Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-08-10
A Bad Principle.

There is probably no one thing more
directly chargable with the mediocrity
often so plainly visible in the House of
representatives than the pernicious
principle of ''rotationin office" Hardly
has representative become acquainted
enough with his seatin the House to enable
him to find it without difficulty when he
is rotated" out and another gentleman
takes his place and so on to the end of
the chapter. In the meantime the dis
trict remains as practically unrepre-
sented in the national councils as if it
had no congressman. The pernicious
effects and fallacy of this doctrine is aptly
illustrated in recent editorial in the
Chicago Tribune, congratulating the
people of Mr.. Cannon's district, in Illi-
nois, for the good sense shown in having
just renominated that gentleman for his
sixth term. Those portions dealing with
this question in general way are given
below and should be carefully read and
considered by every person who is in
the least interested in the affairs of his
district.
The Congressional career of Mr..
Cannon contains lesson for the voters
of this State which we hope they will
be able to improve. 1t is this: That,
other things being equal, mans inhu-
ence and usefulness in Congress are
proportionate to his length of service
Of course, a very dull man or rogue
may be in Congress for lifetime with
out rejecting honor upon himself or his
constituents. But given man of fair
average abilities, who is sincerely anx-
ious to do the right thing, and is faithful
in the performance of his duties, and the
chances are that in four or ilve terms
he will have attained position of prom
inence in the House. In one term a
member can scarcely master the rules
and methods of procedure. In his sec
ond term he can only become known as
one who promises" well. In his third
term he may justly claim his reward in
a committee Craftsmanship or a place
on the Appropriation or Ways and
Means Committee by virtue of seniority
if no other reason. He then has large
acquaintance in Washington, practi-
cal knowledge of all the legislation that
has been before the House, for several
years, and is familiar with the rules and
customs of the House In short he has
acquired the art of doing things, or,
what is still better, the art of having
things done for him by others.
The idea that members of Congress
hold their places BY way of reward for
their personal conduct or party activity
is demoralizing in the last degree. Yet
1t is the basis of the theory NJ rotation
in office which has obtained firm hold
in some States. In New Jersey, for ex-
ample, the rule is 1.-TWO terms and out"
and the same holds good in some dis
tricts OF Ohio. The true principle is,
that the member is a public servant,
and should be constantly reelected as
rs long as he represents his people well.
The application of this principle in New
England has given the Representative
from that section an influence out of
proportion to their numbers. In the
South before the War, and to great ex-
tent still, members were returned with
out opposition inside their own party
lines as long as they behaved them
selves. The most illustriuus men IN
Congress have been distinguished for
long terms of service. and their fame
was largely due to the generous conf
dence their constituents reposed in them
in the early days of their public life
TO 90 back no further, Gen. Garfield
was elected for nine terms, and Joshua
Giddings, one of his predecessors, rep
resented the same district for twenty
four years. Senator Allison, of Iowa,
Senator-eect Wilson, and ex-Secretary
Blaine were colleagues of Mr.. Garfield
in the early days, and all worked their
way up through years of Congressional
life. If any of them had been rotated
out at the end of two terms of service,
he might never have been heard of again
as public man. Elhu b. Washburne
represented the Galena district of Hi
nois in Congress for eighteen years.
Instances of long service attended with
honor and usefulness might be multi
piled indemnity. But the facts are
sufficiently obvious When district
gets n good man-one of whose ability
and integrity tits satisfied-it treats him
and itself unfairly in displacing him for
novice. If the member is incompe-
tent or corrupt, the duty ofretiring him
Is imperative, and cannot be performed
too promptly But there should be no
other tests imposed upon faithful
member seeking denomination than
these: Is he fit? Is he honestP