The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-18
CUMMINGS REVERIES.
NEW YORK CITY IS WITHOUT IN
FLUENCE IN THE HOUSE.

DlSCOuL as AiAS AA pei $500 W-SAA
Philadelphia-Wh 1t Costs to Sc
cure Election from New York.
New YORK, Nov. 1.-THE mental bright
ness of New Workers is proverbial. In one
way. however, they lack the sound sense
shown by Philadelphians. In her method
of selecting congressman Philadelphia CON
trasts strongly with New York. Year after
wear the same men represent her on the floor
of the house. Harmer, O'Neill and Harry
Bingham are household words in Pennsyl-
vania. A generation has passed away since
Sam Randall and Pig Iron Kelley began
70 serve her. Each is firmly rooted in the
afrec ions of his constituents. The political
leaders recognize this, and each is renomi-
mated and reelected without opposition.
Here in New York it Is different. Rarely
does q man serve more than two terms in
congress in succession. Sunset Cox appears
10 be an exception. but he is shifted from
district to district like a white ball on
roulette table. Like Guenther of Wiscon-
sin. he has become q sort of political neces-
sity. slipping in odd places at odd times
and never reaching zero. Under the rules
Of the House, The real utility of a member
is dependent upon his continuous term of
service. His sphere of usefulness is limited
by the Importance of the committees on
which he is placed, aud still further con-
tracted by his positions on such committees.
His standing there is governed by the
chairman of the committee, who may or
NAV not place him on sub committees, or In
other situations of influence and usefulness.
On the floor of the House he is privileged to
talk on bills reported from his own commit
tee. but not on those reported from other
committees, except with the consent OF the
leaders in debate on such committees. The
Chairman of committee or his substitute
divides the time allotted to debate.
All this tells against the new member and
in favor OF the old member. The new men,
Der, by the grace of God and of the speaker,
usually lands on insignificant committees,
and is unable to open his mouth on the
floor of the House, even during the consid-
Grafton of bills which he has introduced,
without the consent of the leading member
Of the committee which reported them. A
second term advances him a round or two
on the congressional ladder, but it is not
until he is serving his fourth or fifth term,
that he reaches a position of any COM
handing influence. The old members are
the chairmen of important committees
They WELD the baton of power in the ways
and means, appropriations, and other great
committees.
This is why every Philadelphia congress-
man stands head and shoulders above his
New York colleagues. The New Workers.
are always Freshmen and the Philadel-
phians ever Seniors. The Sophomore and
Juniors are few and far between. Politics
has very little to do with it. By virtue of
their term of service the four republican
members from Philadelphia carry more
weight in democratic House of Representa-
tives than the seven democrats from New
York city. Their positions on important
committees give them commanding infiu-
ence in government departments liable to
be affected by the action of such committees.
Sam Randall, arrayed in arms against mis-
democratic brethren on tariff Hesitation,
really controls more patronage than all the
democratic members from Manhattan
island. This is because he is chairman of
the committee on appropriations. As such
he virtually has the power to increase
or to decrease general and special appro-
priations for any department of the govern
ment. The speaker appoints him chairman
of the committee because he has served
continuously in the House longer than any
other democratic member.
Philadelphia politicians, as far as con-
gresS goes, are thus shown to be far wiser
than New York politicians. They recog-
nize the situation at Washington, and they
use 1t for the benefit of their city. They
return their congressman without a strug-
gle for even a denomination. The leaders
of the political factions in New York have
never sensed the situation. In their eyes a
congressional nomination is a bauble to be
traded like a string of gaudy beads among
Congo negroes. 1t is used to pay political
debts, and to satisfy the vanity Of wealthy
political amateurs. At times the nomina-
ton is tossed as gratuity to the assembly
district leaders. These leaders are
great factors in a congressional cam
paign. Each congress district con-
tains three assembly districts. After
nomination is made by a congress
sional convention the leaders of the assem-
bly, districts represented in the convention
meet and asses, the candidate. The assess
ment is based upon the number of election
districts in each assembly district.
To illustrate, take the Sixth congress dis
ulct two years ago, when Tammany and
the County Democracy united on candi-
dates. The First, Fifth and Ninth assembly
districts are comprised in this district.
After the nomination the Tammany and
County Democracy assembly district lead
ers, six in all, met and assessed the candidate
SS2 for each election district. There
were twenty-five election districts in the
FIRST assembly district; twenty nine in the
Filth, and thirty-two in the Ninth-a total
OF elghty-slx election districts in the COM
plete congress district. At 1872 an election
district this made an assessment of 81, 752.
half OF this money went to the Tammany,
and half to the County Democracy assembly
district leaders, sums being apportioned ac-
cordlng to the number of election districts
IN each assembly district. This money is
supposed to be distributed among the party
workers in each election district. The as
sessment in the Sixth congress district was
very light. In the Eleventh congress dis
trlct 1t was $40 an election district, and in
some districts it ran as high as $50 and 800.
but this was not the only assessment
levied ON the candidate from the Sixth con-
gress district two years ago. He was as
sesSed 800 by the county executive com
mlItee. The money ostensibly went for the
printing, folding and punching of his tick
etS. hey were punched at county head
quarters on the night before election, and
distributed to the assembly district leaders
az O'Clock a. m. They IN turn distributed
Ihem to the workers in the election districts.
LUIS last assessment made a total of 50, 502.
The candidate was now entirely at tine
mercy of the district leaders After get
ung his money, they could either bunch his
tickets or throw them into sewer, and
substitute Others therefor. He must be pre-
pared for emergencies, and to be thoroughly
prepared he must have 100000 tickets
printed at his own expense, and within
ready personal reach. This cost him $3.50
more, total Of "a, l52. Then came $3.50
worth of posters, and a bill Of S57 for cover
ing fences and dry goods boxes with them,
and distributing them in bar-rooms and
barber shops, making a total of 1850. Add
hat nd rFsnU