The Washington times., 1894-04-25
All Suggested BY the
Death of Jesse SeliQman.

The death of Jesse Seligman in Colorado
will really cause a shock to many persons
here In Washington. His genial manners had
been familiar here as well as in Now York.
and here, too, his influence, especially In Re
publican times, had been very much recog-
nized. He had always been one Of the chief
money subscribers and money raisers Of the
Republican party. In official circles, there
fore, when the Republicans happened to bei in,
MIR. Selfgman was always welcome, and he
usually secured what he wanted.
Mr.. Seligman was prominent member OF
the famous Republican finance committee Of
1892. with the help Of which Hon. N. 8. Quay
won a Presidency for man who felt annoy
ing compunctions of conscience about speak
ing to him afterwards. Mr.. SeligmRn was
little more than beginner at that time.
though. In the campaign OF '92 be and
Thomas Dolan. Of Philadelphia, and
Cornelius N. Bliss, OF New York, were not
only the finance committee Of the Republi-
can party. but they managed the whole cam
paign. They were unquestionably Of greet
service in raising money (though the labor
of all these committees is always exagerated),
and the real work is usually done by the poor
devils, who also have the wire-pulling and the
newspaper pulling and the pulling of pulls to
sinews of war are not furnished at all by
those who are supposed to furnish them. But
In the 1872 campaign Messrs. Seligman, Dolan,
and Bliss undoubtedly raised a great deal OF
money, and possibly they will yet be obliged
to pay some OF the old bills OF the committee.
But these three gentlemen really managed
the campaign. 1t was thought after Mr.
Carter had accepted the craftsmanship OF the
committee. q post, as is well known, as many
as twenty good men declined TO daily with,
that he would be allowed to fill it; but not
only did the candidate begin to lose con
fidence in him. but the finance committee
began to take the real management Of the
campaign out Of his hands, and as these gen.
tlemen seemed to have what would be called
in the woolly West lead-pipe cinch on all the
spondulicks. there was nothing Ior Mr. Carter
to do but to seem to lead without leading, to
seem to act without acting, to seem to plan
without planning, thankless task. to be
sure, and one which made the more obnox-
uous the subsequent criticism and complaint
poorly. for nobody could have done any bet
ter than Mr.. Carter under the circumstances
II was funeral, anyway, and an undertaken
from Montana was Just as good as one from
New Jersey or New Hampshire.
All the active management Of the campaign
was assumed by Messrs Seligman. Dolan and
Bliss. They met at headuuarters controlled
the money because they had raised it. and de- |
cided not merely what sums should be sent to |
various localities but how these sums should |
be spent, process OF which they knew |
nothing. of course. having no wide acquaint- |
anceship among the politicians who are ac-
customed to spend money judiciousy. But |
nj ia
OF '92 was no more attributable to Carter.
Clarkson and all the other wheel horses than |
II was to an idle zephyr now accommodating
the Dundreayys OF Admiral Walker on the
smooth Pacific. The defeat could hardly
have been worse. II might have been more
satisfactory if there could have been some
trace OF politics in it.
And what rot il is, anyway, all this expendi-
ture of great sums OF money! Three-quarters
of all that is raised. no matter by what party,
is spent ill-aivisedly. 1t is distributed SO
much among bummers and hangers-on. who
put it in their pockets or spend it ill-adviseiiy.
which is just Us bad. (In their own pockets
it probably does some good after it is stolen)
Then think OF the carloads OF tracts that are
sent out in all these national campaigns,
tracts inevitably to ill junk shops and fit for
nothing elsel When will thetwo grea, parties.
instead of spending S2,000,00 or $4,000. 900
every national campaign, use 100000 or
$500. 600 iudiciousiy and accomplish more?
When will the forum of public discussion
settle things. wonder? When will campaign
orators and party newspapers and managing
politicians talk face to face with the people
and convince them just as they would talk,
man to man and face to face! Before many
years; partly because this matter of putting
lp 5000 or $4,000 for we know not what
political purpose is growing to be dreary
lake and also because this general notion
that millions must be spent IN questionable
campaign purposes is growing to Le dreary
and unpru!ituDie chestnut