New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-24
SUMMERS SUCCESSOR.
POSITION AND PROSPECTS OF THE CANDI-
DATES


ENED BY BUFFERS FRENDsHIP-HoAR INJURED
BY ALLEGIANCE TO THE PREsIDENT-ADAMsK NOT
PERSONALLY PoPULAR-FAINr HOPES FOR BANKS
WHAT WILL DE INDICATED By THE CHOICE.
IRON AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT TIE TRIBuNsJ
Boston, March 23.-There has seldom been SO IN
tense an interest exhibited here any subject as is
now in the election of successor to Charles Sum-
ner. This has been the topic of almost
universal comment and speculation since the
day of the great Senator's funeral. The politicians
are more exercised in their minds, and more per-
picked in the matter Of prediction than almost ever
before. The active men among them came out
in force Saturday. They were seen in great num-
beers in the ante rooms of the Sate-house and were
busy as bees in the halls and parlors Of the hotels
of the city. Up to Friday morning, very
little lobby work had been done except
in the interest of Mr.. Dawes. general
feeling prevailed in this section of the State that the
abast pnrast chat ooaid b .slsetsd should
have Mr. Summers seat the only difference of opinion
being as to whether he should be strict party man,
like Judge Hoar. or Republican of independent
tendencies like Charles Francis Adams. very
large majority of the people of Boston and the re-
gion about it for the the other of these
candidates and inclined to leave to the Legis-
lature to choose between them, without especial
effort to influence Its action. Mr.. Dawes's friends
They packed their carpet-bags and ticketed them
selves for Boston before Mr.. Summers funeral and
they were In the field for work at very early hour
on the day that succeeded IT. Judge HOars sup
porters watched them uneasly for day or two, and
then came to the conclusion that their coats must
come Off with the view TO earnest work also. The
result has been that the most of the Republicans of
the Legislature are rallied around one or other of
these candidates. and that they quite sure to lead
in the opening ballots in that body
TIE POSITION OF MR.. DAWES.
Mr.. Dawess position is peculiar one, and is far
from satisfactory either to himself or the better
class of his friends He has for several years desired
the Senatorshp, and has bad not altogether unrea-
sonable expectation that he might attain it. His
strongest claim is that of locality. No United
States Senator has been elected from the western
part of Massachusetts,, in which Mr.. Dawes resides,
since Isaac &. Bates chosen from the town OF
Northampton to succeed John Davis IN 1884, The
office has not gone SO far in that direction as
Worcester to be filled save once since that time.
The other Senators, RantOul, Sumner, Everett Will
son, and Boutwell,, have all come from limited
eastern circle in territory. Mr.. Dawes, though not
regarded as equal ia ability to several of public
men, has won distinction beyond that of any other
man in the State west Of Worcester; aud from
his long experience in Congress is considered tohaye
gained an advantage which some who are intellect
ualy his superiors do not possess. He has stood
well in Boston, and had considerable support here
last year in his contest with Mr. Boutwell, for the
succession to Yice-Presdent Wilson. Had it not
been for the general impression that prevailed that
Mr.. Boutwell, was the alderman, Mr.. Dawess chances
of an election would have been better than were
those Of his competitor. IL two Senators instead OF
one were to have been elected at that time he would
have been almost sure of success. He would have
been equally of had it not been for
his unfortunate action in the period that has since
elapsed. His course IN the recent Custom-house
controversy was one Of the most fatal mistakes
made by politician.
THE EXCESSIVE TIMIDITY OF Mr.. DAWES.
Mr. Dawes is tmid man by nature, and has the
instincts of the managing politician without the
shrewdness that is essential to make these effective
lie makes frequent resolutions of independence but
when the pinch comes his courage fails him, and he
either retreats altogether bears himself meeky
that it puts him at a serious disadvantage. This is
seen in his attacks.upon the policy of his party in
Congress and his retreats therefrom; it was appar
emit Also after his assumption of the leadership in
the Republican State Convention Of 1871 against
Butler in the repeated advantages gained by Butler
by the evident fear in which Mr. Dawes held him;
t was most evident of all last year when after his
brave words of denunciaton of Butler, he pledged
himself most unnecessarily, to vote for him if he
should carry the Republican nomination. 1t is
charitable perhaps to assume that it was
timdity that induced him to abandon OPP
position to Butler in the most offensive
outrage ever attempted by that individual-the ap-
pointment of Simmons to the Collectorship There
are two opinions upon that subject here, and some
of those who are not unfriendy to Mr.. Dawes be-
eve that he has come to an understanding with
Butler that will bind him, even if there be no ex-
pcit pledge of alliance Be this as it may, he has
lost almost entirely his hold the anti Butler
Republicans They either dstrust or denounce him
almost universally. He will go into the Legsla-
ture in the contest for the SenatOrshp the Butler
candidate outside the western counties, that adj
here to him on the ground OF locality, he would
have hardly q scattering vote II Butler should
abandon him. This entire reversal OF the
order of things from that of last year,
when Butler was bitterly fighting him,
men will not believe is without reason salts
factory to the mind Of Butler, and satisfactory to
the mind of nobody else, except Buffers own sup
porters. This is yehemently denied by many OF MT.
Dawess adherents and in general terms, 1t may be,
by Mr.. Dawes himself; but there Others of his
friends who look with pain and regret upon the
ntanglement, as they mildly term it, and believe
that defeat would be far better for Mr. Dawes than
victory under such auspices. The argument most
used with anti Butler men in Mr. Dawes's favor is
that he not only stands where he always stood with
regard to Butler, but is decidedly an anti-Grant
man; that if chosen, he will give his influence to
induce the party to take ground against the Pres
ident while Judge Hosr belongs to the John NJ.
Forbes school, which believes in combating But
lerism at the same time it is sustaining the great
head of Butlerism, relying upon effort to coax it
away from its allegiance.
HIGH STANDING OF JUDGE HoNR.