National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-21
THE PAST AND PRESENT.

=
THE PAST AM PRESENT,
PUBLIC zIkE IN WxsHINGroE mon
AND THLRrr YEARS AGO. -
THE EARLIER STATESMEN OF THE REPUB
LIc-PRoMINENT MEN IN THE HOUSE OF
REPREsENrATvEs-TH PRESENT SEN
ATE-PowER AND INFLUENcE OF TIKI
PRESS. iss.lss- - saee. 4 ~
tcorespondsnce Of the Evening rost:l
| WASHINGTON, April ia ls1f
Il Il strange how the living bslisvs that all
wisdom and learning and expefience and prac
teal ability and every day common sense. end
the talent and the gin to govern IN all public end
business affaifs belong 20 the past or to the gen
erstion that has Just preceded Us. BY reading
most Of thspapers Of the day one would be led Il
believe that all TIE In and out OF public itfs
are mere pfgmies incondparfson with the men who
were In public life years ago. But Is this 30
Come up hsre, You who 90 depreciats the men Of
to-day, and tell me the names Of twelve only, who
were in public life forty years ago, who have len
the impress Of their genius and their wisdom deep
and strong upon their country's historyf How
many who were IN the Congress Of the pnfted
States forty thirty years ago, were at allin abiI
fly and learning above the average member Of
Congress Of the last fourteen yearsf ASK any
one, and he viii speak Of Olsy, Calhoun and Web
ster, occasionally Of Cas- and Wright and Ewing
and Corwin, Of John Quincy Adams, Edward ET-
erett and Thomas II. Benton.
OUT PRESENT sxxAraI r. < C-s-5l
When has there been an ADLER Committee on
Finance than the Senate now has with the
lAborious and sensible Mr.. Sherman at the head I
When has the Democrats party been represented
in the Senate more Intellectual man or better
lawyer than Senator Thurmans when has New
York had Ex-senator Of more ability or an ADLER
debster than Mr.. Oonkliagf when IN the whole
history Of Conuecticut has she been more ably
represented in the Senate than by Senators Buck.
ingham and Ferryf When has there been at the
head Of the Judiciary Committee more Thorough
lawyer, aud one more watchful or the best In
terests Of the country, than Senator Edmondsf
When has Indiana had two stronger men in the
Senator ID l n ,- Il
lido not know that New Jersey has ct any time
within forty years been more ably represented IN
the Senate than at this time by Messrs. Freling-
huysen and Stockton. Mr.. Morrill, Of Vermont,
and Msssrs. Morrill, and Hamlin OF Maine, for
business intelligence and men Of practical wis
dom, would have held high position at any period
Of our history, and do not know that Mr.. Bay
ard, Of Delaware, is not the equal Of HIS grand.
father and uncle and father in intellectual
strength and character.
PROMINENT MEN IN TEE HOUSE.
In the House, when has there been q man of
more ability and Of higher integrity ct the head
Of the Committee Of Ways and Means than Mr..
Dawes; or Of Appropriations, than Mr.. Garfield;
or Of the Navy, than Mr.. Scohsldf On financial
questions, not for generation has there been In
Congress an ADLER man than Mr., Hooper might
be If he only would stick to his antecsdents. His
paper on money, printed some years ago, was one
Of the best ever written In this country. He was
the adviser, counselor and director of the late
Senator Sumner In financial matters. The chair
man Of the Committee on Commerce, Mr.. VIM.
A. Wheeler, is acknowledged on all sides to be
the equal Of any chairman on that important
committee that the House has had for half CEN
fury. In the debate on the Louisville canal bill,
q few days ago, he achieved o remarkable tri-
umph in turning the House right about BY one of
the most vigorous speeches made on the floor Tor
years. ..a... g. aas.. -a-.-r q E.--s-z...-rs.
This canal matter has been before Congress
since 1910. Is there not o Job tu itf Congress
owns all but five shares, and these are held by
nve trustees, and, as understand, these i've men
are the canal. And 1t is understood that they
vote themselves 1900 . year each as salary.
Then they have o savings bank, In which are de-
posted the tolls of the canal-hfty cents ton for
each steamboat passing through; and then they
vote themselves 5000 each as president cashier,
directors, &c, of the savings bank. and then loan
all the money to themselves. IF these things are
so they Of course do not desire to give up the
goose that lays such golden eggs. Judges Hoar,
OF Mass, Lawrence, of Ohio, and Poland, Of w.
Mr.. Scudder, Of N. J., Hawley, Of Conn, Kelley,
OF Pa, Frye and Hale, Of Ne, Burchard, Of ILL.,,
are all of them members Of acknowledged ability;
and whatever opinion any one entertains Of Gen.
Buffers character he is o foeman not to be rashly
for whoever assails him Is apt to be
spattered and battered. .rs. az.rg'
Mr.. Elliott, of South Ca:olina, is q native of
enc Of the West India Islands; was educated In
England, and hAs given svidt66s that talent e
not Of 'eolor or previous condition" The young
member from New Jersey, Mr.. VIM. Walter
Phelps, ip his speech few days ago on the finan-
clai question, gave strong testimony that he is q
vigorous thinker, that he can deal with profound
thought as well as with truth and wit and satire.
He held the undivided attention Of the House,
thing somewhat remarkable for q new member or
Gov ~.s .~---vvr " uvs J-ssv Tr~sa.au Isrecog-
mixed as o strong man, but his health has been
impaired by rheumatism during the winter, %
that "Richsrd has not been himself" I have
some doubt about the halls Of legislation being
the proper arena for 30 thorough an advocate as
he is. First-class lawyers do not always make
hrst-class legislators. There are many other
able and valuable. although think as
o whole this is not as able as either Congress
since 1860. -....... - -.
COMPLAINTS OF THE RARLIKR DAYS.
It Is the custom-it has ever been the custom
to deery the men of the present, and TO elevate
the men OF the past. I have o letter before me
written by one Of most distinguished family in
New York, in which he says, under date Of De-
,ember o, 1914: ave have no political news Of I'm