The Rock Island Argus., 1883-11-16
TIE DAILY ARGUS.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
[From our Regular Correspond ent,l
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. IA, 1883

roken into the capitol and become
part of the government. The
Ievious paths of a political career will
cad many of them back to the shades OF
tlisagreeable retirement, while others
viii go on until the cravings of ambition
hall be satiated with post office or
oreign mission To the house there will
lhine with good deal of effulgence, the
Ananias of the Pampas, Mr.. Tom Ochii-
Tree, who has recently cut larger figure
in the newspapers than any Texas man
since the days of the redoubtable Sam
Houston In the senate there will be
another Tom, surnamed Bowen, the anti
podes of Che Texan Sinbad in many rings, |
though expertness in the art OF prevarica-
ton may not be one of them. The latter
Tom followed the fortunes and misfor-
tunes of war into Arkansas. where he
lifted his mighty voice in behalf of q
united people and a seat upon the SUI
preme court bench, where he held the
scales of Justice with SO steady hand
that the people of Colorado sent down
for him to come on. and look after their
mining interests. The over issue of some
Arkansas state bonds about the time Tom
left that neighborhood was said to have
been an inducement for his departure; but
Tom says it was lie, and believe it is
true TOMS career in the state that has
sent him to the senate has been attended
with such constant succession of sue
cesses as to enable him to count his
ducats by millions, which he knows how
to utilize better than any man in seven
states, except his 30day predecessor
Tabor.
We shall also have in the senate, in
addition to the financial giants OF past
congresses, Mr. Sabin, of Minnesota, a
two millionaire, who made his money in
booming logs and judiciously performing
his part of the contract to furnish supplies
for the Saltwater penltentiary. He it was
who floored Window, after the best men-
| tai material in the state had been ex
hausted in the contest, though it should
not be said that Mr. Sabin is wanting in
the intellectual requisites of good sena-
tor. He Is clever fellow Withal
companionable and accessible to degree
rarely met among wealthy public men
His colleague, Mcmillan, has few of tht
qualities that go for popularity. and al
Minnesota say that first rate judge wa
spoilt d when they made senator of INN
He was really born judge, acquittins
himself admirably upon the bench in thu
callowness of twenty five, making hi
way to tie supreme court without appa
rent effort. He manifested his sligh
acquaintance with the political method
of those days by turning Joe Wheelocl
out of the ST. Paul postoff1ce and putting
his own brother in law in the place, fo
which he has since been pursued b
Wheelock'S newspaper, the Pioneer Press
Roscoe Conkling comes to Washingto
every now and then, and while here usu
ally falls in with somebody to whom h
talks more or less freely. During his las
visit, not many days ago, it IS stated Una
he made some average remarks ahout I'd
present administration. Among othe
things he is reported as saying that 9TH
administration has passed from a langui
existence into comatose condition. Th
only sign of existence left is feeble bea
ing of the pulse in the department {
JUSTICE Mr. Conkling especially blamt
this administration for not making SON
live issues for the republican party to 6
upon in the next campaign. There
probably only one republican prominel
enough to be nominated who would hay
Conkling's support. This is Grant
There has been great deal of talk abol
Grant lately A number of republican
are looking towards him, believing th
he would be the strongest man they cou
4 name. A republican congressman fro
the west, a great admirer of the presider
3 called upon the latter. recently for Il
. purpose of finding out whether he won
be candidate for reelection. He talkt
with the president two hours, and VIII
asked if he found out whether Mr. Arth
was candidate or not, replied 81 cal
say did. The best / got out of it W
an impression" Well, what was 70
impressioni" MY impression was I'll
the president has not yet made up
mind. He is in hesitating mood.
sees, probably, no advantage
coming out and saying, I wou
like to have the nomination. | thi
he is doubtful about carrying New Yo
without the aid of Mr.. Conkling, and
long as he is doubtful on that point
friends will not get much satisfacti
from him touching his candidacy .Amo
the best informed politicians, howev
there is little doubt that Mr.. Arthur ws
the nomination and that he would like
replace Mr.. Folger in the Treasury
partment with some friend who would
more to aid him with the machinery
that department.
- The candidates for Speaker of the n
House of Representatives are open
headquarters at the prominent hotels |
the contest begins to warm up. {
curious feature is the calm certai
which apparently fills the breast of e
candidate and the large number of votes
has pledged. There are about 100 der
cratic members, but if all the claims
support are allowed there must be at Ii
300, Mr. Randall makes the largest cl
and he is an exceeding shrewd compai
er, but after several quiet talks with G
gressmen from different sections am
clined to think Carlisle stands the
chance of success In the crowd alre
beginning to throng the hotel corrit
may be seen, elbowing their way hetw
excited partisans, the faces and figure
several claimants who have haunted
seat of government for session after
sion in the abiding hope that at some
or other the Golfers will be openet
them and they shall go home satisf
Some of these hopeful claimants ougl
have been satisfied long ago. 0tl
again, ought long ago to have been
manently discouraged. Many who
been paid were not entitled to the IN,
i. they got, and the fact has probably {
= ated to prevent just claimants fror
ceiving the paltry sums for which
have been Intellectually pleading.
most worthy claimants arc not all