The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-07-14
CONGRESS AND CoNGREssMEN.

CONGRESS AND CONGRESSME
THE MEMBERS DECLINING A REFLECTION
THE CAUSES OF THIS DEFECTIoN-THE PER |
VERIED METHODS OF CONGRESSIONAL Leg !
IsLATIoN-PARTY APPOINTMENT AND ITS
sERvILITY.
The New York Times has an editorial on
the above subject which is entitled to a
thoughtful consideration: There has been
an unusual number OF Withdrawals from
congressional life announced this summer.
Mr.. Dawes, of Massachusetts,, the leader of
the House so far as the House can be
said To have leader, end a mem-il
Der for eighteen years, declines renomi-
nation. Mr.. George T. Hoar, very talented
man. and one who has taken special
interest in class of social questions that is
quite likely to engage much more attention
in the future than il has had heretofore also
declines to return. His brother, Mr.. f.
lockwood Hoar, man OF unusual illness
tor the trying duties Of legislative life under
existing conditions. refuses reelection.
Mr.. Freeman Clarke, OF our own state,
and Mr.. Philetus Sawyer, of Wisconsin,
both extremely useful, are reported to be
about to retire to private life. Nor have we
seen any announcement OF the introduction
to congress of equally good representatives
to take the place of those who going.
The retiring OF so many experienced and
able men from congress suggests the ques-
ton whether mem bership of that body is as
attractive as il should be to those who are
best qualified to discharge its duties. No
one who approaches this question with fair
ness can deny that there are some features
of the method of doing business in con-
gress calculated to make congressional ca
reer
EXCEEDINGLY DIsrAsTEFUL.
One Of these is the extent to which parlia-
mentary usage-a system devised to ficili-
tate the fair and efficient transaction of bust
ness-is perverted to selfish purposes. Some
of our readers will remember the disgraceful
trick by which the Geneva award bill was
passed through the Senate with one OF It's
most important provisions entirely op-
posed TO the views of the Senate
as expressed in committee of the
whole. This was effected by taking advan-
tage of the absence of good many senators,
at late hour, 10 force vote, and refusing
control of the measure to those who, b sing
in the majority, were clearly entitled to it.
Others will recall the ease with which Mr. 4.
Butler. of Massachusetts,, has several times
managed to get before the country. as from
the judiciary committee, reports which that
committee had never authorized, and TO
VIII :ch 1t had been directly opposed. Numer-
Gus instances of resort TO this treacherous
and unseemly use OF parliamentary tactics
occurred during the late session, but those
to which we have referred are sufficient to
indicate one OF the repulsive features of con-
gresSional life. Upright and honorable men
enter with some reiuctancs OF struggle in
which chicanery can so often defeat their best
efforts. Another fact which uuquesliona0ly
renders congress less attractive TO our best
men is the peculiar arrangement of the times
of election, which, to some extent, makes it
difficult to obtain from the people
DIRECT VERDICT
on q representatives. course. For instance,
the mo-t important question of last session
was that of finance; bat it is by no means
certain that that question will be at all prom
inent in the forty-fourth congress. Before
that body meets there will be another Ses-
sion of the present congress, at which de-
cisive action on finance may be taken.
| The consequence is that it is difficult to
awaken the interest of a constituency ia the
policy supported by its representative on
! financial questions, unless in very eXcep-
tional cases. Obviously, the difficulty would
be much less if the election were to imme-
diately precede the entrance of represent
alive upon his Office. Everything which
weakens the direct interest of the electors in
| the general course of a representative tends
TO throw the selection of a candidate into the
hands of interested politicians which is be-
| yOnd doubt, the effect of the tact 10 which we
have just alluded. And this brings Us to
what, after all, is the greatest obstacle In the
way of securing the services of our best men
in congress. 1t is ofice-mongeriYg IL
\ spite OF all that has been done in reform OF
| the methods of Appointments and esDeciallv
since the open hOstilities of congress TO that
reform, a large part of the time and strength
of members of congress is still consumed in
+ GETTING PLACES FOR THE POLITICIANS
in their district. II is almost useless fol
\ any man to refuse to devote himself 10 this
tedious and wholly unworthy business. The
system is 40 firmly established as system
the practice is so uniform and the power o
politicians to hamper those who refuse
to take part in it is so great, that
resistance is seldom more than par
TALLY successful. A member may utterly
refuse to use his influence to obtain Office
for improper men; but in that case there
remains the task OF deciding who are and
who are not improper men among the
crowd of applicants; and the more con-
scient1ou,ly he seeks to perform this task
the less time he has for the really important
duties of his Office. To this state OF things
many of the best men in congress have
borne testimony times without number
One of the ablest representatives from this
state recently denounced the practice as
"involuntary servtude" But it is of a
kind that the fourteenth amendment does
not reach, and which nothing but popular
sentiment and vigorous Congressional &C.
ton will put an end to. The effect
of this evil is not only to repel our best
men from Congress, but TO aid other in
/ fences which exist to throw representa-.
ton into the hands of mercenary poll
ticians; and this is one of the most unfOrtu.
nate features of the present system. The
tendency is not only to make difficulty in
getting good congressman, but to disgust
the people generally with politics. AS the
stability and efficiency of our institutions
depend absolutely on maintaining genera
4 and intelligent participation in politics, it is
plain that the conversion of congress into
body of dealers in patronage is as dangerous
as it is repulsive.
GORDON AND SPENCER.
A CONGRESSIONAL sQUABBLE-A CARPET BAG