The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-05-17
A BOLD STROKE.

NOAy AO" khiL6o 6u4OIB hdC pOSct
bilities could happen which would
create more OF sensation in the pc.
litical world OF America than Was
created on Monday by the resigna-
ton as United States senators of Ros-
coe Conkling and Thomas @. Plat.
The act Was unexpected, and by
others than the gentlemen themselves |
unthought of. No one even dreamed |
that the senators would get out. of |
their dilemma By this route. So sud-
den and unexpected WAS the move
ment, that there il little wonder their |
brother senators vera thundersGruck,
and trainsd politicians made dumb. |
Nobody st frs! seemed to understand |
what was meant, and none could even
predict as to the result; but il is pre-
missed that after the shock had passed |
and people had time to reflect, they |
generally saw in the designations a
master-stToke, such as few men be- |
sides Oonkling weuld be capable Of |
discerning snd working out. The
senator once before made the ''grest-
est effort OF his liie," and he has now
eclipsed it by greater. Il has come
to be custom in this country to refer
to Conkling az proud bird. swelling |
beyond his honest proportions;
naughty. imperiouA, dictstorial and
oVerbesring-a man who demands
too much and lie too quick to detect
and resent fsncied sights. He is |
proud, and maybe dicta.orial, out he
has the right to be, for there is no
republican in America who can
''hold candle to him" in Ltatesmsn-
chip or in the brains ola political
leader. Blaine is his peer in nothing
and Garfield degenerstes into pigmy
by the side of the giant who has held
the great state of New York in his
hand for years, defed and humbled
one Administration, and boldly made
war upon another. He and Garfield
have measured swords, and while the
latter, By reason Of his better position,
has gained the first advantage, it
would be unsafe to even suggeet the
possibility OF final triumph for him.
Garfield is no match for the man
he has assaulted. His Office will
enable him to make a more
vigorous warfare than he could have
dune single-hRnded, but it will also
make the triumph OF the New York
senator the greater.
As this movement is wholly Conk-
lipg's, the step having been taken
without the knowledge of friends or
enemies, no intiniation having been 5
given of it's ultimate object. OF course {
the purpose OF Conkling Can only be :
surmised. 1t is not likely the gentle +
man intends his resignation nc notice I
that he has permanently retired from
the body in which be hes been the &C !;
kno Rledged leader Of bis party. He
is Lot that sort of man. He is not {
the m6u to let another drive him
from the place, and thereby enjoy Z
a victory over his downfall. |
senstor feels that he has been
shsmefnily treated 10y the President, :
who hiss not paid him the oonsidera- c
ton and respect which = party :
leader aud a senator from the EN- !
pire State is entitled to; and he wants {
to impress it upon the mind OF Gar |
field and those who are standing By
the Administration that he resents !
the insult and disrespsUt, and be goes 1
back to bis state for endorsement and :
vindicaiion. II he shall be reelected, I
it will be she voice OF the Empire I
State declaring its disspproysl OF the
Presidents course, and notice that t
he must pay higher regard to the t
men who placed him in the office. !
With New York behind him, Conk- =
ling can wage 8 war upon the '
President that will, by the end OF S
GarGeld's term, shrink that Ohioan !
almost out of sight. That the re. b
signed senators may be reelected S
there should be little doubt, if they so d
desire. The legislature, now in seq !,
sion, recently sent Mr.. Platt to the e
Senate at the dictaliOn OF Conkling. e
It is, as much as such things can be, .,
3 Conkling Legislature. He was in. h
in elsctipg the members, d.
as he WAS in carrying the state for ~ ~
Garfield, and msiority of the re- HI
oublicans owe allegiance to him. The fl
legislature has a republican ma - -
ority on joint ballot OF fifty one, or IA
/ majority which is only four ce
hort of the total democratic "
of both houses. It is vi
rue the assembly has approved by OF
esolution the nomination of Judge IN
Robertson for the New York collec- W
nomination out of which Sc
rev the trouble between tbs senator tn
nd the President; but that approval Ge
Z endorsement was simply . compli- ad
nentary expression towards one OF m
aeir own number, and before 1t was "a "a
uown that he was Objectionable to sis
heir political master. tn
All democrats can chackle while IA
lis fight is going on. Il is contest ~,
ut OF which benefit will certainly
)me to them, as whatever may be the ar
ction oiNeB York in regard to Conk- at
Dg and Platt, the republican Al.
arty in that state is split, and there snI
i'll hereafter during Mr.. GArfeld's SCI
rm, be Administration and anti pa
ADMINISTRATION factions in Congress. bet