Arizona republican., 1900-12-11
SENATE NO PLUTocRATs CLUB.
Few Rich Men in Senate Owe Place
 to Money.

"A congressman is usually a man who worked his own way up in the world. and this is as true of the senate as of the house. The idea that he | senate is a millionaire's club is ficti- tious. There are several senators whc are millionaires and others who are in- 1 dependently rich. That is they have an income outside their salaries dpon which they might liwe-lucl1ily for them, as the senator or representative | who doesn't spend every cent of his salary and something more, while in office. is very rare indeed. The talk about millionaires in the senate is largely guesswork. It must be in the nature of things for a millionaire is very vague and ill-defned creature. The lists which are sometimes pub l lished giving names of senators with seven or eight figures attached, pre- ceded by the dollar mark are always imaginary. There is hardly a rich man in the senate who owes his place | to his money. Common repute would probably put the following in any list Of senatorial millionaires: Aldrich, Depew. Elkins, Fairbanks, Foraker. J. P. Jones. Kean, Lodge, McMillan, Proctor, Scott, Shoup, Stewart Fur ner, Wetmore and Wolcott. Common | repute is mistaken in about twenty | five per cent of this number But even supposing that it was right, there are only two or three in the list who would not have held influential posi- | tlCns in the senate even had they been l poor men. Aldrich is one of the shrewdest political managers in the | United States. He controls the poli- ties of his state by sheer ability, and most of the money he has made has l been due to fortunate investments since he became a senator. Depew is an orator of wonderful gifts and a 1 lawyer whose services to his party | have been so great that the marvel is he was rot made a senator before FL kins has had a national reputation as an astute political manager for the last twenty-five years. Fairbanks is the acknowledged leader of his party in his state. Foraller was distinguished | governor Of Ohio, a man Of national | reputation as an orator and a party leader before he was chosen to the senate. and what money he has made was earned'in the practice of his pro- fession after he left the governor s chair. Hale married his money after he came to congress. When he was elected to the house he was green country boy, with hair that needed cutting and trousers that did not. He made his reputation-he is one of the ablest men in either branch of con gress. Blaine took him up and intro duced him into society, and his fortune was made. It is not his money that keeps him in the senate. It is too late now for anybody to question Hanna S political ability. He may know how to put money to good use in politics, but he has shown sufficient executive capd- city to prove that, if necessary, he could get along without it. Lodge is the leader of his party in Massachu- setts, an orator, a scholar and a writer as well as a political success. Me Milan is the best political organizer in Michigan. Proctor was a gallant off cer in the civil war, has been governor of his state, and secretary of war. Turner, of Washington. is accounted one of the most brilliant men in, the far west. Besides, he is a pOpulist. Wo1cOtt, of Colorado, Is a brilliant orator and a fine lawyer. He would shine anywhere, even though he had no money at all.
 Aside from these who, whether rightly or wrongly, are sometimes classed among the millionaires, there we'll to-do'-just how well-to-do il would be hard to say: but any one o1 them could lose his political office With l Chandler, CockreH. Davis, Hawley Hoar, Lindsay. McEnery, Penrcse Perkins. the two Platts, Quarles Simon, Spooner, Teller, Thurston, Tur- ley. Wellington. Sewall and Warrer are in this group. Doubtless there arc others. Most of these men have beer succezsfU, in law or in business, 1nc
 the fact that they are not dependln
 on politics for d living is simply a tribute to their chosen careers
 The talk about the senate being q millionaire's club is midsunner ,1iIli- ness. To be a senator is to have the
 most delightful public position whicf can fan to the lot of an American pub
 lie man. But those who have won i
 have earned it by strenuous endeayo
 as the continuation of credit1lble politi.
 cal careers. They have not bough
 their seats.
 "It has become popular cry tha
 members of the senate ought to b
 chosen by popular voye, the plea beint
 that the use of money in state Iegis
 latures has become a scandal result ing in the choice of men who could no
 look for favor at the hands of tn
 people As d matter of fact there ar
 few senators who at some time in thsi
 careers have not met with emphAti , popular endorsement. Of the member