The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-08-29
AVERAGE MAN IN
CONGRESS HAS
NO EASY SNAP

Take your average congressman What
is he? writes Samuel Merwin in Success
Magazine.
He is commonplace person who is des-
perately eager 10 hold on to his job Per-
haps he Graves the publicity and appear
ance OF power; perhaps he is vitality inter-
ested in protecting" his own or another
mans business. But no matter-whatever
the original motive. he wanted the Job.
he got IL, and now he proposes TO keep
reform ticket, in which event pity him
from the bottom OF my heart, for there
is no more biting scorn than that OF the
practical congressman for the ideal
ist." II the ambitious young fellow Is in
terested In really constructive legislation,
he Is heaven-sent butt In the eyes OF
the OLD timer Unless he submits TO the
paTty whip and votes as he is told, he will
be put on no committees and will never
be recognized on the floor. He soon learns
that he is TO do no thinking at all. that
the thinking IL done by the leaders by
the machine. Until he submits he is a
Tariah. He is offered a few OF those
pleasant little social opportunities which
come so easily 10 the regular" young
man, and 10 the regular young mans
wife. Under the present rules there Is
simply no chance at all that he will have
the slightest influence on legislation. The
whole universe seems against him. And
so, nearly every time, he submits. He
pits on the collar. Ten years more, and
he is a routine congressional hack, spir-
itless, wind-broken, warranted 10 stand
without hitching--in short, he is your
average congressman
His one overmastering desire, / have
saidS is 10 KEEP his job. This is not always
easy. how does he go about IL?
Two things are essential 10 success at
the game OF pleasing his constituents
one. 10 dip deep in the pork barrel"
which means 10 put through large ap-
proprlations for federal buildings, river
and hGrbor improvements. irrigation
works or in some other way 10 induce
the federal government TO spend money
freely in his district: the other, 10 get
public jobs for the men who worked for
his election.
These two things your average congress
man certainly does with all his might
and main. But there is another element
in congressional success. which is very
much more important: but he must please
the little group OF corporations who put
up the money which elected him, for 1t
ooses money TO run a campaign Office
hire, halls, salaries OF spell-b binders and
mysterious workers" printing, sign
painting, advertising. travelling expenses.
brass bands. torches and uniforms, and
vote buying (which Is more prevalent
than our friend would care 20 admit, even
TO himselD-these expenditures soon run
away up into the thousands and tens OF
thousands. He must have that money.
Popular subscriptions would never fetch
it-never in the world But II can be got
at a price. The manufacturer who wants
tariff protection" the corporation which
simply must have this or that form OF
special legislation in order successfully TO
plunder the public, will gladly put up the
money IL our friend will agree. once he is
safe In congress. 10 deliver the goods.
IL seems 20 be a case, right at the start.
OF put on the collar. and enters the south
wing OF the national capitol pledged 10
defeat the popular will wherever corpora
tions are concerned-which is pretty near
ly everywhere today. And there you have
him, in all his glory. To get money. and
which is also important. 10 get big
speakers, our friend the congressman
must go 10 that subdivision OF the ma
chine which Is known as the congressional
committee. and which is made up OF the
house LEADERS" He may never hear
these pledges discussed. he may never
face out the truth in his own heart. but
let him try Just once 10 throw of the cor
poration yoke and see whe$ would hit
him! What would Uncle Joe" Cannon
say TO him? What would the Honorable
Serene Payne say? What would Grosve-
nor say? What would Dalzell say?