe,
quite az often surprises the Senate and the
country with the number of things he does
not know. Two years ago Mr.. Howe was a
member of an investigating committee that
spent much time inquiring into the manage
ment of the New-YOrk CustOm-hOuse. He
listened to all the testimony, making some
thing like 800 printed pages, and acted much
of the time during the examination as sort
of attorney for the defense, cross-questioning
the witnesses with distinguished zeal, if not
ability. The number of things he did not know
after this prOtracted hearing was delightful
revelation to the American people, and blessed
boon to the party in power He did not know
of anything wrong in the CustOm-hOuse that
called for action ON tho part of the President
or Congress. He did not know of any abuse
of power in removals from office, or interfer-
ence in State politics, or impositiOns upon
merchants, OF levying assessments for pOliti-
cal purposes. The nearest he or any
Of the signers of the majority re-
port came to knowing anything was
upon the subject Of political assessments.
He did not know positively anything about
this, but he said-and the other signers of the
report agreed with him-that he entertained
"no doubt that in the experience of political
"parties as in that of religious denominations
money is sometimes needed" This remark
able admission he followed with the remark
that there could be "nO doubt that members
"Of the party as we'll as members of the
"church are often asked to contribute to such
"needs," and closed with the calm and serious
conclusion that the Committee had no appre
"hensiOn that either the members of the Re-
publican party or the members of any Chris
",tian Church will often contribute beyond
I" their ability. or beyond the requirements of
"the public good" 1t has rarely happened
that committee has occupied 30 much time
in finding out so little
Upon another occasion Mr.. HOwe's recop-
nized capacity for not knowing, and the dis
tinguished ability he had shown in that direc.
ton, brought down upon him quite little
shower of certificates of what other people
did not know. 1t happened that several Der
sons did know some unpleasant things about
Senator Carpenter, and it was pretty import
ant to that gentleman to have certificates from
those who did not know them, as to what II
was precisely that they did not know. With
one consent they all fell tn writing to Mr..
Howe. President Grant was the first to act
upon the impulse to tell what he did not
know he was followed by hotel clerk and
a cundurango doctor, and, as If that were not
enough, George E. Spencer of Alabama under.
took to flood Mr.. Howe with an account of
what he did not know. Out of all these con-
tributions Mr.. Howe manufactured denial of
what great many people did know with what
very few persons, who were exceedingly
able bodied at not knowing. certified solemnly
that they did not know.
Mr.. Howe vac also q candidate for Chief