The Portland daily press., 1876-05-05
Who Bids Highest 2

The Democratic party in Connecticut con-
tains number of men who would make
creditable United States Senators. There
are also living in that state several gentlemen
who are known as Independents or liberal
Republicans who would fill the bill, premi-
nent among whom is Mr.. David A. Wells.
1t would appear, therefore, that the decided
Democratic majority in the legislature of the
Nutmeg state might have no trouble in Sc
lecting from half dozen able men at their
call, one who could serve the state creditably
ifno conspicuously in the United States
Senate. Such, however, is not the fact.
Neither of the gentlemen embraced in the
class named is thought of by the Democratic
legislature. Two men are striving for the
seat, neither of whom has any qualification
for the responsible place; and the latest re-
ports indicate that of these two aspirants, the
one whose unitness is most conspicuous will
win the prize-for such under the circumi-
stances the office has become in that state,
Deprive these Senatorial asprants of the one
thing which now commends them to the
Democratic legislature and every town in
that state has from half a dozen to several
scores OF party men who would as soon be
thought of in connection with the position as
Messrs. Barnum and English. These gentle
men are senatorial aspirants because they are
rich. Separate either of them from the mil
lion or half million which they possess and
the Democratic legislators of Connecticut
would unite in guffaw should either of these
gentlemen solicit the position. They could
not get half dozen votes. In other words,
tow money bags, ,one labelled Barnum and the
other English, are the leading Democratic
candidates far United States Senator in Con.
necticut. 1t is question which of these
money bags is the largest, or rather which
money bag is willing to dispose of the greater
part of himself to secure the coveted honor.
1t is now declared that Mr.. Barnum is that
bag. He has nominally held seat in Con-
gress for several years and has achieved the
name of the Great Absentee. English is a
little better, for while in Congress during the
war he had sufficient patriotism to vote tor
war measures and the constitutional amend
AAAShs "oOiohthS oio~OAys 4|Obh tACoO SChtiC-
men have gone to Hartford with the Legisla-
ture. The senatorship is commodity which
will be disposed of to the highest bidder.
This method of disposing Of seats in Con-
gress is not confined to Connecticut. Mark
Twain once remarked ''first get rich and then
60 to Congress-" Already we have had Stew
art and now Jones and Sharon. Jones is q
man of views. Sharon is in the Senate by vir-
tue of his great wealth. He has no fitness for
the position and has shown his dislike of the
same by returning to his mines, where he
feels more at home. This tendency to regard
wealth as the chief qualification for Congress
is not confined to any section or either party
and it becomes serious question how far the
sentiment that man must be worth hum
dreds of thousands of dollars to go to Con-
gress can become popular conviction with
out producing widespread mischief if it does
not result in positive danger to the Republic.
Already the incentives to acquire wealth are
sufficiently numerous and powerful in this
country without having it understood that
the highest political honors are reserved ex.
clusively for those who have fortune. 1t is
now matter of regretful comment that SO
few men of first class talent and general cul-
ture participate in politics. When it comes
about that mere wealth controls the selec-
tion of men to fill the highest Legislative
positions of the nation rather than brains and
culture-that money bags and not men fill
the halls of Congress, may it not be said
s'Il fares the land, to Fastening ills prey
Where wealth accumulates and men decays"