The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-07-20

WHO L. tx. NJ. C.n2

A very remarkable article appeared in
the North American Rerie1g for July signed
tx. NJ. c." The article was remarkable
for its general style and for the eaustic
vein IN which the course of Speaker Reed
was reviewed. The intimate acquaintance
the writer possessed of parliamentary law
in general and the rules of the House in
particular led most of the Eastern papers
to the conclusion that "X! NJ. c." was the
pen name of James G. Blaine. The Demo-
cratic papers took kindly to this conclusion.
Ii Mr.. Blaine was the writer of the North
american Rerielg article he had placed
himself i'll antagonism to the policy the Re
publican party has pursued in Congress.
In such antagonism there was much hope
for the Democratic party. The next Presi-
dental election is not far off, and with the
Republican leaders at war upon each other
the Democratic outlook would he much i'm
proved. The New York Sun IS almost the
only Democratic paper that does not accept
the general assumption that Mr.. Blaine
was the writer But the Sun, after admit
ting the astonishing familiarity of the
writer not only with the practice and pre-
cedent in the American Congress but also
with the history and philosophy of parlia-
mentary law, says:
But MI Blaine did not write the article.
Those who think they detect his methods of ar
gument and literary pecnliarities in The essay OF
- Y. NJ C." are curiously mistaken. They pay a
very poor compliment TO Mr.. Blaine's powers of
selfrestraiDt and political magnanimiiy when
they attribute the paper TO him. They also dis
play singular lack Of literary perception when
they discover in its periods the distinguishing
traits of Mr.. Baine's style. The style is not his
the Wit Is not his; the Characteristic turns OF e&
preston and habits OF phraseolOgy are not his.
The wonderful familiarity with the business OF
Congress and The history of lie rules might be
his. but it Isn't his. Mr.. Blaine Is not " y. NJ.
c." and we do not think hat any competent
judge of style who reads the article carefully
and without 4 preconcelyed nollon as to its
authorship VIII find any good reason for at
tributing 1t to him.
Who is the anonymous critic OF Speaker Reed
rules and rulings? From Internal evidence only,
We should say that the Speakers reply should be
addressed not TO tie State Department, but to a
distinguish ed Republican philosopher and jour
nalst who halls from a city about 5000 miles
from Augusta Me, who has never sat In the
Speakers chair. whose parliamentary knowl-
edge was gained by a dozen years experience at
the other end OF the Capitol, and who has always
been about as friendly 10 Brother Blaine as
Blaine is supposed TO be to the Hon. Thomas
Bracket Reed.
The Sun evidently points to George G..
Gorham. Although Mr.. Gorham has not
been resident of San Francisco for a
number of years, lie is still spoken OF as a
Californian. He has the literary ability to
write the article in question, and unless his
sentiments toward Mr.. Blaine have under
gone change within a few years, he fully
answers the Suns description in that re-
speet. Much less Importance will be at
taehed to the Reuielo article as the work of
Mr.. Gorham than as the work of Mr..
Blaine, since Mr. Gorham has OF late years
been a free lance in politics.