The L'Anse sentinel., 1905-07-22


6oations-Potency Of the Barrel. '
ny AN EN-sPEAKER OF A STATE
LEGlSLATJRE
tCopyrisht. ien, BY joseph Il. Borles9
Unless the method OF clccting Cnited
States senators is changed only men
with extraordinarily strong pulls or
sncommoniy long purses can hope 10
win the coveted togas. Time Was, ana
eot SO very long ago. when United states
senatorial campaigns were conducted
along moderate lines, In those days tne
candidate wrote few letters. made
few visits to some of the "pivotai
coupties then hied him TO the state cap
ttal and there awaited the unpledged
and open minded state senator's ana as
semblymen.
But modern methods have changed all
this. and now a United States senator
is made, not elected. The vote in the
house and senate, except in rare cases,
il merely the ratification OF caucus ac-
tion. IL Is the consummation, however.
OF several years of intrigue, hard cam
paigning. keen and unsentimental poll
tics, promise giving and pledge making.
job-trading and in the majority or cases
plain. unvarnished and unblushinG
bribe asking and bribe giving.
No campaign or agitation which cen
aers on the legislature of state has in it
80 much OF interest to the practical poll
tician or onlooker who understands the
movos as the campaign which leads up
to the election of United States SEN
ator. And no election is SO little un-
.derstOod. I often have been astounded
at the dense ignorance of all that goes
into the making of a United States sena-
dor shown by men who seemed TO be
well-informed citizens.
Yet should not have been surprised,
for SO much of the preliminary work Is
of the gum-shOe campaign variety that
frequently old, seasoned members of
the general assembly are completely
fooled.
This kind of a campaign frequently
brings into conflict the state and feder-
al machines, for in every state there are
two distinct organizations; one head
ed by the governor and the other by one
or both senator's When the candidate
Is a United States senator seeking re-
election and is opposed by the governor
of the state, the federal and state pay.
rolls are the rival awards held up be
fore the coveted lawmakers. II the jobs
aH hand or promises. are not enough, the
aman who wants to succeed himeslf open!
his barrel
Some good people have deluded them
selves into believing that because som,
candidates for senatorial honors are no
rich men money Is not used in thei
campaigns except in a legitimate ant
therefore small way. The cold. har,
fact is that any man who carries tn
ball mark of success in politics and VIII
as looked upon as a winner in a rae
for seat in the United States senat
has no need to spend one lone cent of hi
own money Bank accounts of whic
he had never heard; funds from source
he had never known, ready cash fror
hands he never before had grasped ar
hits for the intimation; he doesn't eve
e,ave TO ask.
This eagerness on the part of certai
kinds of men who control certain kint
of great transportation and manufa
turing businesses explains why compa
anveiy poor men have been able to carr
out TO successful conclusion a long, G,
pensive campaign. And when that ma
gets into the senate he Is not going
have his financial hackers, his angels
say ne Is a man with cold feet" He
going to make good, for he will need th
same kind of money, those same inf
ences; those same brands of passes al
-get busy" letters when he comes befo
the people and legislature OF his sta
for reelection.
have said that United States SEP
tors-I shall modify that statement
saying most of them-arc made, n
elected. One of the statesmen who re
rescnted" our state in the upper chal
bcr in Washington was manufactur
by great railroad whose general ofhc
were in the principal city of my state
know he was made because was one
shc men who worked on the job. T
sequence of processes which entered
TO the making OF this senator beg
when the railroad people decided IN
wanted one Of their attorneys to 10
after their interests in the natiol
capital.
I have been told that the man hims
had not the slightest idea of becom
a candidate until he was told by his
perior that the great ones had picl
him out as a likely probability for t
bonors. This pickcd-out candidate
few OF the personal qualities VIII
count so much In the great game of p
fics. He was not friend maker; he
mot good mixer; he was fair sp
binder, had had some public experier
and the fact that he was favored att
ncy of the road was conclusive evide
that he knew how to get value recei
from city councils and state legislatu
~ But he was what liz known In the tr
as "an available man." He carried
right political brand; his home Il
g - - ~.