The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-05-20
.EX"-sENArOR CONKLING.

New 4 Ork, mas beOn IOTwhrucu tuO Wv
crnor of that State. l have the honor To 10,
with great respect, your obedient servant;
ROSCOE CoNKLING.
This was Immediately followed by
a similar communication from Sena-
tor Platt of the same State, and Of
course there was a sensation. 1t DEM
onstrates that Conkling is terribly in
earnest about that Robertson nomin-
alton and is determined to wreak his
vengeance upon the President, even
at the expense of the party ripple that
such a rash move may cause. We are
ready to concede to Senator Conkling
great craftsmanship, but in this in.
stance we see little to commend in his
discretion. He may he power in
New York politics, but in the rash
step he has chosen he shows that per-
sonal spite outweighs party principle.
He and his friends may call it Sena.
torial courtesy. but when even Sem
ator arrogates to himself a party die
tation that smacks Of the autocrat, it
is time to inquire whether it is the
duty of the Senator or the President
to abdicate.
All remember the indifference OF
Conkling after the nomination of
Gen. Hayes, and that he took no part
in the campaign. Again, when Gen.
Garfield received the nomination Mr..
Conkling was slow to enter upon cam
paign work and it WAS the coolest and
most indifferent support that he gave
the cause. His efforts are wanting
only when Conkling's interests are to
be advanced. Everybody comedies
him eminent ability. and every good
Republican deplores the circumstance
that has brought forth this unfortu-
nate result, still the masses see that
the fault mostly lies at his door. He
is continually at war with leading
men in the party and his loyalty to
party seems to end only when his
measures are to be accomplished.
| We are unable to see the particu-
lar harm in recognizing even a minor
! ity element in beStowing party hon.
ors and emoluments. When citi-
zen has been elected to the high Of
flee of the United States Senate, al
though we acknowledge it is the gen.
eral practice to recommend for posi-
tions those who aided in such Sena-
tors promotion, if the President or
some other individual sees that the
! good OF the service or the party III
general will he better subserved by
recognizing the element that opposed
the elevation of such Senator. then
we believe there is no reason tor fault
finding or threats Of bringing about
party defeat or party disintegration.
Too long a reign of the " boss" sys-
TEN is more disastrous to party ten
IRE than fair and to some extent lem
lent and liberal spirit towards the ell
ement that happens to oppose for
personal reasons, but in the main
cause are fighting to accomplish the
same great ends. These are considc
rations that Mr.. Conkling seems to
ignore.
1t is the general impression that
the New York legislature. now in
session. will promptly re-elect the
two ex.Senators, and no doubt had it
not been for the circumstance Of that
body being in session, and the politi.
cal complexion of the same, those let
tiers of resignation would never have
been written. Accompanying the
letters is a very lengthy recapitula-
ton of their grievances, wherein they
recount the reasons that led them to
resign, all simmered down, of course,
means only that they were hopping
mad because the President nomina-
ted Judge Robertson for Collector of
Customs for the port of New York.
and said Robertson voted at the Chi.
cago convention different from Conk.
ling's desire, and in the future may
be reckoned an anti-Conkling man in
whatever pertains to New York poll
ties. The Senator has chosen his
course, let him take the consequen.