The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-08-23
BLODGLTr AND MCPHERSON.
The Junior Senator Without influence
Mcpherson Strong in Committee.

The Junior Senator Without influence
Mcpherson Strong in Committee.
WASHINGTON. August %, 1S92.-New
Jerseys representatives in Congress did
not greatly distinguish themselves dur
ing the recent session. Three of the
seven m embers Of the House were in pas
lures new. and, of course, little could be
expected of them. But the older mer
amounted to very little more.
In the Senate pretty much the same
conditions exist. The Hon. Rufus Blod
gett has been pretty constant in ate nd.
ance, but like spectre, he moves, but is
never heard. Since his induction into
Senator al harness, Mr.. Blodgett has sell
dom spoken except to answer to his name
on roll call. He Is, however, good legis-
lative company: at least he is q splendid
listener. l have known Mr.. Blodgett on
especially dreary days to form the entire
Senatorial audience while Il would-be
orator drawled out his pleasing plati.
tudes. Somebody in the gallery suggested
that n ssibly our junior Senator could not
hear. ui therefore, was not bothered, but
the exclamation is probably simpler; the
listener was wiser than the speaker, for
he knew enough to hold his tongue.
Neither is MIR. Blodgett conspicuous as
- 20 AhSAO "a
like old Philetus Sawyer, of Wisconsin,
who never engage in sensational debate.
hut are a positive force in shaping legis-
latipn. They might be called senator
lobbyists. These quiet old fellows seem
ingly never ask for anything. but they
generally get all they van Our junior
member or the House Of Lords rises su
per!or, or sinks below. this class, as ne
neither asks for nor gets anything.
The senior New Jersey Senator Is really
a Senator of influence. He both talks
and gets. Some of his Senatorial COM
peers oDine that he talks too mueb. In
deed, it must be an abstruse parliament
airy problem or rare puzzle in legislation
that makes him tongue-tied. But he is
Of such Senatorial worth that his party
colleagues have placed him on two of the
most important committees and thrown
in the craftsmanship of a minor one to
top off. 1t can be said of Senator Nc
Pherson. as of many othe: famous men
that he early earned the lesson that the
quickest route to a mans mind is through
his stomach. With legs beneath his own
mahogany he is a king euthroueh, and all
his guests are suppliants for another su ch
dinner. In the beginning he literally fed
himself into commanding station. and he
has continued to deal out victuals that he
may remain great.
All this aside, the truth cannot be cast
uoWu, MCT u6fSOu Is q potent IAcIOf III
Senatorial matters. Possessed OF bright
business instincts. with the prestige OF
commercial success, his experience is
freely invoked TO supplement- the theory
OF those who are greater as speculative
philosophers than rs men of affairs.
Mcpherson had the practical mind, and
so his party put him on the commit &C
with John Sherman over the ambitions
OF older and ADLER Senators. In addition,
| such action was reOuireu bacauaa in Sen
ator Morrell, of Vermont, the Republt-
cans had there a representative trained
in commerce..
1t can be said of Mcpherson in this
committee of highest inn ortapce that he
has been a leader and not a follower.
g1To condense-McPhersou has Influence
III Congress, both in and out of his party