Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-08
AHison's Recollections of Public Men
tsY ARTHUR WALLACE DUNN, IN THE REVIEW REviEws)

other members famous then and since
were Roscoe Conkling, John A. Logan,
george F. Hoar, James A. Garfield,
Robert Schenck, Sunset Cox. Will
lam. d. Kelley, Samuel J. Randall
Proctor Knott, Eugene Hale, >Elihu
Wasfburne, Henry Winter Davis, Geo.
s. Boutwell,, Cakes Ames, Ignatius
Donnelly, Francis P. Blair, George II.
Pendleton, John A. Kasson, BENJAMIN
r. Butler, Rutherford B. Hayes and
others o. lesser note. Many Of those
members Senator Allison afterwari
met as colleagues in the senate. Two
OF them he saw elevated to the White
House, and several have served as
cablnet officers or on foreign mis-.
s1ons.
"Thad Stevens was the master"
said Senator Allison. "He was the
absolute ruler of the house. His
strong personality and ability gave
MIN the command. In those days the
ways and means committee handled
.he appropriations. During my serv-
ice IN the house the committee was
divided, the appropriations committee
oelng created. Stevens went with the
appropriations committee and
Schenck became chairman of WAYS
and means. but Stevens continued as
leader. His power was not diminish.
ed IN the least, and while he remain
ed In the house he was master.
stevens did not hesitate to use
strong measures to accomplish his
purposes, and often keen wit served
MS turn as veil as argument. I re-
member one day when the Indian ap-
preparation bill was under considera-
ton and Maynard of Tennessee op-
posed provision in it which was sup.
ported by Stevens. Maynard wore
long hair, and as he was dark, he look
cd something like an Indian. In fact
1T was said he had Indian blood in his
veins. He spoke earnestly and vigor-
ously against the provision in the bill
10 which he was opposed, closing with
quite long Latin quotation. Stevens
replied by saying that so far as the
gentleman spoke in English I cannot
agree with him and I am not familiar
with his Choctaw, and therefore can
not indorse it. There was a hearty
laugh at Maynard's expense, and his
motion was promptly voted down.
Next to Stevens Schenck was the
strongest man in the house. He was
strong partisan and supported the
drastic policy of Stevens against the
Johnson administration.
My own personal relations with
President Johnson were the best.
though not very extensive. In those
days congress was constantly at war
with the president and deprived him
OF power wherever it was possible t ;.
do so.
"Ellhu Washburne was a forceful
man. He assayed the role of defend
er and sponsor for General Grant
while Grant was in command of the
army. and afterward when he became
president. Washburne rather claimed
the credit of discovering Grant, and
was his most faithful friend in the
house. He was also a great stickler
for economy and carefully scrutihized
the appropriation bills.
Garfield and Hayes were both in
the house while was member. Gar
field was always commanding figure
and man of considerable promin-
ence, but did not reach the stage OF
leadership while | was in the house.
In the '70s he came to the front. AS
the old leaders, of war time and re-
construction days passed away, a doz-
en- men came forward and among
them were Blaine, Garfield, Hoar,
Kelley and Kasson on the Republican
side, and Morrison, Julian, Holman
and voorhees, on the Democratic side.
The days Of the brigadiers' in the
house were after my time. Thoy
came when the Democrats Of the
southern states regained control and
naturally. prominent men of the con-
federacy were sent to congress.
"Mr. Hayes was always regarded as
a solid, substantial man in the house,
but never took the rank of leadec.
No one ever suspected that he had
the making of a president in him
when he was in the house. In fact,
no one ever considered Garfield pos
sibility in those days. | think both
can be considered typical dark
horses of which so much is said
about the time national convention
Is about to assemble"
The Electoral Commissions: Hayes
TiIden Dispute.
The Hayes-Tilden contest for the
presidency was one Of the most ex-
citing periods in the history of the
country, ranking next to the civil war.
In fact, civil war was narrowly avert
ed. Senator Allison, though compare
lively new member of the senate,
took an active part in that celebrated
case. AS it afterward proved, his
own political fortunes were linked
with the contest and. had Tilden been
seated, it is altogether probable that
Allison's senatorial career would haze
been cut short with one term
When the dispute over the election
became acute McCrary of Iowa intro.
duced a resolution looking to a set
Element of the controversy. Out of
! this resolution grew the electoral com,
mission. But it was with many mis-,
givings that certain Republicans cou
scented to the commission The mat
! ter was in dispute many days between
the two houses. Senator Allison sup
ported McCrary in his movement foI
| the commission. McCrary was Q
member of the conference COMMITTEES
between the two houses, and fire