Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-04-10
SPRINGFIELD LETTER.
The Legislature Taking Things
Easy.
A Gentle Hint at same Necessary
Legislation and Early Adjourn
ment-Senator Palmer's
Personality

is not princely, to be sure, but the work
is not onerous. When the preacher was
asked one time how much he received
for his services. he answered, "a dollar q
sermon" That's blanked poor pay"
was the reply. Yes, but its blanked
poor preaching" was the rejoinder.
There has been much unreasonable COM
ment though, made upon the lack of pub
lie business performed unreasonable
because there has been q combination of
circumstances to prevent 1t being carried
on faster. The senatorial election was
one cause of delay, and if the truth must
be told, the republican managers wouldn't
have cared q straw if legislation had
failed altogether, provided they had
elected senator. Still there are many
democrats here who openly declare their
wish that the legislature should get down
to work. The pay of So day is not
sufficient inducemeut to keep them here
indefinitely. Another obstruction was
the necessary adjournment after the SEN
atorisl contest, as everybody was tired
out, mentally and physically. The num-
Der that were actually sick was large.
some of them critically so. And then
the democratic mind was so full of rati
ication and jubila,ion that staid business
was for the moment forgotten. and the
republican mind was so wearied and
deadened by the shouts of victory, that
they. too, were in no state for compre>
hensive or intelligent work. Succeeding
on these drawbacks came the elections,
and everybody went home to vote and
work for his favcri,e candidates. But
hat har
into history, it is hoped that work shall
be begun in earnest, and still at the ses.
sion today large number were absent
and but little was done, sn adjournment
taking place for the day at about IL
O'Clock. OF course. the work in commit.
tees engages the greater portion of the
time. so that discussion in committee of
the whole is largely dispensed with.
Nothing definite has as yet been
heard about the date of adjourn
ment. Should it occur at
an early day much of the proposed legis-
lation in shape of bills will be left undone
and perhaps. except in some instances. it
would be just as well, if not better.
There is such multiplicity of bills up
on all subjects as TO be almost bewilder-
ing. Different members. too, are offer
ing bills upon the same subject, the only
difference being in the matter of form.
The state could manage to get along COM
fortably for the next two years with the
number of laws already on the statute
books, and if the wise men here would
give the worlds fair legislation the neces-
sary attention, PISS an appropriation bill
and look after some other matters that
cannot very well be delayed and adjourn
without day. no one would murmur to
anv perceptible extent.
The people who never met Gen. Pal
mel would be surprised upon first &C
ousintance. He is simplicity itself. He
dresses in the plainest and most substan-
tial way and rarely wears a necktie, his
full chin beard doing away with such
necessity. The humblest citizen in the
state can stop him on the street and en-
gage him in conversation, if be has any,
thing 10 say. He shakes hands with ev-
eryone he knows. providing he hasn't
seen them for a little time. His language
is of the simplest and most direct charac.
ter. No one could fail to understand its
meaning, no matter what the subject. He
pays no heed 20 the ordinary conventional
ways. not that he does that for effect, as
some are apt TO do, TO attract attention,
but because he has no mind for such
matters. He may be self conscious; if
so. he can hide it with wonderful clever
ness, as no one has ever accused him of
such a weakness. He is affability and
kindness itself and one leaves his pres
ence feeling assured that he has been talk
ing or listening TO sfrank, honest, earnest
man The clever trickster fears him, the
simple and unlettered speak of him with
the highest praise. Of late years he is
not given so much to forensic efforts be-
fore jury, in his practice of the law, but
appears at his best when calmly and log
ically arguing point of law TO the court.
When Judge Gresham was here q short
time ago and sat on the bench with the
district Judge who holds court here
usually. Palmer was before them upon
some question of law. His language was
sim pie. fcrcible, direct and logical aud
Judge Gresham leaned over his desk and
closely peered into the face of the
speaker, listening atteatively to every
word. The only questions spoken from
the bench were those asking for the
authorities. In the hearts of the people
here Palmer is revered. although republi-
can newspapers aud politicians say things
of him thst they do not believe. And the
object CT this abuse moves on in the even
tenor of his way, talking with you as
cordially as If be did not know that two
hours before you were flsying him alive
Dash him. ir's his simple. good-natured
ways that plays the deuce with u.s." is tie
substance OF an expression often used By
his political opponents. When news
came this afternoon that Cregier was
besten ia Chicago. shade passed across
his fsce and he murmured his disap-
pointmeut.
Representative Vinion returned TODAY
and was in his seat in the house He has
fully recovered and is prepared for any
smounI of work.
The election of republican mayor in
this citF is no indication of chsnge ot
political feeling. The democrat was
beaten on 8 combustion of local circum-
stances. T. J. d.