New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-03
"HE GETS APPROPRIATIONS"

"HE GETS APPROPRIATIONS"
The Administration organs in Connecticut
have worked themselves up into quite little
furry of Indignation over the fact that some
of the newspapers which oppose Mr.. Kellogg's
re6ection-notably The Springfield Republican
have intimated rather broadly that the gen.
tleman has to do with jobs and Is not over
scrupulous. Mr.. KcllOgg's defenders have had
their feelings outraged by these hints and
innuendoes implying grave Offenses, and have
demanded either specifications or retraction.
They get ncithor and are unhappy. The ac-
cusing newspapers have no specific charge to
make against Mr. Kellogg. They only know
in general way what his standing Is at
Washington, and what are his associations
and his reputation, and they get their I'M
pressiOns of him from some of the prominent
Republican Congressman who are on the stump
in Connecticut, and who do not by any means
repeat upon the stump what they say in pri-
yate conversation. We incline to think, how
ever that Gen. Joseph Il. Hawley, in speech
q few evenings since at Meriden. covered MIR.
KellOgg's case in single sentence. 1t pre-
sented the whole argument in that gentle
mans behalf and at the same time drew
portrait with q single stroke. Said Gen.
Hawley: Stephen ". Kellogg your repre-
"sentative in Congress- will work for the dis
trict You couldn't find another man who
could get so much money for you and so many
appropriations" There is Mr.. Kellogg at
stroke. Nothing bad about HIM. An easy
gong person, with popular manners and win
ming way, who does not mean to give oifense
l. Los e;p To canf
the opinions of the majority of his constitu-
ents upon public questions if he can find out
what they are, and over and above all other
things believes in getting something for the
" deestrict"
"You couldn't find another man who could
"get so much money for yOn," says Gen. Haw-
ley, after going over Mr. Kellogg carefully to
find something pleasant to say about him to
his constituents This to an intelligent New
England audience from gentleman who pro-
fesses to be, and sometimes, when it costs the
party nothing, actually is, purist in politics.
Is that Gen. Hawley's notion of the functions
of Representative in COngress7 Does he too
believe that the end of all living for member
of Congress is to "get something for the dee
"strict7" Or if he does not believe tiff down
at the bottom of his heart he feels and knows
that this Treasury grabbing and apDropria-
tiOn-snatching business is the cause OF more
decentralization and cOrruDtiOn-mOre vote
swapping, cheating, and stealing than almost
any other one thing in our politics-how does
he Justify to himself such an argument to base
and unworthy motivesf Gen. Hawley believes
that he himself has some capacity and fitness
for the position of Congressman. He does not
possess the qualification he attributes to his
colleague, however. Should any mistaken
stump orator say of Gen. Hawley what the lat
ter said of Mr.. Kellogg, we suspect the orator
would receive correction more sudden than
gentle.
But we owe Gen. Hawley thanks for the dis
tinctness, the almost startling boldness of his
portraiture of his colleague. The argument in
the Administration press in favor of Mr.. KEEL
logg la. been confined entirely to this feature
of Mr.. Kellogg's Congressional career. The
number and amount of appropriations lie has
secured for the district, one of his organs
says, are "truly remarkable" But it was left
to Gen. Hawley to make the portrait with
the master-stroke OF q single sentence. You
"could MT find another man who could get so
"much money for you and SO many apprOpria-
"tions" Admirably done! And now if there
is any Republican voter in the lid District
who is burdened with lingering suspicion
that after all it is not the highest possible
mission for member of Congress to "get
something for the deebtrict," or if there is
any one who feels an honest flush of srising
shame at being urged to vote for Repre-
sentative in Congress upon the sole ground of
bis ability to get money out of the Treasury,
we have a word to say to that one. Argu-
ment with those who respond to the Kellogg
argument and see no harm in it would be
useless What does it mean that Mr.. Kellogg
can get more appropriations than any other
mani Why this and this only: that the man
who gets the most appropriations for his dis
trict votes for the most for other districts.
These things are VIGOROUSLY matters Of bar
ter. No one, however unfamiliar with legisla-
ton, who has witnessed the proceedings at the
close of the session when the Sundry Civil
Service Appropriations bill was up, could
have failed to remark the process. 1t is open,
fragrant, shameless. When Mr.. Kellogg gets
AN appropriation Of $4,000 for SO absurd an
object as the improvement Of Milford Harbor,
o bit of shore freQuentsd only By the elusive