Omaha daily bee., 1888-03-27
Blair,s Latest Folly.

II nothing interposes to prevent 1t,
there.will come up in the senate to-day,
for second reading, the bill OF Mr..
Blair providing that in civil service APP
pointmeuts preference shall be given TO
wounded confederate soldiers in all
cases where ex-confederates are APP
pointed. When this bill was introduced
last week it naturally created a pro-
found surprise among senators on both
sides of the senate. Familiar as that
body had become with the singular
caprices of the New Hampshire senator,
here was something that went beyond
anything they could have deemed
possible. Republican senators made
haste to disavow any previous knowledge
OF the measure or any suspicion
that its authors mind was
drifting in that direction. The
democratic senators were equally ignor-
ant. 1t was speedily made apparent
that the extraordinary plan had been
evolved by Mr.. Blair without aid from
any source, and that he had been most
careful not TO suggest to any living man
the surprise he had for the senate and
the country. 1t would seem evident
that the New Hampshire senator laid
the lattering JUNCTION to his soul that he
had at last conceived something whose
generous and benefcent nature would
surely commend it to all men and give
him an assured place among the polit-
ical benefactors Of his time.
But Mr.. Blair very promptly discov-
cred, much to his surprise and chagrin,
doubtless, that he had again "put his
foot in it, /" Senator Hoar bluntly told him
that he did not perceive the real effect
of his own measure. Senator Platt en-
phasized his disapproval of the bill by
the unusual parliamentary proceeding
of objecting to the second reading.
Senator Henderson, while crediting the
measure to the warm sympathy of its
author, announced that he could not
vote for q second reading. Senator
Hawley characterized the bill as "fun-
damentally mistake" There was one
voice heard in it's defense, that of Rid
dleberger. The senators from the
south who spoke on it did so to condemn.
No confederate soldier, they said,
had asked for the bill, and none of them
desired it. The kindly spirit that sug-
gested it they would appreciate, but
confederate soldiers do not ask of the
United States government any peculiar
right or privilege.
The well known obstinacy of Mr..
Blair will undoubtedly lead him to stick
to this measure as long as the senate
will tolerate it, and it is therefore to be
hoped it wild receive final treatment to-
day in the refusal Of the senate to fur
ther entertain it. If this shall involve
a discourpesy to Mr.. Blair with all the
meaning of a rebuke it will be deserv-
edly administered. The generous and
benevolent spirit which southern sena-
tors were pleased to believe prompted
the measure is of no consequence beside
the fact that its character is wholly bad
if not positively vicious. 'The basis
of the obligation as proposed under this
bill,' said Senator Henderson, ''is, SER
vice in the confederacy, is active sup
port and armed aid and comfort
to the war of the rebellion" :"
Said Senator Hawley: IT hold
that it would be crime,
a dishonor to the graves of union SOL
diers, to say that now we will only regard
the question of valor, and that we will
give to those men who were the bravest
in this attempt to destroy the country
the preference in all political honors
and preferments." These opinions suf-
ficiently indicate the Objectionable char
acter of this latest exhibition of Sen
ator Blair's folly, which it is to be hoped
the senate will to-day summarily dis
pose of, it may also be hoped with the
effect of inducing the tedious and
troublesome old man to give his inclina-
tion for wild schemes Of legislation
long and welcome repose.
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