Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-05-17
LEGISLATIVE LEADERS
Acknowledged Party Preraiers In
the Upper House.
KISyER'S Wit AND YlLsES' WlSDOx
How the awe Champions Measure
h-Wtsner's strategy to Out-
general DorAn-MiiRes' Indignant
Protest On the senate Steal.

AhS thoSs ta-iAS iaSsSs Va >1sS
whole legislature Is Chauncey w.
wisner. of Saginaw. the leader of the
Democracy In the Senate. lie IL =
study and something of an enigma.
He is . remarkable combination OF
many excellent qualities. turned some
what awry by the influence of q few
perverse ones. Having been elected 70
the Senate for the third time in success
sion, he felt that he was entitled 70 the
Leadership of the Democratic majority
and that .'his right there was none 10
to dispute" He reckoned. however,
without his host-and Senator Doran.
The latter had come down from Grand
Rapids loaded with "reforms" and
seemed disposed 10 put himself at the
head OF the Democracy. Senator Wisner
had much better conception Of "rc-
form" "fromla Democratic cstandpointand
determined to shape measures himself.
He was too wise 70 attempt to remove
Senator Doran by any sudden or violent
means. Democratic votes were too
scarce in the Senate to be alieniated SO
he decided to outwlt the Senator from
Kent. Sly. slirewd, quick-witted, he
played with Senator Doran as q cat
does with the mouse she soon intends
to devour. He fiattered Doran's
vanity, encouraged him in his efforts,
quietly placed little stumbling blocks
in his way and exposed his lack Of skill
and experience.
Duke Doran Dupcd.
A recent occurrence well illustrates
l. af
tive Richardson's famous railroad meas
ures had passed the House and was due
IN the Senate. 1t had been arranged
that Senator Doran should steer the
bill safely into the hands of the COM
mittee on Railroads, of which he is
chairman. When the order of "Messen-
ger from the House" was reached, Sem
ator Wisner, having previously ascer-
tanned the arrival of the bill, carelessly
approached Senator Doran, diverted
his attention from business, and made
some mysterious motions with his
thumb over his shoulder in the direc-
ton of the cloak room. Senator D0ran's
curiosity was aroused and he went "for
to- see. Meanwhile the bill was re-
ceived and on motion of the crafty
Senator from Saginaw, was referred to
his own Committee on Judiciary. So
neatly was it done that to this day the
Senator from Kent does not understand
it.
Chauncey and the Steal.
His first serious task was the organi-
zation of the Senate. The Democracy
must control that as . matter of course.
They had the presiding officer and it
became necessary TO secure the Secrc-
Iary and his assistants. The Patron
Senators were inexperienced. They
knew nothing about the officers, except
that they wanted some of them. SEN
ator Wisner, on behalf of the Demo-
Gratis made q great show of magnimity,
gave them a number of unirnportant
offices and wheedled them into the
election of a rampant Democrat with
thin Patron coating, for Sergeaut-at
Arms. They were taken in and the
Senate machine was Democratic. The
exact nature Of his connection
with the unseSting of Senators
Horton and Morse, will never he known,
unless death-bed repentance discloses
il. Great differences of opinion exist
on the subject. 1t was noticed that he
was strangely quiet during the melee,
while Senators Park, Crocker and Doran
pranced about and yelled for order
but it is thought to have been Chaun-
cey's puppet show just the same.
His Unquestioned Astuteness.
No one realized more than he the
necessity Of n safe, Democratic major
ity. No one WAS willing to proceed TO
greater lengths to secure it; but, true to
his crafty nature, he was perfectly will
ing TO reap the advantage and the glory
of II, while others took the odium.
Such appears to have been the case.
One source of Senator Wisner's power
and influence is his good nature, socia-
bility and fund Of humorous stories.
On the floor he is witty, sarcastic and
eloquent. His talents seem adapted TO
all kinds of oratory, from a political
stump speech to q funeral Grafton,
from an arrangement of fraud and cor
ruption to an apology for partisan
treachery. No one IN the Senate can
stand before him in this capacity and
no one ventures to do II. Such is the
man who shapes Democratic policy ia
the Senate.
Piucky Senator Miines.
Tho leadership of the Republican
minority IN the Senate is acceded TO
Alfred Mines of Coldwater. In almost
every respect he is the opposite of his
Democratic opponent. He is nine years
younger, tall, straight and unbending
IN form and nature. He is q man OF
positive opinions, strong moral convic-
tons, and firm in his adherence to
what he deems right. He 10 not witty
like Senator wisner, but he can make
sudden turn on his adversary, winch
creates = laugh at his expense. lie is
not skilled in sarcasm, but he has re-
markable faculty of exposing an oppo-
nents inconsistency that no one cares
to meet very often. He is not eloquent,
but he can bring together facts. figures
and arguments with tremendous force
and drive them home to the most stab
born comprehension. He is blessed
with capacious and elastic lungs. .
strong throat and loud voice, 30 that
ne usually succeeds in making himself
heard when ne sets about 1t. He has
not mind trained 10 discriminating
between fine legal differences, but he
has fund of "horse sense" that ena-
bles him 90 understand the principles
OF parliamentary practice, Interpre-
the rules of the Senate and apply them
IN the ordinary or extraordinary pro-
ceediBgs Of that body He is unmoved
by ridIcule or sarcasm and, IN hrs en-
counters with the champion Of the
Democracy, the lattsrs pointed
shafts of wit have always been
blun'ed and his pondeTous thun-
dertolts OF IRONY shattered against the
inperturbabslity OF Senator Mines.