The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-05
THE SCRAMBLE FOR PATRONAGE.


How the Small PIums Of the Legislature
Are Obtained.
Dudley Foulke, Lucius b. Swift and the
rest of the whoopers-up for Democracy.
who perform as opponents of trading
politics would find matter for interesting
study in the Legislature just assembling.
The statesmen have been here now for
three days, and there has been an enormous
amount of turmoil. HANDWRITING, whisper
ing and scrambling about the lobby and
corridors of the Grand Hotel. But in all
this there has been almost absolutely no dis
cussion of the work the Legislature was
electedito perform. Notmuch! The states
men have been too busy with the scramble
for place. Such a horde of applicants did
they have to deal with, and so anxious
were they to deal with them, that as early
as Tuesday night every elective officer for
the organization of the House and Senate
wac determined upon, not by majorities OF
those bodies. but by majorities of the ma
~jorities; that is to say, by log-rolling cOmbi.
nations strong enough to control the Dem
ocratic caucuses. There are in each house
about forty minor jobs. such as door
ulCus
cleaners. reading and copying and What
not clerks and neutrality-suspicious., which
are supposed TO be appointed by these vari-
Gus elective officers. They are no such
thing. In their hustle for place the candi-
dates turn all this over to their managers,
who trade the places off for support. Capt.
Curtis doesn't know tonight whom he Will
appoint on the various committees. nor
whom he will make pages. Crawley prob
ably doesn't know who his sub-clerks will
be, n SO IL goes on through; but before
the Legislature meets TO : morrow
lists ,E will nil, be r.s presented ths% d to them Tha
Senate cabal has attended to all this very
systematically. In this combine" are
twenty-six Senators-none from Marion
county. In their caucus at the Grand
Tuesday morning they not only agreed
committee of three to distribute the petty
patronage. That committee consists OF
Senators Chandler. of Hancock: FuIk, of
Monroe, and hcKelvey, of owen. These
statesmen met st the English Hotel last
night, compared notes on promises and
made out therefrom a partial list. They
were unable TO see some Senators to whom
patronage had been promised and could
not complete it.
This petty patronage consists of a read
ing. roll. registry and file clerk. and five
enrolling and engrossing clerks. nOminally
appointed by the Secretary; a minute clerk,
journal clerk and five copying clerks, nom-
inally appointed by the Assistant Secre-
tary; q postmaster, folding clerk, mail
carrier. and fifteen doOrmen. cloak-roOm
men, spittoon-cleaners, ETC., nOminally ap-
pointed by the DoOr-keeper. But last
night Messrs. Peasants. Friedman and
Mannix confessed to a Journal reporter
that they had no idea whom they would
appoint this morning "Haven't received
my list yet" was the answer OF each.
In the House the method was not pre-
ciseIy the same. Curtis and Crawiey had
each several managers, as did Carter, but
McMahan. OF Fulton. handled" Glaze
brook alone. Crawley has nine men under
him, which Will probably be increased to
thirteen; Carter has seven. and will have
probably eleven, while GlaZebrook will
have twenty. They will get their lists this
morning. Crawley wns rather anxious last
night to know whom he would appoint.
Bud Swift, for chief enrolling clerk. was
about the only one he knew nything
about. Il can't give out GlaZebrook's
appointments tonight" said Mcmahon
when asked for the list By a Journal re-
porter. Yes. i am distributing his patron
age. but | got through with only fifteen
promises and | have five places / can do as
i please with. SO / shall not complete the
list tonight" Marion county. however. is
to get live door-keepers and four clerk
ships. and the delegation is taking much
glory to itself therefor. The celebrated
Jack" Higgins. John Mullen and Mike"
Welch ave TO go on doors and n young man
named Derry Is 10 have n minor clerAship.
Captain Curtis was found tired and hap
by at IL o'clock last night. alone In his
room at the Grand and Just shutting MP.
When asked about committees he said:
II have given the selection of committees
as yet no thought. lt Is always the Gus
tom of the House TO meet and organIze on
the first day. then adjourn TO Friday to
hear the Governors message. and then ad-
journ 20 Monday to give the Speaker time
TO arrange his committees Happily | was
nominated in the caucus in such O way
that | am not hampered in the committee
appointments. lie has rarely. if ever. hap
pened that o Speaker was nominated In the
caucus by reclamation, and won't out of 1t
nnhampered by claims of those who helped
him TO win. i Will announce the commit
tees on Monday"
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUSES.