St. Tammany farmer., 1905-08-19
state. ostensibly on railroad business

ItIcaI leaders. never DGIOTe ndu lAdt
road been so liberal with passes. Any
man who had a, line on any member of
the legislature got pass for the asking.
1t was this generosity without any re-
quest for legislative favors which made
the boys suspect that gum shoe cam
paign senator was on, and long before
the members of the general assembly
which was to elect a senator had been
nominated it was known that the rail-
road attorney was candidate for Unit
ed States senator.
Now this is what that man had to do
to get the seat in the senate he and MS
people were after. He first had to have
majority. on joint ballot, in the gen.
eral assembly of members OF his pollt'-
cal party, otherwise he could not Do
elected. Having party majority he
then had to get majority OF the mem
bers of that party in caucus in order to
get the nomination. To get this caucus
majority he had to begin at the very bot
tom; he had to go to the county eonven-
tions to get delegates favorable to him
sent to the legislative district conven-
tions. He then had to get the district
conventions to nominate, for members OF
the legislature, men who would vote lot
him in caucus. He attended in person
as many of these conventions as ne
could. and where he could not the rail-
road sent men in his interests.
The company had along its lines local
attorneys who handled the legal busl-
ness of the railroad in their sections OF
the state. Every local attorney was a
politician. l was one of them, that IS
how get mixed UP in the campaign.
With others I was called in" to the
company's headquarters and given
certain portion of the state to handle
for the company's candidate. 1t was
my Office to round UP every township,
county and district convention could
for Sur man" There were nearly 81
of us. and we worked hard; We had to.
was told that my expense account
would be paid without question.
We were unable to get instructions
for our fellow in as many district con
ventions as we wanted, for the United
States senator. whose seat we were after,
! was pretty live proposition and knew
how to promise the same federal job to
a dozen men in a way to make each be-
lieve that he had that job landed. But
here is where our man had the edge on
him; our candidate had barrel. 1twas
| not his pr6pefty but he had the use OF
| it. and was told to knock In the head II
| necessary, and he knocked it in. ..
He had established headquarters In
! the city, and there score OF active
| shrewd, knowing politicians were at
work. The nominating conventions had
all met and nominated, and from thai
headquarters went the word that every
| candidate of our party for the legisla
ture who needed campaign funds could
be supplied. l was in the inside room
one day when candidate for the state
senate came in In cool, businesslike
way which was refreshing, he was asked
how much money he required to "cinch'
election. He was modest. He put the
| figures only up to $500. He then was
asked if he would pledge himself to vote
| in caucus for our candidate. He saiG
/ he would. Then he would have no OBJ
! lection to signing pledge to that Ell
| feet. He signed and before the ink o1
his signature was dry be was handed
three crisp $1OO bills. $50
Now that bribe was yelled by the sub
| terfuge that the money was part of :
campaign fund contributed by enthusi
astic men who wanted their party tt
win the election. AS a matter of fact thu
money was paid for that mans vote b.
the railroad company, who wanted ,heil
candidate for United States senator tt
be elected. From this headquarters alst
were sent speakers into close district!
and the legislative candidates in sucl
districts knew that their help cam,
from the railroads candidate. In short
/ a general campaign for the election o
members to the general assembly wa
ably and effectively conducted by ou
candidate, and the newest novice in poll
tics could easily figure that the expense
were something enormous.
Our man was elected without trouble
for before the party caucus was held hi
opponents withdrew. They could no
fight the barrel which was never empty
no matter how often its contents wer
scooped out.
= s.ts
4 I have sketched out this campaign t
/ IL. nd -
which characterize campaign for tn
election OF a United States senator. N
other election in state calls upon
candidate for such close, detailed, pei
picking, expensive, skillful politica
work. And each year this game become
more intricate, for it is the game wher
the ruling minority governs the major
ity. It is the few men in the townshi
that control their delegates to the coun
ty convention. 1t is the few men in tn
county convention who select the dele
gates to the legislative conventions;
is the dominating minority in the legis
lative conventions which nominate an
in the legislature it is the few ruler
who swing the caucus nomination. Tn
people at large have no chance to e1
press their vote.
So long as the present method OF elec'
ing United States senators is used th
senate will be what is called ''millior
aires club" for it takes small fortun
to make even a moderate. legitimat
campaign. Some day, perhaps, senator
will be elected by popular vote. But thi
day will not come until some member
of the senate are sent to the penitentiar
for buying votes with cash, federal job