The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-11-21
The Senatorial Contest.

The republicans having majority of
four or possibly six on joint ballot in the
state legislature, the aspirants foy United
States senator to succeed Oglesby are
already beginning the process of wire pull
ing to secure an election.
AS is both natural and to be expected
Oglesby is DESTROYS Of being his own sue
cessor. His stock of wind and cheek is
sufficient for any emergency. and as
downright political BLACKBOARD he is
reckoned not to have a superior in the
state. John A. Logan comes the nearest
to being genuine rival Of Oglesby's in
the traits of character which make them
both conspicuous, and Intellectually as well
as morally the difference between the two
is so small their respective friends might
readily admit without disparagement to
their personal preferences that both are
off the same piece Of cloth. 1t is under
stood both are getting ready for the con-
test, and will enter upon the struggle with
every nerve strained to its utmost tension
and with determination to hold on as
long as there appears the remotest hope
of success.
These two, Logan and Oglesby, are
by no means the only ''stalwart" re-
publicans who would like a seal
in the United States senate, neither are
they the only two who are seriously con-
sidered in connection with the Office. In.
deed. permitting us to be Judge, we should
say there were number of prominent men
in the republican party of this state who
are much superior to either Logan or OgIes.
by in nearly all the essential qualities re.
quisite for senator. But they are not SC
likely, unless by chance, to be winners as
their more notorious but less meritorious
fellow partizans-they occupy a higher
plane of intellectual greatness, and NOR
ally are incomparably superior, but they
are not backed by the hoodlums and tht
"whooping-up" element of the party, anC
consequently they make much less of I
showing and their following is much les
demonstrative. In fine, it is not saying to-
much to affirm that the republican part.
are not in want of frst-class senator, an
that such an one would not be truly thei
representative, When it is considered VIII
are the prominent leaders-that such me
as Zach Chandler, Don Cameron, job
Sherman, Confederate Mosby, old periure
Wells of Louisiana, and a score of othel
of the like ilk, to say nothing of the fl
male portion such as Mrs. jerks and Eli
Pinkston, are all held in honorable esteel
and entrusted with Offices of honor, trus
and proft-especially the latter-it is nc
saying anything derogatory to assert thi
Logan and OgIesby are both quite up
the party standard, and would do the kin
of work expected Of good loyal repubI
can better than men who have a COT
science, high sense of honor, somo de-
cacy of feeling and sentiment, and WI
could upon occasion rise above the dctat
of petty partizan squables.
The state of Illinois in times past h
had Uuited States Senators who were {
hoaor to the state, who achieved nation
distinction as great men. But from
Breese, a Douglas. or a Trumbull awi
downward to John A. Logan and Richa
j. Oglesby-what a comment on the gre
men Of the republican party, and yet, tn
being the representative men of the part
what a comment upon "the party of gre
moral ideas" which is so truly represent
nv surh men