New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-07
SPRINGER

The pleasant news comes from Illinois that
the sprightly Springer's reelection is assured
He will be sent to Congress to prance and ges-
ticulate through fifth term. This is glad
news. 1t will send thrill of JOY through the
whole country. 1t Las been said OF Springer
that he is to Congress what the monkey or the
trick mule is to the circus but he has always
seemed to us to have more of the elements OF
that Joy to all childhood, the jumping jack.
He is so jerky, so unexpected, and yet so GER
tain to appear at the top when the proper pro-
pulson is applied. Given a controversy Of
any kind in Congress, and the moment 1T
reaches boiling point the figure OF Springer,
with waving arms and disteDded mouth, APP
pears above it, Like the jumpiDg-jack, he Is
apparently very much in earnest and tremen-
dously energetic, but his motions create moth
ing but amusement among the bchOldcrs.
Springer seems to us, therefore, to mark an
epoch in the history of Congress. There had
been no statesman of his peculiar character IN
Congress previous 10 his entry eight years ago
We had had statesmen of various kinds, who
had filed valuable positions in the legislative
department of government but we had had
none whose chief function there was to am1se
bis associates and the public, and impart to
dreary Congressional routine IA iiayOr OF light
ness and novelty. Springer is a pioneer. lie
NAV have successors. Let us hope he will ;
but at present none but himself can be his
parallel. The patriotic conduct of his cOnsut-
uepts in sending him year after year to fill his
unique position cannot be too highly praised.
1t NAV be that they would prefer to be repre-
sented by a man who would pay some serious
attention to public business and to their inter
ests; but so long as no other district sends
man to carry on the peculiar work Springer
has become identified with, they sacrifice their
local interests to the larger good of the whole
American people, and allow the fun to go on.
This is very handsome of them. We have no
doubt it is apparent to them that Springer was
born for this especial work, else why was he
given so appropriate namef
Like all other leaders, Springer has imita-
tors. We have sometimes thought that the
Hon. S. S. Cox aspired to supplant him. but
he only manifests such a disposition at in
tervals, and does not appear to enjoy the work.
Blackburn has tried it repeatedly, but he makes
the mistake of OVERRIDING it. He gets very mad,
and he never becomes amusing. The only
dangerous rival Springer ever had was the
Bounding Beebe, of this State, but his constitu-
ents, less patriotic than Springer's, cut his
vaultng career short by leaving him at home
Springer is therefore master of his field. He
has one element Of superiority which we doubt
if he will ever be equaled in. That is the
serene enjoyment Of his own capers. He
thinks they are pure and unauthorized states
manship The jeers of Republicans and the
imprecatiOns OF Democrats never for moment
shake his faith in himself He will dance all
over the House of Representatives defy the
Speaker, arraign the clerk. challenge the whole
Republican majority, and after being howled
into submission will emerge from the scrim-
mage as serene as a summers sky, and with the
smile of conscious pride mantling his capacious
check. Happy Springer! Happy Illinois to be
the parent of so rare a statesman! May he
long remain with us to brighten and enliven
the dull monOtOny of Congressional life.