New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-27

Il VETERAN JOURNALIST.

WHY MAJOR BEN: PERLEY POORE HAS NOT WRIT
TEN SENATOR ANTHoNY's LIFE.
| Major Ben PerIcy Poore. the Washington
correspondent came to New-YOrk to spend tho hoi-
days and TO attend q reunion OF old friends in Brook
Ign. II il than forty years since Major Poore
began his in Washington the representative
OF The Boston Atlas" and believe. he has never
missed since In speaking OF his career the
other day. he remarked that he had never owned a
dollars worth of any kind Of stocks, and
was no richer to-day than when he wrote
his first newspaper article, except that
be had few moro books and pictures and
treasures OF that kind that contribute to the
of an apprcciatve owner but not likely greatly to
swell the cash value OF hts estate Major Poore seems
to have renewed his youth during the last three or
tour years. He weighs more pounds. but there is a
renewed lustre in his eye and glow OF healthy color
on his cheek to which they we're formerly strangers.
Four past commanders OF the Ancient and Honorable
Artillery OF Boston. have joined the great majority
during the past year. and as Major Poore remarked.
his name stands high up upon the list oil those
survivors who have received the highest hopors OF that
famous military organization but shouldn't be sur
prised If he were welcomed many years yet by the
veterans at their annual reunions.
never understood, until Major Poore told me the
other day, why he did not write life OF Senator An
was Anthonys most intimate friend. he was clerk
of his committee during large part OF the time opened
his private as we'll his public mall wrote his letters
for him. and knew him better than any one else could
have known him. | had also understood that Mr.
Anthony had requested the Major TO write his lite
After tho Senator's death PoOre took his papers to
Indian Hill and began the work. But Mr.. Anthonys
friends in Providence, who have shown Jealousy OF
his friends elsewhere that narrow and provincial
classes OF Rhode Island people are in many
other respects threw out repeated hints that Major
Poore was man of sufficient dignity aud weight
to perform the task. The MAJOR stood 1t as long as
he could and then bundled the papers up and sent
them to Il dead Senator's legal representatives,. NO
biography OF Anthony has ever appeared but hear
that minister i'll Providence Is engaged upon the
work. SO
suppose that the resignation OF Senator'S Conkling
and Patt. in 1881 brought keener disappointment TO
Senator Anthony than TO any other puOl 0 ma. IN
Washington but he bore it silence. and believe no
mention OF it ever got INTO the newspapers W hen
henry Wilson elected Vice President OF the United
States for General Grants second term, Mr.. Anthony
supposed that he TO be chosen President pro TEN
OF the Senate But Dir. Wilson had the Presidential
bee in bis oonnet and thought that. by securing the
election oil Mr. Ferry, OF Michigan, 10 the place.
Western and an active temperance advocate, he
might DO laying the foundations tor ticket four years
after, OF winch be himself would be the head AS IL
turned out, Wilson died in Office, and Ferry haf the
honor of presiding at the memorable count of the
electoral votes when Hayes was declared President.
president OF the Senate IN tno absence sreei-
uent Wheeler, but when tue senate me: IN extra
session after President Garteld's Inauguration, she
Republicans. who were IN mJoriy, met IN caucus
and determined TO make Mr. Anthony the presiding
ot1cer 1t beng understood that General Arthur,
following the example OF earlier Vice. Presidents
should, as a rule, absent himself from the Senate But
between the time when the caucus was held and the
time set for the election OF President pro tem Mr.
ConKllug and Mr.. Pratt suddenly and without warn
in their colea cues, esi9ned deprving the kepub
licans their majority aud IN 6ng it impossible for
them elect their candidate Tor presiding orcer Mr..
Conklins's sacrifice of Senator Anthony on this
occasion was cruel in the extreme. he latter vas
not a great man. but he we'd the Republican party
faithfully and had sustained Mr.. Con KING ali his
controyerses HIS ambition modest one, under
the circumstances and Mr. Conkling. after he had
determined upon his mad experiment, might have
allo we'd the election ii the Senate 10 take place.
z. L. W.