The Forrest City times., 1905-07-07
Ry AN EX- SPEAKER OF A STATE
 LEGISLATURE

A
 LEGISLATURE.
 fconvrieEt 1905. by Joseph E Bow,es)
 Unless the method Of electing United States senators is changed only men with extraordinarily strong pulls CT uucommonly long purses car hope to win the coveted togas. Time was. ana not so very long ago. when United States senatorial campaigns were conducted along moderate lines. h those days the candidate wrote few letters, IL ade a few visits to some Of the pivotal counties. then hied him to the state cap ital and there awaited the unpledged and open-minded state senators and as senblymen.
 But modern methods have changed all this, and now United States senator is made. not elected. The vote in the house and senate, except in rare cases. is merely the ratification cf caucus ac- tion It is the consummation. however. of several years of intrigue, hard cam paigniue keen and unsentimental poli- tics, promise-glv and pledge making. job-trading and in the majority of cases plain unvarnished and unblushine bribe asking and brite giving
 No campaign or agitation which cen ters on the legislature of state has in it 50 much of interest to the practical poli- tieian or onloGker who understands the moves as the campaign which leads up to the election of United States sen ator And 10 election is so little un- derstood. often have been astounded at the dense ignorance Of all that goes into the making of United States sena- tor shcwE by men who seemed to be weli-intormed citizens.
 Yet should not have been surprised for so much of the preliminary work is oi the gam-shoe campaign variety that frequently old, seasoned members Of the general assembly are completely fooled
 This kind of campaign frequently brings into conflict the state ana feder- al machines. fer in every state there are two distinct organizations: one head cd by the governor aEd the other by one or both senators. When the candidate IS 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 If the joEs. in hand or premises. are not enough. the man who watts to succeed himeslf opens his barrel
 Some good people have deluded them fr'f a1F | candidates fer senatorial honors are net rich men money is not used in their eaMpalSns except in a legitimate and therefore small way. The ccld. hard Fact IS that any man WHO carries the hal mark of success ir politics and who IS looked upon as q winner in c race Tor seat in the United States senate haS no need to speEG one lone cent of his own money Bank accounts of which he had never heard; funds from sources ne had never known, ready cash from hands he never before had grasped are his for the intimation he doesn | even have to ask.
 This eagerEess on the part of certain klhGs Of men who control certain kinds oi great transportation and manufaC- turing businesses explains why eompar- atlVeiy poor men have been able to carry out to a successful conclusion long, ex- pensire campaign. And when that man gets into the senate he is rot going to nave his financial packers. his angels. '' 'ay be is 6 man with cold feet" He is going 10 make eood. for be will need that same kind of money, those same infiu- ences, those same brands of passes and Eel busy letters when he comes before the people and legislature of his state TOT reelection.
 have said that United States sena- tors-l shall modify that statement by saying most of them-are made, not elected. Che of tie statesmen who rep resented cur state in the upper cham Der ID Washington was manufactured oy grea: railroad whose general offices were in the principal city of my state know be was made because was one ot the men who worked on the job. The sequence of processes which entered in. !" the making of this senator began when the railroad people decided they wanted one of their attorneys to look aitef their interests in the nationa capital.
 have been told that the man himself haG Rot the slightest idea of becomins candidate until he was told by his SUI perIor that the great ones had picked nun out as likely probability for togs nohofs. This picked-out candidate hat It" or the personal qualities whict couht so much in the great game of poll ues- He was not friend maker: he Was aoi good mixer; he was Q fair spell. oihder, had had some public experience ana the fact that he was favored attor Ney o1 the road was conclusive evidence .na' ne knew how to get value received rum city councils and state legislatures