New-York tribune., 1879-04-25
nrERNER AND TETURNER.


Let us all pause for a moment and en-
deavOr to untangle the Turner's. There are,
as now appears, two Turner's i'll the House OF
Representatives, to-wit: .. Turner and /.
Turner. Both these Turner'S are from Ken
lucky. And 1t goes without saying-both
Democrats. Both are described as old
men. Both read speeches i'll the House on
Wednesday, in which each cndcGy0red to ey-
tricate himself from the other, and
officially establish his own identity.
The endeavor was so fax crowned with sue
cess as to enable the newspaper coTrespOn-
dents to ditlerentiate them hereafter, though
we fear that the effect upon the general pub
lie has been only to establish an cxaspcra,-
ing ambiguity. We do not know why
Kentucky should send two Turner'S to
Congress. unless it is from chronic
disposition to overdo things. There was
a singular illustration Of this u year or two
AGO when Mr.. Henry Watterson stood or this
bank and shoal Of timc making Of his hand
spcaking-trumpct aud calling for a hundred
thousand men to come to Washington, when
there were only Offices 10 go round among
about hundred persons. Kentucky 80 doubt
means well her mistakes, il she makes any,
are in being too generous There was
really no need TO overwhclm us with
Turner's; ana with Turner's so much
alike that when the Associated Press mixes
them up it takes two written speeches, page
of The Record, and considerable of the time
of the House partially to untangle them and
set each on lis own proper legs before the
Muse OF History and the general judgment of
mankind. Here's a waste of Turner'S. And it
is not unlikely that the Kentucky Democracy,
having this pair of Turner's, may, in pursu-
ance of local custom. draw to 'em." If they
should, and should " il," thrrell be no end
of confusion in the next Congress.
If we rightly apprehend the present attitude
of the two Turner's as finally agreed upon
between themselves and carefully elaborated
in the speeches delivered in the House or
Wednesday, which will be printed, we pre-
sumo, in The Eec0rd. with accompanying maps
and keys, Mr.. o. Turner denies spe-
cifcally that ho Is Mr Il. Turner
and Mr.. II. Turner not only adj
mits the truth of the allegation, but
positively asserts that he is not Mr. o.
Turner, and frankly confesses that lie himself
is Mr.. L. Turner. This, we believe, Is the
correct and authentic version of it from
purely nOn-partisan point Of view. If We
have Oyerstated it We sincerely hope that
both o. Turner and T. Turner will i'm
mediately rise and take an hour or two of
Mr.. De La Matyr's time 20 correct us. Still
further to eucidate this singularly interesting
case. it may be stated-and We beg the
reader vino honestly desires to untangle the
Turner'S to 20 slow, and refer constantly to
the above explicit avowal of o. Turner and
frank admission Of L. TuTner-that Il. Turner
was a member of the last Congress and o.
Turner is new member. Ii is said that I. Jur-
ner, who is described as of an irascible temper
%. Turner's temper has not yet developed
in a moment of enthusiasm over speech
OF Mr.. Burrows, OF Michigan, pronounced
that gentleman ga damned liar" a news
paper correspondent attributed this robust re-
mark to lir. Turner, OF Kentucky" Hence
the present confusion. o.. Turner being also
"Mr. Turner, of Kentucky,n at once discerned
the possibility that this remark might be at
tributed to him. He had doubtless dis
covered that IL was not considered
quite the thing for new member TO
call one of his associates "a damned
"liarn at his first session. COngreesmen are
not expected to get well enough acquainted
with each other IN one session for that. 1t
would be crowding the Kentucky custom to