The Press., 1883-11-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.


 s.This is not our fight or funeral, but the democrats will make 8 mistake if they do not choose Cox for speaker" said well informed republican politician to your cor respondent. ''He is the best man they have by long odds, and yet there is, no doubt, inclination to give him the go by, for others who are not only less brilliant but are not as safe in a party emergency as Cox is.
 "How do you account for it?,,' I asked
 "Oh, I suppose its the effect of beng too funny that is Cox's misfortune, for, like sll witty men, he suffers from being con- sidered a mere humorist The fact is Cox carries his propensities to outrageous length he turns everything to ridicule. His wit is always brilliant, but in airing ii on every occasion he gets the reputation of being a mere trifer, something of clown, in fact. People do not like to trust such men with their first interests. In all com munities there are solid, quiet sort of men, whom we naturally pick out for our trus- tees,. and chairmen. our treasurers. and bank presidents, and very often get de- ceived, but such men as Cox are handi- capped by their own talents. People are afraid and jealous of them. They shine too much"
 J the best speaker?"
 Because he is their best leader He has been in congress twenty-five years, during the most eventful legislative period os this government His training in this school has made him the best parliamenta- rian in his party he knows the rules thor oughly, and is equal to all emergencies of Legislation. Then he is a brilliant man anyway. He is an alert politician and a master of expedients he is keen hand at averting disaster; but his knowledge of just how to handle his party is his most valuable characteristic, after all. He runs it on the good natured plan. He does not autagonize needlessly. He ridicules his opponents remorselessly :; he picks out the weak point in their armor, and throws his dart with unerring skill. I do not know that all this makes him great man. But his party is not great party. It does not exist by its purity or worth, but because it is old and tough. It is g party of defense and sortie, not of aggressive warfare. Be- lead it. I wonder that the democrats do not see this But their inspiration for blindness and blundering is proverbial
 Finding that the talker had opinions, asked hlm what he thought of Randall
 "A much oyerrated man, he said, in re- ply. Like Cox, ill some respects, politics are means to an end with hlth him. But he is stolid and stupid often stubborn where he should yield; and yielding where he should be firm. He is so leased by the prt sidential bee that he hurries into print to catch the peoples favor on every occa- sion. His intrigues with the public are continuous. And yet he shifts so often that no man knows where he stands. I wonder that the democratic party ever for gave him for his easy compliance with the purposes of the electoral commission. If Tilden has forgotten it and supports him, then the old man has certainly come to his dotage." The speaker continuing, said s'I know these men thoroughly and well, and I think I have their measurements down pretty fine. Now Carlisle is man above his party. He comes from Coving- ton, Ky, across the river from Cincinnati, superb of that city in fact. If he had happened to have lived across the river he would have been an excellent republican to-day. But his locality made him dem- ocrat He is for live issues, progressively active, and because he is ambitious to i'm bue his party with some modern spirit As a man of intellect he Is far above his con- petitors He is popular among those who are for tariff reform, but he is losing ground because of the race issue which has been raised. The democratic party suffers from its hypocrisies it Is always afraid of being found out; it is continually it's sails; month ago Carlisle would have been elected to-day the dem- ocrats are criuing to public opinion. They will abandon aggression under Carlisle, and content themselves with trimming