Evening journal., 1913-05-12
tn. Auoc;.s;on al
MONDAY. MAY. IL. 1913.
BENSON AND HIS AIIMENT.

co far as can be ascertaned Samuel H. Benson Jr.
- Republican President Of City Council has done
nothing which indicates purpose to recede from his
indeensibe policy Of preventing the election by City
Council OF Melvin r. Charles Republican caucus nom
inee for Building Inspector and Representative Charles
II. Grantland Republican caucus nominee for MIX In
spector Disregarding the fact that he invited par
ucipated in presided and, at the time confirmed
the action OF that Republican caucus disappointment
because he failed to elect his own candidate
Tor building Inspector, prompts him 20 create a dead
lock He does it on the of the party primary and
an important city election and parades before the COM
muniy as man who is lost to all Of gratitude
TO party that demeaned itself when It exalted him
TO such an honorable position that which he now
holds, but which. happily he soon will rehnqush
An exaggerated ego may mpel President Benson to
think that he has become big with an over
stock OF political independence. We think the public
conception of him is that he is a little man who po-
lucaly speaking, s in the last stages Of crania Gle
phantiass We would remind President Benson that
such affection of the head never has been a pop
ular disease in this community; nor has the VIII
mington public ever mistaken it for either gray mat
ter or independence Of thought and action It's symp-
toms clearly apparent that the people never
make mistake in their diagnosis, and seldom in their
prognosis Statistics also go to show thai cranial
elephantasis has blghted public careers than
any other one disease which ainots men created by
allied by unlooked-for and unlind force Of circum-
stance, to high official place
lf President Benson had refused to enter the Coun-
cilmanc caucus following ante-electon pledge to
be bound by action. it would have been bad
enough. but not so bad the course he is pursuing
Anticipating fully that he would control the caucus at
which Mr. Charles and Representative Grantand we're
nominated he entered &C. When he was asked to pre-
side he took the chair When finally. the vote showed
that majority OF the Republican Councilmen would
not accept his candidate for Building Inspector but
preferred Mr. Charles President Benson did what he
could 20 conceal his chagrin and performed in manly
way the function OF declaring Mr Charles to he the
caucus nominee Tie pursued the same course
with respect to Representative Grautlsnd the caucus
nominee for Milk Inspector. There was no intmaton
whatever at that time that he would refuse TO abide
by the action or to vote 10 confirm il in the
Council chamber n he had any such thought at the
time he concealed H. Not until later did he let II bo
known that he had the deciding and held tho
balance Of power, he had concluded to dead
lock the situation and prevent the election Of Mr..
Charles His Republican colleagues urged him. for his
own sake for the sake of the party to pursue
such but he persisted in doing II without
advancing sensible reason for objectng to Mr..
Charles to his political regularity good character
competency 10 discharge the duties of the Office.
And TO make his position worse, he extended his
deadlock TO make it apply to Representative
Grantland to whose candidacy, he had voiced no OBJ
lection. in out of
President Benson's conduct is unnatural and his
position untenable He should recognize that fact
cease acting like a petulant child and pursue the
course Of manly