El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-10-25
By
Frederic
]. Haskn
Congressional Campaigns
I-CONTROLING THE HOUSE.

the administration, and if they have
elected an opposition majority in con-
gress, as they did in 1890 and 1894, the
president whom they thus repudiated
and rebuked has paid absolutely no at
tention to their verdict, because the
American government is not govern
ment of a responsible parliamentary
ministry. Although in these years,
and in others like them, opposition
congresses have been elected, the fact
that the administrative branch of the
government was not bound to respect
the verdict of the people, and in fact
did not do so, contributed to the popu-
lar notion that congressional elections
are not important anyhow. Therefore
the contempt in which politicians hold
the elections of an off year. If next
month the Democrats should elect a
majority of the house of representa-
tiveS and thus for the first time in Is
years achieve a national victory, the
country would not regard the event as
a definite political decision. In Eng
land, or in France, a similar victory
would mean d practical reversal of the
political policies of the nation. Here
a Democratic victory will be valued bys
the Democrats only in so far as affords
a basis for hope of victory in the pres
idential campaign Of 1912; while the
Republicans will pooh-pOoh the whole
matter as the inconsequential accident
of an off year in politics
From the very beginning of Ameri-
can political history this tendency to
subordinate the Importance of congress
sional elections has been fostered by
system of political parties whose or
ganization has depended rather upon
presidents than parliaments; rather
frC GO
sonal leadership has counted for much
in all political activities in every coun-
try and age, but only in the United
States has loyalty to a personal leader
been made the determining factor in
party government. We have developed
the precinct captain, the county chair
man, the ward leader, the city boss, the
pie-dispensing senator, and the polfti-
cal president at the expense Of the
town meeting, the county board Of SUI
pervisors, the city council, the state
legislature and the national congress
Some Exceptions to the Rule.
In spite of these general truths, there
are some striking exceptions to the
rule At times the congressional cam
paigns. even in off years, have as
sumed a tolerable degree Of importance
and have been the means Of recording
made permanent impress upon the
course of national history Sometimes
these important political campaigns
have resulted in overturning MAORI
ty party in the house Of representa-
tives, thereby paving the way for a
subsequent presidential victory and the
transfer of all governmental activity
from one political party to another.
Thus the Democratic congressional vic
tory of 1890 presaged the election Of
Cleveland in 1892, just as the Republi-
can congressional triumph of 1894
foreshadowed the election of Mckinley
in 1896.
Sometimes these important congress
sional campaigns have resulted not in
overthrowing the dominant party In
the house, but in upsetting the prevail
ing policy of both majority and minor
ity, sometimes changing the party
name. but more often retaining the
form while reversing the practice. Thus
in 1910 the Democratic ma jority was
increased, yet the vast majority of the
old members were defeated and a new
school of Democrats took their places
Henry Clay and John c. Calhoun we're
leaders in this early insurgent move
ment-
Begin in fractional Quarreis.
II IS Interesting ~ NIUE lnal THESE
exceptional congressional campaigns
always have had their origin in fac
tiona1 quarrels among the members of
one of the principal parties, and never
as the result of the attacks of one par
ty upon the other. Direct party war
fare has succeeded in arouSing the gen.
eral interest of the people only when
in a presidential election each party
has been able to visualize itself in the
person of IFS chosen leader.
Party splits usually, If not always,
have produced interesting congression-
al campaigns. Such family quarrels
always cause great excitement and