Arizona republican., 1899-09-21

so far as concerns the knowledge
gained from books he is no foOl-far
from it-and his ignorance only EN-
phasizes the -extracrdinary energies of
| his character and the force of his per-
sJnality.
Though he has been positician all
! his life, it WIS not until 1871, at the
age of 80, that Blackburn was chCs en-
TO public office That year he was re
turned to the legislature from WCod-
ford county, after defeating Governor
Porter for the democratic nomination.
He went to Frankfort talking, and
nC'le CT his colleagues ever knew him
tc iE5 silert during the session. He
was the best presiding officer in the
house, though he knew nothing about
parliamentary law. When the sessions
CT The day Wers' concluded he held
forth for the better part of the night
at the hotel. where he was always sur
rounded by admirers. Ha~Was tha Lass
man to bsd and the first man to rise.
All l1e 'sinS(hi.s tongue was a-going,
a.adraKe never heard anybody else
s1>LC was in the FCTty-f0urth congress,
the first democratic house since 1857,
thsi congress that began with the de-
bate between Blaine and Ben Hill,
Garfield and Lamar, On Rand3ll's am
resty resolution; the congress that ac-
cused Belknap; the congress that in
Vsstigated Blaine; the congress that
created the electoral commission; the
congress THAT had brains enough,
learning enough, elOquence enough fer
half a dozen common congresses of the
present epoch. Blackburn was mem
Der of the committee On expenditures
in the war department, and u was that
committee th3t unearthed the facts
that resulted IN the impeachment of
the secretary Of war. There were nu-
merCus debates in the house on the
subject, and Blackburn precipitated
hlmsslf into the arena with character
istic impetuosity and recklessness. 4
handsome ana a graceful presence 2
resonant. and sonorous voice. a ready
and bOundless vocabulary, he scorned
any weapon but invect.ve. and then.
as always, invective altogether too
coarse and painfully suggestive OF
'blasphemy. Time was when such
eloquence was rather effect :ve-tfme
wasl
In the second session Blackburn oD-
posed the ELL creating the electoral
com mission. He was Of tbs Noun
talh; ne IVES an irreconcilable. Proc
tor Knctt, a great lawyer. a student. 4
force, and had Randall, the speaker.
adhered to them, they would have been
successful, and something very like
anarchy would have resulted. It is \
curious fact that in this congress
Blackburn, about as inveterate a. Junk
eter as ever sat in either house CT
congress introduced a measure locking
to legislative coEdemnati Cn of Presi-
deht G1aEt S frequent absences from
the seat of government.
In tumultuous body Like the bl-usa
Blackburn had been in his element; (
IN deliberatiVe body like the senate /
he was cipher. For twelve Yeas
he was reelected in 1890-he vegetated
IN mat sleepy cid chamber. To amount /!
10 anything in the senate a man must I
WORK. He may talk without work. but +
your mere talker only amounts TO "a /
tool without a handle" as Balz9c /
would say and did say. Once Joe got
the bstt6r CT ingalls, in scolding /
match. but q yoke CT oxen could not /
nave dragged him to that scratch /
gam, and neither could ingalls, drag
MN TO 1t; and once, SO it is related. he
lifted a brother senator out Of his chair
and tcted him around a committee
'oom by the ear These are the fruits
IF his craftsmanship for twelve years
n the most august deliberative body
IN eaIth. He was fortunate in his
colleagues. however-Beck, Carlisle
IND Lindsay-5I gluttons fer work,
md all knowing how TO work.
And now came the day of tribuIa-
ion. As long as the republicans were
n power al Washington, Blackburn
lad life leass5 On his seat, but when
he democrats elected the president.
friends, WHIP had done 50 i;
much fer him, wanted him u do some
hing fer them. Unfortunately he was
90 cid to learn how 10 play that role.
lie had been petted too Iong-tco much
lad been done for him.
His -97-fcr q third term
n the senate stands alone the most
issra1eful EPISODE in American poll
les. He is ugain a candidate. this
ime for Lindsay's shoes. His eggs
re in G0ebel's basket, and if Goabsl
5 defeated be sure Blackburn will not
e chosen senator next winter. Mr.. !
ioebel is a mighty smart man. and the
martest thing he ever did was when
e attached Joe Blackburn TO his train. =
avoyard. in Kansas City Star, {