New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-04
CoNNEc4IcUr IN 1HK SENIrF.

II was in n rural Connecticut grocery if we
rightly remember, that an old fellow, who had
been sitting by the stove watching The scaDt
measure given to customers suddenly broke
out with "Lo0k here. ] can tell you how 10
"sel twice as much mc'a,ses az you do"
Flows that?" eagerly asked tine canny store
keeper. easy enough sad the Connecticut
peasant, as lac turned his qlil and gave the
stove a fresh Amounting. "Fill up yourmeasure."
The vcracOus chroniccr who gave this an
ecdote to literature neglected to tell whether
or not the sage advice was acted on. 1t Is
quite likely that the grocer, after mature CON
sideratiOn, failed to discover any possible pc
cunary advantage in it, and 50 continued III
the old way. It suggests To us, however,
way i'm which the State Of Connecticut might
double her present representation in the United
States Senate, and gain Il real political adyan-
tage at little or no expense. 1t is similar to
the plan Tor doubling the amount OF mo-
asses sold by the grocer to wit, I'll the
"mcaSuren: that is, elect Senator in
Mr.. Barnum's place who viii occupy
the seat. That will just double the
states present representation IN the Senate
give the venerable Mr.. Eaton n colleague,
and the State two votes. Not that we mean
TO intimate in the remOtest manner possible
that the State is losing anything by Senator
Rarnums habtIal absence from the seat
which belongs to him by purchase. On the
contrary, we are satisfied that it is upon the
whole rather better for the State, and the
Senate, and himself, that he should
absent himself from Washington and
give his undivided attention to his private
business. But there are people in Connect
cut, no doubt vino have IN idea that it would
look better, il nothing more, to have two
representatives in the Senate than one. The
State has heretofore been represented by men
of ability and high character, who were not
only punctual and industrious i'll the discharge
of their duties, but who gave the State weight
and influence in the councils of the highest
chamber OF the National Legislature. Her citi-
zens were proud to he represented by such
men as Baldwin, Foster, Dixon and Ferry, who
bonored while they served the State. They
have still a lingering notion. Notwithstanding
tbey appreciate Senator Barnum's estimate Of
the unimportance of his presence, that il would
oddto the dignity of the State to have two Sena-
tors instead Of one. Probably many Demo-
Gratis who voted for Mr. Barnum have tie
same view of the matter. They had 10 rea-
son, to he sure, for thinking that he would
neglect his own business 10 attend to the du-
ties of Senator any more than he had during
eight on nine years previous to attend TO the
duties of Member of Congress. But perhaps
they did think he would be in his seat when
party questions of prime importance were up.
and not be permanently paired off.
Now, if these Democrats are really anxious
10 double the States representation in the SEN
ate. we suggest to them that they persuade
Mr.. Barnum 20 resign, so that some one may
be elected to fill the seat, and the venerable
Mr.. Eaton may have colleague. Ii might
look Ike backing down from a fair bargain,
after once selling this place to Mr.. Bar
nun to ask him to give it up, but they could
not have known that he was buying the seat
just to keep it yacant-they don't allow that
even in the sale of church pews-and it is no
more than fair under the circumstances that he