May 26, 1970
Page 17139
THE FARLEY WAY IN POLITICS
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, Edward H. Dickson, staff writer for the Sacramento, Calif., Bee, the Fresno Bee, and the Modesto Bee, recently wrote a column describing the present state of the Democratic Party and recalling some of the contributions of a man whose name has been synonymous with Democratic politics for more than four decades.
I ask unanimous consent that the article entitled "The Farley Way in Politics," be printed in the RECORD.
There being no objection, the article was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:
THE FARLEY WAY IN POLITICS
(By Edward H., Dickson, staff writer)
Debt – Much ado is being made these days about the $9 million debt inherited by the present Democratic NationalCommittee from the close-but-still-losing 1968 presidential campaign.
Some are going so far as to predict the party's death like that of the Whigs.
But there are dissenters who say that while the Democratic donkey might have a severe bad financial glanders or heaves, there is a potent kick in the old boy – yet.
Veteran – One of those who is not ready to roll over and play dead for the benefit of the Republicans is Rep. John J. Rooney of Brooklyn, NY, a congressional pepper pot if there ever was one.
"The pundits around the country," Rooney told his colleagues, "are trying to bury the Democratic party without even a decent wake.
"They say the party is leaderless, out of touch with the people and broke – that it cannot win in 1970 or 1972 and in fact may not even be in existence by then.
"This, like most punditing, is just pure bunk. The party owes money but it can win in 1970 and 1972 and once again prove it is the party of the people."
Witness – As a supporting witness for his viewpoint, Rooney cited James A. Farley, still
sharp and active in the business world and one of the political geniuses of United States history.
It was Farley who packed a suitcase in the 1930s and traveled throughout the nation gathering delegates for Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt, a fellow New Yorker, for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1932.
Farley has an almost uncanny memory for names and faces, boundless energy and a high regard for political loyalty.
FDR appointed Farley postmaster general at the same time he was serving as chairman of both the Democratic National Committee and the New State Committee.
He performed all his tasks well but the hostile Republican press referred to him as "three-job Farley" which disturbed the amiable Farley not in the least as he enjoyed wearing all three hats.
There was a story around Washington during early New Deal days that while Farley was not vindictive about punishing any of the administration's enemies, he thoroughly enjoyed rewarding his friends.
Been interest – All things being equal as to qualifications for a job, Farley showed keen interest in knowing whether the favor seeker was "BC" – meaning not the calendar but a supporter of FDR "Before Chicago" where he was nominated.
Anybody who might have doubted Farley's political ability had to be thoroughly convinced by his management of the Roosevelt's 1936 reelection campaign which he won by carrying every state except the then traditionally Republican states of Maine and Vermont.
Rooney pointed out Farley remembers 1928 when Democrat Alfred E. Smith was defeated badly by Herbert Hoover in an election which saw several of the then "Solid South" states go into the Republican instead of Democrat column. The political wiseacres expressed the belief the Democrats would be out of power for 25 years.
Recalled – But Farley also recalled the Democrats bounced back in 1932 and it was they, not the Republicans, who held the White House for 20 years.
As to the leadership, Farley had kind words for both Hubert Humphrey and U.S. Sen. Edmund S. Muskie of Maine.
He observed the election was close, that the McCarthy and Kennedy camps delayed too late in aiding the ticket and that Humphrey would have won if the campaign had gone another week.
He said Muskie made an "extremely good impression, is knowledgeable and a good public speaker who never makes extravagant statements."