Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-18
PULITZER'S RESIGNATION
now THE OFFICE SOUGHT HIM
WHEN HE DIDN'T WANT 1T.


ats Inability TO Get 1t when He n
II and Needed It-A Typical Woman
of sOciety-Nym Crinkle's Pickings
Among the FOOtlights-Notes About
Wall Street.
NEW YORK, April 16.-In the past
week the only surprise in local politics
has been the resignation of Congressman
Toseph Pulitzer. His case aptly illus
trates ickleness Of fortune with political
espirants. Fourteen years ago Mr..
pulitzer had a natural 5enJ for politics.
he and Col. VIM. Grosvenor, of st. Louis,
we're the moving spirits OF the Liberal
National Convention at Cincinnati in
1872. This representative body first
nominated Horace Greeley for President.
40 active were GrosVenor and Pulitzer In
tina manipulation of the Liberal political
wires that the convention was univer-
SALLY dubbed and known as the "Blll and
Ioe Convention" After Greeley's defeat
Mr.. Pulitzer drifted back to st. Louis.
Then he vainIv sought a nomination to
Congress. His friends say that he thought
of M bv day and dreamed OF 1T by night.
Gifted with a COnkling Ike form, a
sonorous voice and q flow of language
coral to that of Carl Schurz, he was APP
DareptIy lust the man to represent the
old Frank Blair district. de went to the
Missouri Legislature and appeared IN a
Constitutional Convention, leaving an
enviable mark in both places, but when
ever he sought an entrance into the Ma
tjonaI Temple the doors were shut In his
face. He had already cut a journalistic
swath as a reporter on the WeSttlcbe Post
and he now began TO double 1t. He went
into journalism like q man grading q
ten acre field of rye. Without money he
bought a newspaper at a sheriff's sale
and swung his scythe with a vigor that
eurprised both his friends and his enc
mics, The grain fell around him In
heaps and was raked and bound with
consummate skill. Yet he was as far
away from Congressional honors as ever.
Making a fortune IN journalism in st.
Iouis he brought his Western sWath to
New York and fitted his blade andswung
his scytne like a mar working by the
lob. All his political aspirations had faded
and he paid strict attention to reaping the
grain of journalism. He had no more
idea of going to Congress than he had Of
going to the moon. Just at that time,
however, the County Democracy and
Tammany were locked in a deadly strug-
gle. Each was trying to knock a prop
from under the other. Thomas j.. Crea-
mer saw a chance to rake all the points of
the political compass. There was a quar-
rel over the Congressional nomination.
Neither faction was willing to cOncede
anything to the other. Dreamer induced
Dne of them as a stroke of policy to nOmi-
nate Pulitzer in the Ninth district, say
ing that the other faction would be forced
to indOrse it. He was right. The nOmi-
nation was Endorsed because the OppOs-
ing faction did not propose to be put in a
hole.
The great Magyar was astonished. The
honor that he had vainly sought for years
had at last sought him. It's attractive
ness was as great as ever, but the cir
cumstances were changed. When he
sought the honor his feet in a business
way were bare. Now that the honor
sought him they were shOdden with lead.
The glamour of the office, however, was
so great that he finally accepted the
nomination and was elected. He paid no
assessments. Although he had resided IN
the city barely two years, he went into
his seat apparently the spontaneous
choice of the people. He did not even re-
side in the district. His election was
simply the offspring OF the fears of local
politicians. He represented a rich but
a hungry district. Hardly was he elected
before a horde of Ofice-seekers were at
his heels. He shook them off, but it was
like shaking off a swarm of mosquitoes.
Not even newspaper smudge would free
him from them. Then there was another
trouble. His business interests impera-
lively demanded his presence in New
York while the interests of his cOnstitu-
ents required him TO be in his seat in the
House. He drove himself both ways with
all the jerky mercy of his nature. Day
was turned ntO nieht and night into day.
He flew from Washington to New York
and from New York to Washington like a
rock pigeon with a mate Il a nest in
both places. He felt like a candle burn
ing at both ends. He could strike no
happy medium and so resigned.
MI. Pulitzer's resignation has set the
newspaper by the ears. They were al
ready selecting candidates for the va
cancy. Under the law, however, the va
eancy cannot be filed until the next
general election. Indeed Mr.. Pulitzer
himself could hardly have been aware Of
this. His resignation leaves his con-
stituents entirely unrepresented for this
session. ZISKA.