The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-05-19
The Congregational q Question.

The Congressional Question.
A few days ago The INTsaA'0xScrn, In
view Of the active pressure for Il Congress.
ional nomination among our Ohio and
Pennsylvania ncighbors, INDUCED in some
reflections upon the question, "what Is all
this WORTH" Incidentally, wc submitted
II brief glance Of tho present surroundings
Of I'M aspiration for Congress, and also re.
viewed the life OF the average Congressman
ut Washington C,ty,after he was fortunate,
or unfortunate, enough to obtain the place.
Since the remarks referred to appeared In
our columns We have received I'M address
by the Hon. Chauncey II Depew, delivered
ut the annual convention OF the Psi Upsi.
lon College fraternity nj Syracuse, \. T.,
which contains 80 much that Is pertinent
to the train Of thought suggested by the
question raised in the 1STELLIGEScEE for
the consideration Of our neighbors, that We
cannot forbear making the following OK.
tract from it for their further considera.
ton: .@ d.
"l'ublic life has been in all free States the
highest ind noblcst OF ambitions. Toguido
tho Republic, command listening senutes,
promote the national welfare, iii the full
measure Of duty and fame. But the same
causes which threaten solid learning have
changed the representative opportunities.
The energy Of business, tho absorption OF
all classes, its demand for uninterrupted
time and attention, and the increase OF the
cost OF living have nowhere produced such
marked effects as upon our craftsmanship.
The Legitimate expenses OF IN election
nlmos! equAltlic salary OF the representa-.
tive, and the exacting duties Of the place
prevent his successful management OF either
professional or mercantile; vocation. The
rapidly increasing labor Of properly utlmin.
administering the Government Of this vast
and growing Republic: adds daily to the
difficulties Of the situation. Men OF affairs,
instead Of applauding the public spirit Of
service, regard him with distrust, and with.
draw their confidence and credit Hence
the halls Of Congress are gradually filling up
with wealthy men and professional place.
men, The glorious school in which pre-.
ceeding generations were trained for grand
careers is almost disbanded. Convictions
yield to expedency, and the ability to
guide and the courage to resist arc leaving
their accustomed seats. By combinations
and cunning, mediocritv occupies positions
it cannot fill, and tho machine runs for the
suppression OF dangerous ability and the
division Of MI the dividends OF honor anu
power among its directors. The leaders
are dependent upon followers who have no
livelihood, but Office, and who desert the
setting, and worship tho rising sun, with u,
facility which surpasses the middle age
courtier, who cried, "T'hc king is dead,
long live the king" The NECESSITY
OF manipulation Tor reelection, OF re.elec.
ton for vocation, gives no opportunity
to master those great questions upon whose
wise solution depend the destiny OF the
Commonwealth, and the representative,
devoured bya consuming anxiety about
his fortunes, and having failed 10 study
the needs and principles OF Government, is
blown about by every shifting current OF the
popular breath. When he falls, because
he has builded upon the sand, if he has
passed the period when adaptation is nos
sible to new pursuit, he closes his career u,
nient clerk. There is not at this hour in
public life Il single. recognized and undis.
puted leader Of Il great party, or tho pro.
senitor OF accepted ideas. The Congressional
Record is 4 morass OF crudty and words.
whose boundless area and faiholnless
depths none have the courage 10
explore. The Washingtons, Adanses
and Jays OF the. first period, the
Munitions, Jellersons and N[adisons Of the
second, the Webs,ers, Clays and Calhouns
Of the third, and the.eewartts Summers,
Chases and Lincolns OF the fourth, have
no successors ofequal power and influence.
The debates Of to-day ure unread, but the
utterances OF these statesmen were the
oracles Of millions. Has the talent which
made these eminent men possessed died
out! Oh, no. 1t is practicing law, editing
newspapers, managing manufactures,
mines and commerce, building railroads
and directing transportation. ~"
II, then, those who fill the leaders, place
cannot lead, so much greater the RESPONSE.
bility and duty which rest upon the liber.
ally educated 10 so watch and ward, SO un-
derstand and teach, to discuss and act,
that an intelligen. and vigilant public opin.
ion shall hold in its grasp and direct for
its purposes Presidents, Cabinets and Con-
crosses. ,.,,,l.,
In our judgment, Dir. Depcw has sug-
sessed the only check OF real value upon
the evils to which lie refers. Members Of
Congress cater to the average opinion Of
their constituents; tho higher, more intel
ligent and discerning TINT average opinion
becomes, the greater the guarantee as to
the intelligence and independence Of tho
representative. 1t is only through the
general dissemination Of education, and
the study Of the nature OF our institutions
in connection with the general lessons Of
history, that the PUBLICAN hope to possess
III their own hands tic correction Of tho
evils incident to the growing tendency 10
which Mr.. Depew refers. With. one
seventh Of the people Of the country
classed us illiterate by the census, and the
other six-seyenths divided among the
crudely educated, the tolerably educated
and the literally educated, the standard Of
congressional representatives cannot m.
turally be very, high. Hence machine 10.
lltics' becomean occupation in the hands Of
unfit men, who have the cunning nec,ces.
sary TO manipulate, tho small political
bosses with which. almost every Congress.
ional district abounds, BY promises OF rs,
wards, and these small bosses set up things
u "a Al
to suit themselves, and tho people, in a
majority OF instances perhaps, have no real
participation in the selection OF the men
who make laws for them. True they vote
at the polls, but the amount Of voting that
is done under the stress Of party ties . in
this country is incredible. The real Sc.
lection is achieved BY the small bosses
who set things up for tho nomination, and
L. 4 Ts #.ta