The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-12-03
RICH SENATORS.
Men Who Have Made Their Money
Count in Gaining Seats.
From the Boston Herald.

The aspiration is an excellent one. The
present is a good time to make an effort
to put a stop to such proceedings. We
fear that it cannot be done by a single
and isolated effort, however. The evil is
to be traced to the peculiar form of party
organization in many localities Il exists
almost as a rule in some States, while in
others 1t is almost unknown. In a por-
ton of these latter cases there seems to
be little tendency to it; in others it is
overcome by influences which have more
power i'll the parties than has money.
The four North Stat, S of New England
have a perfect record on the subject,
while in Rhode Island the practice of
choosing a Senator for his money may be
Almost said to nave originated. In New
York mixed motives operate, but money
alone is not sufficient for such a purpose.
In Pennsylvania money can do anything,
and is more used for intrigue than in any
Eastern State. In the South it has chosen
a Senator in Georgia. and has had some
thing to do with elections for that position
in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia,
though it has hardly been the sole factor
in either of them. At the West it has
been felt in every State except Indiana
and Iowa, and it looks as if it were only
by accident that one of these is exempt
from IFS influence.
We do not remember an instance of a
Senator being ever aided by h S money in
obtaining an election in Mass 4chusetts,
and the same may be said of Maine, Yer
mont and New Hampshire. Neither of
The present Senators from these States is
a rich man, with, perhaps, the ex :eption
of Senator Hale, of Maine, who married
the daughter of Senator Chandler, of
Michigan. When Daniel Webster was
the last time chosen to the Senate from
this State it was represented that he was
so poor that he could not take the Office,
and a sum of money was raised for him
by some of those who desired to see him
there. Charles Sumner had to engage in
public lecturing at a time when his health
was not strong to get money to pay his
debts. Henry Wilson had really nothing
but his salary as Senator-not even a
business or a professionals support him.
Edward Everett was the only rich Senator
years. 1t is needless to say that he did
not spend a cent to procure his election.
There may have been rich men in Massa-
chusetts who contemplated an election to
the Senate, but they'expeoted to go South
or West to get it. Vermont has elected
some very capable Senators, and New
Hampshire some which could not by
fattery be called so, but there was no
money of moment employed in the case
of either State.
The first instance which we have in
memory of money making a man a Sena-
tor was in the State of Rhode Island forty
years ago. The Wings had the Legisla-
ture. To the surprise of every one the
Democrats chose a Mr.. James TO be the
Senator. Nobody had heard of him in
politics, but be was a more familiar man
in railroad operations. Whether this
broke the way to other transactions of
the kind or not, they certainly followed.
Rhode Island, under the lead of William
Sprague, was changed from a Wing to a
Democratic State. MI. Sprague was
chosen Governor, and later Senator. He
changed his politics, but he continued to
use his money. His personal misfortunes,
which followed, struck a blow to the sys-
tenn, as well as to himself, and Rhode
Islands Senators have been free from
blame of this character up to the present
year, though we think there was some
charge of money influences in the latest
caoice of q Senator there. In the mean
time the practice had spread into Con-
necticut. William II. Barnum had begun
to use money there, and James E. Eng
tish was charged with using it on the
Democratic side, and some of the more
re cent Republican candidates for Cover
nor have been accused of the same thing.
The Senators, except Mr.. Barnum, how
ever, have come in without money to help
them.
New York has had one or two rich
Senators, like Governors Fish and Nor
gan. 1t was said that Mr.. Morgan spent
$4,000 in n contest, in which Reuben
b Fenton defeated him. But intrigue
does more than money there. Mr.. Conk-
ling was elected by his own force of
character, and Mr.. Evarts, through his
reputation being brought in to aid him at
the right time. The story Of the rule of
the Camerons in Pennsylvania is familiar.
The West has brought more money into
the Senate than all the rest of the country
together. In one Western State Nevada
senatorships are as regularly for sale as
the time to deal with them comes around.
In another California the Democrats
have twice bought the Legislature from
the other party for the purpose of choos-
ing the Senator. In a third Colorado
the most money always carries the Office.
In three of the new States the same tao
tics will be attempted, we fear, with sue
cess. A millionaire in Michigan loses his
money and has to leave the Senate as
much as if the loss had made him inellig-
ible for another choice. Something Of
the same state of things has prevailed in
Wisconsin. Secretary Windo n would
probably have held on to his power longer
IN Minnesota had there not been richer
men there to rival him. To come down
to the State with which we began, it was
money, without the slightest question,
that made Henry B. Payne Senator from
Ohio, and 1t is the most natural thing in
the world TO expect money to elect his
successor. We fear that, despite the pro-
tests which we have above recorded, this