The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-24

by campaign committees, for the malnten-
ance and equipment of clubs and other
political organizations, for benefits, balls,
pi cnics and excursions; for banners and
banner raisings, for charities to the poor
and needy Of the district, and to beats and
bunlrners whom il is impossible to escape.
OF course some of these expenses might DO
avoided, but not by a good-hearted fellow
who likes to be liked, who accepts no favors
that he cannot reciprocate, and who would
mix freely with his constituents. Yet the
cost of congressional honorS to man
like Cummings, in district like his, is
small compared to the outlay required OF
men like Belmont and Bliss of New York,
Bayne of Pittsburg, Bingham of Phila-
delphia, Morse of Boston and Felton of San
Francisco. In addition to being good fell
lows and good livers, they are reputed to be
men of wealth. and must pay to sustain
their reputation. Yet every one of these
members has an experience and an acquaint-
ance with methods in legislation which
should yield him a biennial dividend in a
certificate of election clear of cost
1T is to be said, however, that after
few years here fellow learns to avoid
many of the money traps that beset the
congressional 0spirant and the novice in
congressional fife Politics is like any
other game, most expensive to beginner,
although beginner may now and then win
big pot on small stake.
mo; II do not call William L. Scott a
beginner. He probably paid bigger price
than any OF us for his whistle, but he knew
what he was about, and footed the damages
beforehand. Probably S25, 900 We're eX-
pended legitimately, as campai gn expenses
go, in such an undertaking. L know men
who have spent as much and then failed.
Just let known millionaire take a repub-
Gcan nomination in one of the New York
districts with top-heavy democratic ma
jority and he will find 1t easy enough to get
rid of years interest on his fortune.
Thorndke Rice and the late Larry Jerome,
though hardly millionaires, realized this.
"What about the men who read their
title clear, term after term, without much
expense"
'There are such congressman, but must
say that they are growing fewer every
year. At the head of the list stand old
ar-horses, like Kelley and Randall, Hol-
man and Cox, and acknowledged party
leaders like Reed and Carlisle, who have
become more valuable to their districts
than their districts are to them, and who
can afford to snap their fingers, not only at
the strikers and camp followers, but at
local bosses. Generally, however, the men
who find running for Congress the least
expensive are from the rural dis
tricts of the south and west, where politics
| has not become so much matter of money.
In the south, particularly, oratorical gifts,
| or talent of one sort or another, goes about
as far as money. and a war record or per-
sonal popularity goes further than either
| talent or money. Then if southern or
western youngster manages to make hit,
however small, in his first term, state or
local pride is very apt to make him his own
| successor. Members from agricultural
| districts with an eye on second
| term have great advantage
in constituencies appeasable and purchas-
able with garden seeds and public docu-
ments, which are not legal tender among
city politicians But the trail of the money
serpent is beginning to be visible in the
| south, too. There is member from Geor-
| gia whose first election cost him only 5000,
| and whose last cost him 50 900, and there is
| another from Louisiana who spent nothing
| to get here the first time and was out of
| pocket g., 900 the last time he ran"
Suppose poor man gets a nomination,
| how is he to meet his assessments and pay
the costs generally of electionp
NOW you are asking a question that
| every man must answer for himself"