New-York tribune., 1891-01-30
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Characteristics OF THE DEMOCRATIC
LEADER, SENATOR GORMAN.


SCENES IN PoMTICs-HAs HE HYP.
NOTIFIED REPUBLICANS LIKE
SENATOR CAMERoN1
Washington, Jan. 20.-Senator Arthur +. Cor
man Of Laurel Howard County. Md. the dictator
of the present Congress- the head OF the Demo
cratic marty in the United States. the chief dector
of the special Southern Bourbon machine Is d
man of kindly disposition, and is not lncliheu W
abuse his power. If he has his own way, he !"
considered one of the most amiabe men III
poltics In some respects his success Is hoSv
remarkable He is, therefore, worth caleiui
study. as lie has apparently demonstrated his
ability to control the Republican majority III
Congress with o minority following. The historian
Of great captains loves 10 dwell upon the SUCCESS
of his heroes when leading their forces against
overwhelming numbers. "Captaln-ueherdl "C'
man, who is at present in command Vi "H 'i'
Bourbon forces, has almost the ch'huslasi0 wv"
ship of the representatives OF the southern ma
chine For time they were fHgh'eheu' "i'
feared that he might not he able TO orlng 'l'H
machine through in safety There mas "e'"
positive panic among the Southern members az
,be prospcct of light being thrown on their
,oculiar political methods. But through the
skin of their leader tie Republican majority mas
been for a time paralyzed. and the Southern WIZ
is today over-triumphant, Mr.. German Is nluo'
more modest than his Southern associates III
still retains solemn, almost melancholy i0UN
lie flashes no glances of triumph aIou"' ~
Senate chamber. He dsarms even MS ete",
by his modest department 1t is only III Wv
closed recesses of his private closeV 'i'"' "
ventures to smile the smile of triumph
Mr. Gormans prominence in pohucs u''''
his share in the successful Cleveland c''h -.
The Senator has the rare faculty oil hecP'">
mouth shut. He has way OF llSpH'"7
G1encc among his associates He has nos'
rrllent common-sensc and is utterly deNolu %
in his politcal dealings. He deSplses Iei -"
orotorv and aims directly at practical eHec's'
lie has tremendous courage and an iron resolution
In nolit;cs I do not think that he has one con-
.cicn,ious scrlplc II is his courage ana MS VIII
which have made him so prominent Ill "''"
whore courage and conviction are rare Inc "N-
crare Member or Senator is timld lie WISHES W
have n leader but that man must ne 1orceiu.
and of dominating disposition IN order TO hoiu
o~ourd him the tickle minds of the politicians who
,ror,blc ot every vcering wind Of public opinion
Mr. German is not made Of that class OF materlai.
IIc sees ahead Of him object to he accomplished
and marches directly toward it. Cnlclsm pun
lie claror and even open personal assaults nave
no effect upon his calm, snooth-ShaNeh' pil'''--
'ace.
Mr. German has been in politics ever since ne
vas hoy. lie was a page in the senate loI ci
years. until he grew up 10 be so long ana ga"hN
That he looked out of place on the floor of the
Senate and was promoted from that place until NJ
became postmaster of the body. From S52 untll
1866. Mr. German was in the employment ol ule
Senate. The education acquired by page IN
,he Senate is not one conducive to high morality
The bows learn altogether too much of the inner
machinery of politics They see the great STATES
m,n AZ every point of disadvantage. lhcy
learn ton many secrets concerning tie great men
nj their day. This naturally makes on impression
uDon the immature mind of boys Of cynclsm
md disbelief in the honesty of political motives.
The bows learn in the executive session the lns ana
outs of the trades made between both sldes III
The interest Of personal patronage. Ihey are
taught by the object lessons Of their daily eN-
istcnce that there is no such thing i'll politics as
s;ncrritv or conviction and that il is a game
Of personal advantage, a game which is successiu'
in the hands Of those who are most sNiliul III
political tricks. This is the natural teaching OF
Congressional life to those who see only us SUI
face Many boys as pages are ruined 'hrou4h
the examples found in the artlhclal lie tIeS ie""
Il is not wholesome boys life. They are often
otherwise. and they constantly hear things not
good for boys to know. IL IS from THIS schoo
that Senator German graduated, and after career
as offce-holder in Maryland. first under the Gov
ern,..nt as Collector of Internal Revenue. he was
afterward elected To the Senate Of the Maryland
legislature There he brought all of his knowl-
edge acquired in the Senate school as page 70
hear: became the leader of that Legislature, not
through his eloquence, not through his Knowledge
of public affairs. not through his statesmanship
but through his great knowledge OF pohtlcai ma
nipulatjon. He succeeded Pinckney White in the
Senate of the United States, and undoubtedly VIII
remain in the Senate as long us he lives. lie has
built up for himself machine in the State OF
MARYLAND which will probably last him during
Ills lifetime.
When he FIRST came TO the Senate In loSo, II
was difficult for the paragraphers to say much
about him. Finally it was discovered that he was
formerly a baseball player, and that he had
throughout his entire life been an enthusiastic
patron of that sport. When page, he was
member of one of the early Washington clubs and
was a sdlful shortstop in his time. This graduate
mage and baseball player has since become an
adept in the art Of leading and controlling men.
His baseball life has given him great physical
yigor lie is a man Of fine health. He appears
10 be always IN good physical condition. lie is
temperate lie is a moderate smoker His blood
circulates evenly, and it is said of him that his
pulse does not vary in its heats five in the twenty
four hours His methods not vulgar ones.
I'm appearance lie is refined, quiet and civil. He
is a man of moderate fortune and has an intimate
connection through his former presidency of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company with some
OF the great corporations of Maryland and the
East. Mr.. German always keeps his word with
his political associates. If he makes bargain he
adhcres to it rigidly. He makes hard terms some
times, but he can always be trusted 70 carry out
any bargain he makes. lie tells no needless lies ;
20 lis intimates, never. In this he is most ex-
ccptional politician.