Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-06-09
THURSDAY, JUNE 9. 1881.
Conklfng's Market Value.

Roscoe COnKlIng mas been the cause
of so much irritation in the Republi-
can party during the last few years
that it may not be amiss to try and
get his real merits as a statesman and
as a Republican member Of the United
States Senate. lie has made, and is
now making, more fuss than any
other ten members of the Republican
party, and if we cannot find out on
what sort of meat this our Caesar has
been feeding, that he has grown so
great, we can at least determine the
market value Of the man. He has
been in public life as a member of
Congress about twenty years serving
first in the House and then in the
Senate-his term Of service covering
the most important epoch in American
history, beginning before the great
shareholders rebellion and involving
all the great questions Of finance, sus-
pension Of specie payments, the is:u-
ing of greenbacks, the reconstruction
acts of Congress, the readmission of
the seeded States, the foreign and
domestic policy Of the nation, the re-
sumption of specie payments, and all
other contemporaneous questions.
lie was also a member Of the Senate
when the great contest arose between
Mr.. Hayes and Mr. Tilden as the rep
resentatives of the two great political
parties of the country, when that
extraordinary council known as the
electoral Commission was called into
being to decide upon the claims Of
each to the Presidency Of the United
States. Ills opportunities have been
very great to link his name with I'M
portant measures Of public concern
that would have carried it into history
for all time if those opportunities had
been improved His friends and ad-
mirers accord to him great abilities
and fine scholastic attainments, that
place him in their estimation, among
the most distinguished statesmen of
this or any other country; but if he
is to be Judged by what he has accom-
plishcd for anybody excepr himself,
he will be found to be a pretender, an
insufferable egotist, an overbarcing
and dctatoral boss, who has never
originated a single measure Of impor-
lance to the whole country, and whose
services in peace and in war in the
councils of the nation have never ris-
en- above the low water mark Of medi-
ocrity This is the test that history
will apply to Roscoe Conkling, and
the verdict of posterity will be that he
has been an ignominous failure and
fraud from first to last If his deserts
are put in the balance with his preten-
sions. The statute books of the Unit
ed States bear the imprint of the gen
JUS and craftsmanship Of such men as
Charles Sumner, Salmon 2 Chase,
Oliver p Morton, John Sherman and
other contemporaries of Mr.. Conkling,
who have devised and perfected great
schemes for the benefit of the whole
people, while that Senator has been
busy with his elaborate toilet, or en-
grorsed with the DISTRIBUTE on of the
Federal patronage in the state of New
York.
Mr. Conkling is repoted to be an
excellent lawyer and capable Of doing
his country some permanent good on
Judiciary Committee Of the Senate,
of which he has always been a mem
Der. But what bill has he reported,
or what has he done to impress his
genius unon our jurisprudence? Let
his friends speak Let them point to
some valuable service that he has rem
dercd Mr.. Conkling is called a
great orator. To what use has he put
his oratorical abilities for the benefit
of his country, or even of his party,
when his own advancement was not in
volyed? lie made one speech in the
campaign Of 1876. which did more
hurt than good, and after that he
sulked in his tent until it was all over
and the victory won He made some
good speeches in the last campaign.
for which he should have credit al
though he never will agree tina. hc
can be compensated therefor, } but he
studiously insulted our candidate fol
the Presidency by refusing or neglect
ing to speak Of hitn as he deserved anJ
as his great merits justified him II
doing When he insulted Mr.. Gar
field, he insulted the party whose can.
didate he was. He has not ceased t.
insult him since, by word and deed
whenever the opportunity offered ant
it is high time that his imperious anC
overbearing conduct was properly re
sented by the whole American PEG
pie,
For many years the country ha.
heard that Nr, Conkling was about +,