The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-16
CoNGREssMEN,s PAIRS.

How the Pairing-On Arrangement Is Ef-
fected-The Color-Line Drawn.
Washington Letter in Philadelphia Telegraph.
Next to getting his pet measure through the
most important thing to the mind of member
of Congress is to get a pair when he wants it.
When Jimmie" OBrien. of New York, was
elected to one term ir the House, he came there
on the first Monday in Decem Der of the first ses-
sion took his oath of Office, told the Sergeant-as-
Arms where to send his monthly checks. and got
a pair" It IS not known that he ever again
appeared in the House.
Joseph Pulitzer is the only man who emu
lated this example, and he did appear in the
legislative halls and in the committee rooms
three or four times during his term.
Mr.. Aiken, of South Carolina. was .'paired"
during all of his last term of Congress; but he
was i'll. and never appeared to take his OATH
He died at about the close of his congressional
term.
The question of pairs" has puzzled both par
ties in Congress. There used 10 be two COM
mttses on pairs" in the House. They were
not announced by the Speaker at the beginning
of the session, did they appear on
record among ,. the standing or select bet
the caucuses, one from each party
When a member was going away, or for any
reason wanted to neglect his duty he notified
one of these committees to get him pair, and
went. Members of these committees were Sc
lected for their sauvity and good humor. Their
services were of confidential and diplomatic
character.
Some members, who are always at their post
of duty don't like to pair" to accommodate
colleague who wants to wander in pursuit of
pleasure. Sometimes these ''stayers" are gruf,
and send word to their transtory brothers that
they had better stay and attend to their bust
Mr.. Bland, of silver associations, is one of
those who always may be found at his desk dur
ing the session, and he is not apt to be too ac-
commodating to his associates who are mat
tentive.
The committee on "pairs" ceased to exist dur
ing the Forty eighth Congress. Two popular
young members had been appointed to that
duty for the Democrats One of them was
from Pennsylvania The other Southern
man. One day, just before an important vote
taken. the Southern man walked up to the
deputy Sergsant-at arms in unsteady and
dazed condition with the ''pair' book under his
arm. He had been paired" himself for about
a week, and was not yet recovered. Ills eyes
were still red and his tongue thick.
Tell Mishter Post t tax-care- that" he said
he balanced himself before the deputy.
He laid the book the table and
went away. In the book were the names
of twenty Democrats who wanted to be
paired" None of them had been cared for,
and the vote was coming on. When the book
was given to Mr.. Post aud the circumstance ex-
planned he refused to have anything to do with
it. He said he did not propose to play private
secretary to any member, and from that mo-
ment he refused to serve on the committee
No other member could be got to take hold of it
after that, and many lost their votes on that
occasion.
The deputy had to hold the book. and has had
to attend to '.pars" since. He is now called by
members the pair man." He is an odd ana
original genius.
''Don't you know" he said to me the other
day, ''it is the hardest work I ever did. Look
ing up votes at ward election is not circum-
stance to it. In a single day have been called
upon to find pairs for two-thirds of the mem
bers. Why, this session already, just three
days before the holiday recess. l paired eighty
members in one day. 1t keeps me busy just be-
fore a political vote. Some members don't like
to lose their votes and some get mad when L
ask them. You might not think it, but cur own
men-the Democrats-are the most unaccommo-
dating. When Democrat wants to go away,
all have to do is TO ask most any Republican l
see pair with him, and it's done the Re-
publicans always kind and accommodating
It is easy the other way; most of the
Democrats are reluctant about returning these
favors.
Some of the Southern men," he continued,
"are mighty particular with whom they pair.
"a Virginia member went home for week
last session, leaving word to be cared for. and
he was paired with colored member. When
he got the Record and saw the announcement of
the pair he fairly foamed at the mouth. For
year and half he never spoke to me. Before
that we had been very friendly, but afterwards
he would pass face to face and not speak.
He would look me right in the eye with scorn
and Indignation Finally one of the members
explained that had nothing to do with the
matter; that 1 was away when the pair was
made Then he would speak to me, but we
were never as friendly again."