The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-01-02
hlrty Years Of Congress
BY SMITH d. FRY

politicians, he should have said moth
ing. He announced: The tariff is
a local issue.
From ocean to ocean the republi-
can spellbinders began shouting their
derision in unison. With sneers and
jeers they literally laughed the good
soldier, the honest man, the patriotic,
off of the stage of political endeavor.
Moreover. wise and deliberate busi-
ness men imagined that General
Hancock was too ignorant of affairs
for the presidency: and they filed
the republican campaign Golfers with
money with which the campaign was
waged more vigorously and univer-
sally The words of General Han
cock demoralized the democrats, just
Jas, four years later Burchard's words
demoralized the republicans. Upon
such little things, sometimes, do de-
Icisions of great problems hinge.
. This epitome of The year 1880 DEM
,onstrates that it had been great
political epoch. At the close Of the
year while political leaders in Wash
ington were specializing concerning
the probabilities of the near future,
during the silent midnight watches
the elements were mantling Washing
ton in dry white snow. On New
Years day, thirty years ago, the sun
rose struggling through the mists
while the bleak winds whistled and
oil, Y.in ,,I fol
city. From early morn till dewey
eve the sleighbells jingled as they
seldom have opportunity to jingle in
the national capital. Cold indeed it
was; bitterly bitinglys cold.
But the presidents reception was
held at the white house, just the
same. The brilliant coterie CONSTITUTE
ing the diplomatic corps was intro
duced by Secretary of State William
Maxwell Evarts. The supreme court
was led by Chief Justice Waite. The
associate justices were Clifford,
Swayne, Miller, Field, Bradley, Hunt.
Harlan and Woods. Mr.. Justice Har-
Ian alone remains of that great trib-
unal and he is still vigorously en-
gagged in his part of the work of that
court.
Because of the intense cold and
the clustering winds, the cabinet re-
ceptions were SHINY attended The
members of the cabinet were William
NJ. Evarts, secretary of state; John
Sherman, secretary of the treasury
Alexander Ramsey, secretary of war;
Nathan Golf, secretary of the navy;
Horace Maynard, postmaster general
Carl Schurz, secretary of the interior;
Charles Deyens, attorney general.
William A.. Wheeler, as vice presi
dent, was at the head of the senate;
and Samuel j. Randall as speaker of
the house. led the visiting members
of that body.
No sooner had the social season
been opened by the presidents re-
ception than political intriguing be-
gan. Everybody knew that James G.
Blaine was to be secretary of state.
but nobody knew what selections had
been made or would be made for the
other cabinet positions. General
John A. Logan, the greatest of volun-
teer soldiers, was a great factor in
affairs. He had a candidate in Chi
cago for attorney general. Moreover,
he stated to some friends that he had
every reason to believe that his man
would be appointed. Then, in a lit
tie boarding house on Twelfth be-
tween H and | streets. in northwest !
Washington, a helpful friend told the /
great volunteer soldier, little story
which may be thus epitomized:
Former Senator James Harlan. Of !
Iowa, was secretary of the interior
in Lincoln's second administration. |
Senator Harlan's daughter, Mary,
became the wife of Lipcoln's son,
Robert, who resides in Chicago. Sen
ator Harlan has called on General
Garfield, at Mentor, twice during the |
past month. Draw your own con-
Within week General Logan had !
visited Mentor and had urged the
appointment OF Robert It. Lincoln, I
and he was made secretary of war /
in the Garfield administration Sen
ator Logan. rightly claimed the I
credit of having secured the appoint.
ment. There are lots of~little wheels
which the public knows
nothing and suspects nothing.
During the two months intervening
between the first OF January and the
fourth of March, there We're many
strangers in Washington, substan-
tally all Of them looking forward 10
securing their share of the flesh
pots of Egypt, hoping for Office OF
I