The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-03-27
A Democratic Trouble.


On the authority of q Washingto n
Democratic paper, it is said that the
Democrats have always had trouble
with their House Door-keeper. To
the average citizen, this may seem q
strange story. Why should the great
Democratic party have trouble with
q man who opens and shuts the door
OF the House of Representatives?
What is there about door keeping
that is calculated to sow ~dissension
in Democratic ranks? Men who
would ask such questions as these
would simply show how little they
know about the functions, RESPONSE
bilities, and dignities of q House
Door-keeper. He has the appoint
ment and oversight of a brigade of
door-keepers, janitors, pages, clean
ers, folders of documents, clerks, and
various other employees. The list is
q long one; and an investigating COM
mittee is yet engaged in trying to
find out low many men may be law
fully employed by the Doorkeeper.
Nobody seems to know. But it will
be seen that the patronage of the
place is very large. And wherever
there is patronage, there will the
Democrats be gathered together.
We have said enough to indicate
what sort of trouble the House Door
keeper may cause the Democratic
Party. The capacity of the House is
limited, and even when three door
keepers lay hold of a door and beg
leave to open it they cannot all be
paid. Bat there is no limit TO the
Democratic place-hunters. They
come up to Congress from the tan
gled canebrakes of the South, the
sand-barrens of the Jersey coast, the
fever-stricken fields of Missouri, and
the prairies of the great West. And
each mar of them has a member OF
Congress behind him. D~oor-keeper
Polk, who is just now staggering ~
der q load Of obloquy and specific
charges, is the latest victim OF this
insa:iate appetite for place. He suf-
fers from the same evil which has af-
ficted every Democratic Door-keep-
er since 1910. There is something
pathetic in this mans testimony be-
fore the investigating committee.
Polk seems to be a well-meaning per-
son. He did not put on airs" as
his predecessor, Fitzbugb, did, and
swsgger about, swearing that be was
a digger nan than old Grant," bat
be anxiously tried TO satisfy the de-
mands of :be Democratic members of
Congress. This was like pouring
water into q sieve. Poor Polk, in his
testimony before the committee. said
that be never felt authorized to Cd.
pose the wish of a member of Con-
gressn who wanted certain appoint
ments. OF course, If Polk went into
Office with this notion of bis duties.
he was bound to get into trouble.
And be says that when be remonstra-
ted-weaklv, we must suppose-the
member would say, well, let him
stay there; be is necessary; you
havn't got pages enough; l will see
about that.". And then be would
walk off, and that would be the last
of it. Poor Polk used to put the ap.
plicants on his payroll be bid them
away in all SORTS of odd corners, and
by and by, though be kept many
Democratic pensioners on half-pay,
or third pay drawing part Of the sti-
pend of men who were regularly en-.
rolled, be yet had sixty-tbree more
men on his pay roll than the law al
lowed. liza Republican chief Of q
department should create an Office
for the sake OF making a place for a
political worker, q Gemocr stic Ma
tional Convention would eonyuise
the land with it's cry for reform. The
Democratic Door. keeper Of the House
under the pressure Of his own party
in Congress, creates sixty-three new
officers, aud thinks nothing of it.
There was a person oy the name
of Duffy in the nominal employment
of the Door-keeper; his case illus
trates the general DRIFT of things in
the House. Duffy is represented as
being an influential Irishman amocg
the Molly Msguires and others, ac,
cording TO Folks testimony. He
was put on the force with the under
standing that be was to draw part
Of some other mans pay. There
was nothing said about doing any
work. Probably the other mar did
the work. But DuGy proved to be a
very unpleasant person. He got in.
to the chairs of the members and
went to sleep, and snorcd SO loud as
to disturb the deliberations of the
House. Polk demonstrated with
him, and told him that be must quit
going into the House while drunk,
and. says the unhappy Door-keeper,
| told him that be was bringing my
self and the department and ali of US
into ~disrepute. Then Polk tod the
man who was dividing bis pay With
Duffy not to do SO any more. Duf-
fly swore at Polk, and bis oaths are
printed in full in mis-. Doc. 10. sc,
II. of T., 45tb Congress, Cd Session."
page S2l, where the curious may see
them. Of course, Duffy has bis Rep.
resentatives, and to this important
parsonage Door-keeper Polk was
compelled, 10 great anguish of mind,
to write a letter of explanation. Duff.