Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-04-04
ALLISON THE PEER.
A Washington Newspaper Correspond
emit Pays Him High Tribute.

ent rays him f1lSn iTlpute.
The Washington correspondent of
the Iowa State Register says:
The men who have been nominated
for the presidency during the past
twenty years have, not one of them,
been on a par with William B. Alli-
son. for craftsmanship, statecraft di-
plomacy, and genuine wisdom as to
national and international affairs. Col.
Hepburn says: 81 have always be-
|lieved that Senator Harlan knew
more substantiative facts than Sena-
tor Allison, or any other man of his
generation. But ! have for many
years regarded Senator Allison as the
wisest man that l have known. He
makes no mistakes. He is never in
hurry to do anything, if haste can
be avoided. Consequently, ne delib-
erately reaches conclusions which are
absolutely correct That is why | say
that he is the wisest man | have ever
| known"
During the past week the writer
has visited Senator Allison's commit
tee room daily several times in the
afternoons Senator Allison is seldom
there. particularly during the last
week of each session. He is giant
| in strength He seems to be tireless.
While night sessions were being held,
some of the younger senators were Of
| ten found sleeping on the sofas in the
cloak room; but Senator Allison was
never asleep. Night after night he re-
NAMED in the senate until after adj
1 journments were reached at midnight
or O'Clock in the morning. He arose,
as usual at o'clock, had his break
fast, attended to his mail, and went
forth to his public duties at 10 O'Clock
in the morning, as fresh and strong as
ever. Senator Dolliver this evening
said:
Il have been watching Senator Ali.
son as you have been. He is certain
lily credit to the nation, as we'll as to
our state. When necessity requires
The can be as quick as Napoleon in de
cision and in action. Usually he is
las deliberate and shrewd as Richelien
and as diplomatic as Talleyrand. He
knows men and he knows himself
You know, as well as senators know
that the president often sends for him
and relies on his counsel. You also
have witnessed the fact that, as chair
man of the steering committee, be has
: guided the senate thru the devious
and winding channels of legislation
and has thus avoided the necessity, O
an extra session All Of the senators
have confidence in his wisdom, which
has grown out of his experience in ma
tional and international affairs. More
over, we all know that he has the con
! fidence of the president; that h
7 knows lots of things which other sen
2 otors do not know; that he therefor
! has cause for each plan which HI
5 from time to time modestly proposes
: that he has thought out every problem
2 before arriving at a solution of it; AM
t that he is a master of details. ant
l that is something of which very fey
men in the worlds history have bee
master of completely. He knows ey
: cry line in every appropriation bill
! and the reason for its being there
f Out of the approximately $Soo,OoO
e 600 appropriated for the national e,
4 penditure, Senator Allison alone ca
tell the reason why, for every dolla
appropriated. At the other end G
q 1.-THE capitol building, Speaker Hendel
= son alone knows the reason why, fo
= each appropriation. While | hav
made a study of details part of m
life work, marvel that this man ca
successfully fulfill the functions {
e chairman of the committee on appr'
priations, chairman of the steerin
committee, chairman of the caucu
and chief adviser of the president {
, the republic, in international as we
es national affairs, and make no mi
takes. He makes no pretense to b
ling an authority on international law
and yet his counsel on internation'
4 |affairs is now sought, just as was til
4 advise of the late Senator Davis,
? Minnesota, who was known to be
, great international lawyer. 1t is
D credit to the intelligence of the entil
D people of our state that they hay
i kept Senator Allison in the senat
4 until he has grown to this stature
x strength and power; all of which |
Y bears with such unpretentious mo
Y lesty Of demeanor"
2 Col. Hepburn says: Excepting ii
5 lczar of Russia and the emperor /,
f ~ Z 4. IS + J. -