The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-06-22
HUMORS OF
POLITICS
An Ex-senator Writes
Entertaining|y.
J, ]. INGALLS, THE SCRIBE
Anecdotes of Sumner, Conkling, Da-
Wis, Evarts and Edmunds Of
the Old Guard.

WASHINGTON, June 1o.-Charles Sum
ner had no more sense of humor than a
hippopotamus, but there was something
excessively humorous about his colossal
self-consciousness of which it is no para
dox to say he was apparently uncon-
scious.
His egotism was inordinately vast
though innocent in its simpiiciiy. 1t was
lar from conceit and led to no dispar-
agement of his associates. Indeed
doubt II he ever instituted comparisons
Probably Grant, whom he hated and
abused, came the nearest TO sizing him
up when he said: The reason Summer
doesn't believe in the Bible is because he
didn't write it himselfr'
He had large Intellectual powers, but
not so large as he imagined. lie had no
inhuence on legislation. lie was unable
to endure opposition. If he could not
have ms own VIII lie woulu 90 moth ng
But this Is not intended as an anaiysIs
OF his work or his character. l started
out to say that soon a1,er i enlereu the
Senate we were riulng up the avenue in
a street car, ana by way or ,oaversa-
ton he asked me about my predecessor,
accident politically. He spoke of his
early fidelity TO the cause OF freedom.
aid the unusual degree 10 which he held
the confidence of his associates lili the
impeachment of Andrew Johnson
Indeed, he continued WITH great grav-
ity. had he died befCre that tine Kan
sas would have owed h4m a monument,
and should myself have pronounced
his eulogy!'
kos coe Condlns's Power.
The self-consciousness of Roscoe Conk-
ing was quite as egtSg Gus that Of
Mr.. Sumner. but his egotism vas unged
.nc
contempt and disdain. He was a past
master In the gentle art of making enc
Of derson and haired IN
nave had him in mind when, III his solil-
..ssss' az ilG.s.oheu, ano.;;s otner things
! proud mans contumely" The hinges of
| none of the thrift that follows fawning.
When first knew him he was The me-
rloian of his great powers. he possessed
an extraordinary assembiage of physical
ana IN inteiieetual attributes tnat made MIN
| oy lar the most prominent, picturesque
and impressive hgure ! public life.
| His presence was noble anu command
| ing; his voice ana elocution were superb:
| his bearing and address somewhat too
| formal, Lut marked oy u.gn.ty grace.
Ills vocabulary was rich ana ornamental,
grotesque, but fert4lzed With opposite
quotations, and al-us-ons that showed
vide reaolng, especially in poetry, ro-
nance and the drama. Some hostile critic
deserted one OF his speeches ''pur-
pie earthquake of oratory." But he was
Mad he eIa grsater 9n sxbls Of
| temper, been less inexCrable in his ami
mos ties, and learned how to forget
height he might not have reached, even
the highest in the peoples gIt. But he
would not f1atter Neptune for his trident,
nor J9ve love for his power to .hunaer
| follows great wars, era of profi.gacy,
of sudden wealth at the price OIL honor. of
far>n ,.ot.t ID
ne was not contaminated. He walked
through the furnace with no smell of fire
upon his garments.
| Toward the end of his career in the
Senate he fell out with the newspapers.
and sometimes, when he arose to speak.
every reporter in the press gallery cos
| ing his notebook, the whole crowd would
rush noislly out into the lobby, leaving
every seat without an occupant.
He flushed at the insult, but speaking
of Journalism afterward he was moved
TO remark in his prop tiatory way that
the only people In the world authorized to
use the nrst person., plural We. in
and men with tapewCrms!"
His allusion to Governor Cornell as
that lizard on the hill,' and to President
Arthur, after his refusal abdicate IN
favor of Mr.. Conkling, as the prze OK In
american an I, politics aad his rsfussi s ,s1, to
on the ground that he was no. engaged
| in criminal practice, are well-known IL
| lustrations OF his methods of compelling
| his political assoc ates to be either his
Vassals or his enemies.
But Jove did not always sit on Olympus.
| Sometimes he descended to the plain,
| though never quite on terms of absolute
equality with mankind. He was inclined
to Jolly those whom he old 10. feel
| disposed to bully.
! When Thurman once asked him in
debate on some legal propos tion why he
kept looking at him all the time. Conk-
| ling replied with elaborate rallery that
he turned to him as the source and foun-
| tain of the common law as, at the call
of the Muezzin. the MussuIman turned
| to Mecca.
1t seems incredible that parsonage of
such vast and unusual powers, who Tor
twenty years wasa most prom nent actor
| in the great drama of public affairs. wno
filled so large a space in the thought or
the people, who was carlcatureu, lam
pooned, praised and rev.led without stunt
or measure, should have faded SO abso-
lutely from the memory of men, Even
to those of his contemporaries who sur
| vive he has already become gorgeous
Renaissance.
! Patriotic, arrayed always for truth,
| right and justice, his name Is identified
with no great measure, ana his life seems
no; so much an actual battle with hostile
| powers as a splendid scene upon the
| stage of which the swords are ath. the
armor tinsel. the bastions and ramparts
| painted screens. the wounds and blood
| fictitious: on which victories and defeats
| are feigned. wi h sheet-iron thunder, and
| tempests of peas and lycopodium-ald the
| curtain falling 10 slow muse while the
audience applauds and departs
Judge Davis Inertia.
Another favor.te butt for his chaff,
| banter and ridicule was Judge David