The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1893-12-30
PAIR IN CONGRESS-
What Is Meant by the Term in
Political Sense.
A Way They Have for Keeping the Rec
ord Clear.
FRIENDS OF THE OPPOSITE PARTIES

The Pledges of a Pair Absolutely Sacred
and a Matter of Honor Among
Statesmen.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29.-[Special lit
would seem that the ordinary reader
would never learn exactly what is
meant by "a pair" in congress. Men in
both branches Of the national legislature
continue to receive complaints from
their partisan constituents that the news
papers report their congressman or sem
ator with having paired with one of the
opposite politics, and that there is objec-
ton to such trading of votes"
Although simple, the custom of pair
ing in a legislative body is difficult of
understanding, except to those who have
it explained in simple language. 1t may
be understood by this example When
John Doe, who is in favor of The Wilson
tariff bill, is taken sick, or has sickness
in his family, or is called away on ''im-
portant private business" which is as
apt to be pleasure as business, and still
wants to keep his record intact so far as
his measure is concerned he simply goes
to Richard Roe, who is opposed to the
bill, and who is going to remain, and
proposes a pair with him on the final
vote on the bill and on all votes leading
up to it. This means that when the
vote is taken in the absence of John Doe
Richard Roe, when his name is called,
responds that he is paired with Mr.. Doe,
who, if he were present, would vote in
the affirmative, while he, Richard Roe,
would vote in the negative but as Mr..
Doe is absent Mr.. Roe withholds his
vote. In this way Does party does not
suffer from his absence, and that gentle
man keeps his record clear upon the
question.
This is what is known as "a general
pair" and may last for a day or an entire
season. Thus, when ex-Speaker Randall
was lying upon a bed of death for so
many weeks his party did not lose his
vote in the house, because a general pair
was arranged for him with a republican,
General Bingham, of Philadelphia. Then
there are special pairs, holding good only
for some specific question or vote. Again
pairs are arranged and announced as be-
ing "for this day only" This is where a
senator or representative is called to one
of the departments on business for one
of his constituents or because Of sudden
i~ndisposition or any other unforeseen
contingency. The matter of pairing is
in charge of some particular senator or
representative of each party. Thus in
the senate Mr.. Faulkner has general
charge of the pairs for the democratic
side and Mr.. Aldrich for the republican
Sometimes when a vote is reached and
the pairs are announced, those in charge
of the matter find that by shifting the
pairs matters can be so arranged as to
pair two absent members or senators and
allow two Of those present, On opposite
sides of the question, to vote. In such
cases there is no difference in the result.
1t is always the case that a senator or
representative prefers to stand on the
record as voting rather than as paired.
Pairs are usually and so far as possible
arranged between friends in the two
parties. Thus, in the house Bourke Coch-
ran and ex-Speaker Reed, who are warm
personal friends, have a general pair,
meaning in this case that if one is absent
and the other present when a vote is
taken the one in attendance announces
that he is paired with the other. In the
senate a most notable instance of this
kind at this time is that between Mr..
Cameron, Pennsylvania, and Butler, of
South Carolina. 1t began when Butler
first entered the senate and has continued
until this time. The friendship between
these two gentlemen is in sense part of
their inheritance, because it has grown
largely out of the friendship which exists
between Senator Cameron's father, Simon
Cameron, and Senator Buffers uncle,
Pierce Butler.
These arrangements known as pairing
ara pavar hr,tap Thara l. M naral.y