The evening times., 1898-10-10
FOUR VETERANS OF CONGRESS.
Reed, ketchum, HRrmer and Can
non Likely to he Reelected.


Reed. ketchum, HRrmer and can
non Likely to he Reelected.
Thomas Is. Reed was reelected to the
Fifty-sixth Congress in the first Maine
district at the recent State election in
the Pine Tree State and John III. ketch-
um. of Dover Plains. N. Y. Alfred
c. Harmer of Philadelphia, Pa. ,and Jo-
seph G. Cannon of Danvilie, HI, have re-
Gently been renominated by the Republi-
cans in their respective districts, all
three of which are overwhelmingly Re
publican. These four congressman
Reed, Ketchum, Harmer and Cannon
are the four veterans of the congression-
al service.
Mr. Reed was originally chosen to the
Forty-nfth Congress, and he has been
elected successfully to ten Congresses
since without a break. invariably carry
ing the Portland district. and has gain
ed a distinction which has led to the
Speakersnip for him when the Repubii-
can party was in the majority and the
leadership of the Republican minority IN
the House when it was not.
Gen. Ketchum, who represents the
Dutchess County district of New York.
has not had so easy congressional rec
ord. He was a member OF the state
senate when the civil war broke out,
and he entered the Union army as a co..
| onel He continued at the front until
| he was appointed a brigadier general.
| and was meanwhile elected TO Congress,
! taking his seat on March 1, 1865, the day
| of the second Inauguration of Lincoln.
| He was subsequently, elected for three
4 terms from his district, and was candf-
date for reelection for a fourth in 1877.
l He then became, unwittingly, no doubt.
the victim of a condition of things which,
| besides being exceptional, was certainly
most unsatisfactory. The year 1872 was
| one Of great triumph OF the Republican
| party Horace Greeley was the Demo
cratic candidate for President. and the
| success of Republican candidates gener-
| ally was regarded as sure. In the
| Duchess County district, then made up
! of Dutchess and Columbia counties.
there was resident John o. Whitehouse,
| wealthy shoe manufactures. who de-
| termined to be a congressman whatev-
! er it cost. He had the means to in
| dulge in his ambition, and did SO al the
| expense of Gen. Ketchum his Republi-
can opponent The battle between the
| Republicans and the Democrats in this
| district is admitted generally 10 have
| been without precedent in the amount of
money spent, and a wholesale corrup-
tion of the electorate in these two coun-
ties involved an expenditure generally
| put at s250. 900. At the election preceding
the Republicans carried the district by
2.30O plurality. and the tidal wave of
success in 1872 a majority OF $500 or
more would not have been regarded as
abnormal.
But by reason of the prodigal expendi-
| ture of money to promote Mr.. White
| houses canvass. both counties were car
| ried by the Democrats. and Mr.. White
| house had a majority in excess OF 800
| votes Gen. Ketchum after his defeat
retired to this city. where he was Com
missioner Of the District of Columbia
| from July, 1874. to July, 1877. He was
next elected TO the Forty-ilfth Congress,
| and was reelected for seven terms con-
| secutiyely. Then he retired in cense-
| quence of impaired health. but resumed
| his congressional career in 1896. He has
| been again renominated by the Republi-
! cans Of his district and is in the field
| for election thirty-four years after his
| original race though he was not a MEM
ber during considerable part of the
time. In the last Congress Gen. Ketchum
| was a member of the Committee on Mil
| itary Affairs and he has been active in
all matters relating to military affairs
in Congress.
| Mr. Harmer, the veteran Philadelphia
| Representative. has served thirteen terms
In Congress in a district which is over
whelming!y Republican. He was re-
corder of deeds before being elected "a
Congress, and his service has not been
unbroken. In the election OF 1872 the
Third district of Pennsylvania was rep
resented by Leonard Myers. and the
Fifth by Mr.. Harmer Subsequently there
was reapportionment of Pennsylvania
districts, based upon the Federal census
of 1870 Mr.. Myers and Mr.. Harmer were
thrown under this apportionment into the
same district. Neither would retire in
| favor of the other. Both ran and both
| were defeated the Democratic candidate
| prevailing. This was the only election in
which since first a candidate Mr.. Harmel
has been defeated and the circumstance
attending his defeat were such as would
indicate no impairment of his popularity
In Philadelphia.
Joseph G. Cannon was first elected tt
| the Forty-third Congress. and. with one
break. the Fifty-second. he has beer
elected to every Congress since. and hi.
| place as chairman of the Committee or
Appropriations is commanding one OF
the Republican side. When defeated II
1890 the plurality against Mr.. Cannon
| was only 500.