Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-04-19
MONEY And SENATORSHlPS.


pied by Mr.. Clark Of Montana, on the
ground of bribery. Is cause for general
satisfaction. The fact that all the
members of this committee, Republi.
can, Democratic, and Populiss, agree
that free choice of Senator was pre-
vented by the great expenditures which
Mr.. Clark himself admitted were made
is more than was expected, the minority
report on every question that may arise
being taken as almost matter Of
course. Everything indicates that the
judgment of the Senate will be over
whelmingly with the committee, IL the
issue shall ever come to vote. X
Nearly 30 years ago another Senator
resigned his place rather than risk ex-
pulsion for the same cause. Alexander
Caldwell had been elected from Kansas
for the term ending in 1877, but he had
not been long in Washington before
evidence was presented that he had
secured his seat by bribery. The charge
was so thoroughly established that the
committee of investigation reported in
favor OF turning him out. This would
require two-thirds vote, whereas .
seat can be declared vacant by a mere
majority, but so few Of his colleagues
seemed ready to stand by him that
Caldwell resigned rather than suffer the
disgrace of expulsion. K
The closest analogy that We have had
to Caldwell's virtually open purchase
Of a seat, from his time to Clark,s, is
the attempt, repeatedly made but thus
far each time defeated, Of Addicks to
buy Senatorship in Delaware Cald-
well, Addicks, and Clark. are three Of
kind--ail of them men who have be-'
come so much accustomed to pur-
chasing what they want that, when
they think Of seat In the Senate as q
very desirable thing, they naturally
think also that good deal Of money
will have to be put out to get It. To
no one of the three does it seem to
have red that there is any more
moral wrong in buying a Senatorship
than In purchasing fast horse or
ordering a steam yacht.
Open and gross bribery of this sort,
on the Wholesale scale practiced by
Addicks in Delaware, and, even more
fagrantly, by Clark 10 Montana, Is SO
offensive to the public that no man
who practices IL Is likely long to retain
a seat II he once gets 1t. The real reril
from the use Of money to obtain
Scholarships comes in less obvious and
scandalous ways. The committee on
privileges and elections propose to do
o'"to Sihi bbhb FdChuE On Lil0
general ground that his extraordihary
political expenditures before election
prevented free choice by the Montana
Legislature of q United States Senat;r.
III Mr.. Clark shall not resign, the com
mIttee's motion will be sustained by
not few Senators who have them
selves made extraordinary political ex-
penditures before their election which
equally prevented free choice by the
Legislature.
The rich man who has more deIicacy
of feeling and a clearer perception Of
popular sentiment than either Addicks.
or CLARK keeps the process OF bargain
and sale from the public eye. He does
not send out agents openly to hand
over hundreds pr thousands OF dollars
to an individual member for his vote.
He begins buying his Senatorship years
before the seat is to fall vacant. He
makes large contributions to the rarty
always responds to any call for funds
which the managers make in sudden
emergency. II his State be one in
which third of the State Senate Is
chosen each year, he will take an
interest" In the nomination Of candi-
dates for the first third and the second
third of the body that will elect a
Senator, two years and one year before
the general public has begun to think
about the matter. These Candidates
will receive from him generous checks
toward their campaign expenses. A
year before the Legislature (which
elects is actually chosen, If it be A.
State where the lower branch is elected
annually, be will look out with equal
care for the nomination of members
who are likely to be reelected q twelve
month later. and they also will find
their campaign expenses looked after.
The result of all this, supplemented by
special efforts when the Legislature
which elects is finally made up, will
be that the ablest man In the State
will stand no chance in the rartv
caucus beside this rich man, even
though the latter be of very inferior
ability. There has been no bribery ID
the usual sense OF the word, but the
seat in the Senate has really Eaen
bought M
1t is through such use of money by
business men of good standing Tint
freedom of choice when Senatorship
IS at stake is most restricted in States
like Rhode Island, New Jersey and
Michigan. What we need in public
life is the man OF character and ability
anu inuepeDuence-huCn man as
littlefield of Maine. for
who was re-nominated by
reclamation and with enthusiasm yes-
terday. But such man would stand
20 chance of securing Senatorship il
a State where the votes of Legislators
are virtually mortgaged to a rich man
before their election. Fortunately,
Notwithstanding the rise of lthe ma.
chine to unqnestioned power In some
States, and the Legitimate use of
money in others, there are still many
where poor man with
. mind of his own may carry the day,
In New England, Rhode Island is an
exception to the rule, with almost
avery Senator from the rest Of that
section poor man. A year ago last
winter Indiana elected a young man
without any money. Illinois has ne,er
Known the sale OF sent, nor Iowa:
indeed, 1t has been the rare exception
in all that part Of the country whom a
nan who was rich obtained his seat
lolely for that reason, the late ex-
Senator Sawyer of Wisconsin having
,ther qualifications than wealth.
On the whole, the outlook Is ratber
Kansas, for example, Is
lot today State where a Caldwell
,ould secure an election. The great
difficulty with which we now have 10
leal is the use Of money In ways that
10 not challenge the public notice nor