The San Francisco call., 1899-01-29
WITH ENTIRE FRANKNESS.

BY HENRY JAMES.

To resume work IN this department
which has made for me so manyfriend
and so many enemies. is a genuine
! pleasure. Greeting to both and to th'
latter confusion. For several weeks
| have been among the statesmen trying
to learn of them and finding they have
| little to teach save that which is con
| veyed through their attitude as lo
of terrible examples. My impression
that the professional politician belong:
to a low order, that his word is worth
less, his ambition mercenary, has beer
fully confirmed. When set OF mer
get together and have not sense and
principle enough among them TO elect
a United States Senator it is time fol
| the matter to be taken out Of theil
hands. When they are afraid to vote
on any measure without first having
consulted their owners it is time tC
keep them at home and try the effect
of intellect and honesty in public places
But this condemnation does not by any
means include all the legislators. There
are in both houses members above sus-
picion or reproach.
That there is corruption at Sacra-
mento is beyond question. Its agents
are on the spot. So gross and palpable
are the workings Of evil influence that
a man can hardly mingle with the leg
islative mob and escape the suspicion
of being dishonest This truth shines
with particular effulgence in connection
with the contest for Senator. When a
u e-fn dc hIT c
and declares that nothing can weaken
it's fealty it must be there is something
wrong 1 would not deny to Burns the
possession of many good qualities, but
he is not adapted by training to take
a seat in the Senate Of the nation, As
to his record, l say nothing. To me 1t
is matter of hearsay. But when
Burns on the stand swears he has not
expended a cent to promote his own
candidacy, credulity braces up and de-
cIares that it has endured to the limit.
Even with Gunst, Herrin and Nc
Laughlin to back the story it still
seems to lack the most essential ele-
ment. Yet in a business transaction
the word of any of these men would be
accepted without bond. I'm social re-
for questioning their veracity In poll
tics it is different.
AS this is written the report OF the
investigation committee has not been
received and 1 have no idea as to the
character OF it. Nevertheless, the fact
is clear that the Burns people captured
the committee, whether with or without
the consent of the prisoners l do not
say. There was never better politics
than they exercised, and there was
never politics more shameful. The
terms are equivalent. Politics as now
operated constitutes an organized sin.
The regrettable feature about the in
vestigation has been that it set rumor
in motion, and rumor spares none.
Honest Assemblymen, honest Senators
and honest journalists have been as
sailed. Perhaps this will not harm
them, but it is far from desirable ex-
perience But for all the theory of a
sack" my three weeks at the capital
led to the belief that the talk is based
largely on hope. Money has doubtless
been expended, but to go into the open
market now with bids for votes or in
fiuence would require the courage TO
face exposure and disgrace.
1t seems to me that of all the people
summoned before the committee to ex-
plain, Grant was the gentleman. He
acknowledged having spent money and
considerable of it. He did not think
there was anything reprehensible in
having done so, for his manager had
been instructed to expend it legiti-
mately There are certainly legitimate
expenses connected with a campaign
fare and compensation for speakers,
printing, carriage and the hire of halls.
Yet as Grant told the truth about that
which he had done he blushed, and the
witnesses who on the stand before him
and after had smoothly lied while every
listener knew them to be lying had
never turned hair. 1t was a strange
exhibition. Grant went upon record
condemned by his own words. The
others had moral bill of health sworn
to by themselves, but perforce, accept
able. In the minutes of the session
they stood unspotted. How were their
conscienceS?
I do not propose either to rehash or
to prognosticate. The story has been
told day by day, and as for the future,
one has as much right to peer into it
as another. I simply give the guess
that no Senator will be elected, and
since Burns and Grant are out of it,
Bulla never in it, Scott a vain hope
and Barnes with only his intellect and
the charm of his oratory and his fine
presence to commend him, there seems
nothing left but a continuation of the
deadlock. Barnes would be a credit to
the State The Southern Pacific does
not want him. He is scholarly, decent,
dignified, able, and with no golden coin
wherewith to pave his way. Therefore
does he fail to appeal to the senses,
not of the people, but of the material
the people have chosen to represent
them. If Burns secures a caucus this
is all off. The caucus is the refuge of
the coward and the shield of the pur-
chased Burns might come out of a
caucus triumphant
An amusing feature of legislation is
the attitude of the mighty toward the