Evening star., 1931-05-17
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

collector Of the port Of New York. made
Smoothing Roscoe gstf,e1s oy freSident at
COnkling's Feathers. ,i,,, the ;. begin in.
administration, so years ago, caused se-
riots ructions In the Senate, and led
eventually to the resignation of Sena-
tors Conkling and Plat. The Republi-
can Senators held caucuses in an effort
out giving gtieyous affront to Senator
Conkling, the Presidents chief antaeo-
mist and critic. The Star of May ii,
1881, says:
The adjourned Republican caucus was
in session several hours YESTERDAY. Some
time was consumed in talking over the
publication of the caucus proceedings of
the day before and inquiring how the
facts got out. Some Eenators-Mr. Ed
fnundS, for instance-prutested against
letting out the faintest idea of caucus
action. 1t was suggested that perhaps
some news hunter had listened at the
keyholes and had overheard what took
place.
The Burnside resolution to rescind
the rule of the former caucus under
winch nomination would be laid over
until the next session created the in
tereSt OF the day. 1t was opposed by
the Conkling Senators and supported by
the administrat friends. After con-
siderable discussion, and when a vote
was about TO be taken, it was urged on
behalf of Mr. Conkling's side Of the
question that q final decision be post
poned; that the issue dividing Hepubli-
can Senators in two factions be not
forced at once. There was expressed
and manifested in the caucus q aef1ePsl
desire for peace within the party. SEN
ators who declared themselves for Rob-
ertSon spoke of their regard for Mr..
Conknng, and the general sentiment
was that while it Is necessary to con-
frm the Presidents nominations. the
New York Senator shall not, If it can
De prevented, have cause to feel that
he Is crushed or defeated by the adfiiin-
istration Senators. In other words. it ia
considered not only party policy but
that 1t Is due TO Mr.. Conkling to let
him down as easily as possibIe to make
any concessions that would not operate
against action on the Robertson case
and to say nothing and do nothing cal
ctllated further to irritate Mr.. C0nk1ine.
Senator Ferry was occupying q chair
in the barber shop, his face covered with
lather and partly shaved. A messenger
rushed into the shop with q message
that @ vote was being taken and Mr..
The Senator had the lather hurriedly
washed from his face and fastened to
the room, only to find that the vote had
been STAYED of.
Another reason, outside Of the desire
to accommodate Conkling and smooth
down his ruffled temper-if that be pos
sible-wh1ch led to poStponement of
the vote lies in the fact that some Sena-
tors still hope that the President may
be prevailed upon to make some sort
OF concession that will avoid q square
fight over the Robertson case
Although the exact nature of the
agency for the spread Of malaria was
No Need to Move years yea .o"n aso' It wsS as
the White House. fbe aee0gnlzeo s g u sfaas !
fats had certainly something to do with
this pestllenee, which made washington
unhealthy during the Summer season.
The Star was urgent Id its advocacy OF
the draining OF the swamp or itS filling
as measure Of public health. In the
issue Of May II, 1881, Is the following:
1T Is the almost Unanimous voice Of
the newspapers Of the country that q
new residence for the President should
D6 UUuC Oh u more eligible SlGe, USyUu0
the influence Of the rivef@bred malaria,
or that the fats In the Potomac River
should be removed. Manifestly the lat
ter Is the proper and In the end the
economical thing TO do. The removal
Of the Presidents house would undoubt-
edly afford o remedy, SO far as its own
occupant is concerned, but how e that
measure going TO benefit Senators and
Representatives and the thousands of
other Government employees and their
families required to live here and whose
residences cannot be removed? The
thing to do, therefore, Is to remove the
cause Of the trouble. washington Is not
an unhealthy city naturally, and the
fats, which are the hotbeds of malaria,
are not the voluntary work of nature.
Both have been made what they are by
The action of Congress lin building the
Long Bridge In the fikst place. and by
Its neglect in the second place In not
providing for the removal Of the OBJ
structions thus caused. Its the duty
Of that body r undo its o work If It