Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-08
EYE ON THE SENATE
REPRESENTATIVE SMITH OF THE
SECOND MICHIGAN DISTRICT.
His Candidacy Announced - Gen. Al
ger and D. M. Ferry Also in Field
Cuban Reciprocity Question.

Representative Henry c. Smith of the
second Michigan district was in Washing
ton today for the purpose of attending to
some departmental matters and incidentally
to do little political work in connection
with his candidacy for the seat in the
United States Senate made vacant by the
death of Senator Mcmillan of that state
In this connection Mr.. Smith had an eX-
tended conference with Mr.. w. B. Thomp-
son, formerly first assistant postmaster
general and who is at present incidentally
the treasurer of the republican congress
sional campaign committee. Mr.. Thomp-
son is a resident of Mr.. Smiths district in
Michigan.
After this conference Mr.. Smith was
asked to discuss the situation.
Well" he remarked Il am a candidate
for the Senate. Beyond that there is very
little for me to say, as 1t would not seem
exactly polite for me to say why L should
succeed in that ambition. There are two
other dateS-General Alger and D. NJ.
Ferry of Detroit. L say this with the un-
derstandng that the son of the late sena-
tor has withdrawn, as reported by the
press.
Governor Bliss has declared his inten-
ton TO leave the matter Of a successor to
Senator Mcmillan to the legislature at its
next regular session. provided the elections
this fall do not develop a democratic ma
jorty, in which case he will call special
session before the terms of the present
members expire so that the three remain
ing years in the term of the late senator
may be filled by republican There is not
the slightest likelihood in the world how
ever, that such a contingency will arise as
Michigan is not going democratic. She
will send twelve men to Congress of the
republican faith"
Cuban Reciprocity.
How about Cuban reciprocity?"
Cuban reciprocity is subject which is
not being discussed in Michigan Neither
the people nor the politicians are interested
in 1t in the least. The Michigan delegation
voted solidly against Cuban reciprocity at
the last session. They have had no reason
so far to change their views. At the state
convention an effort was made to bring the
subject to the front through resolutions
which seemed to tndorse the delegation IN
Congress for the position it had maintained
and also to indorse President Roosevelt for
his directly opposite position. This resolu-
ton, however was sQuelched absolutely.
How are we going to settle the Cuban
question? Why, in the same way that We
have settled the Porto Rican question.
Cuba is naturally ours, and after she has
tried her self-government for satisfac-
tory time, she will naturally become a part
of u.s.
Mr.. Thompson was also seen regarding
the Michigan senatorial situation
MY position in the matter Is simply
this" he remarked in answer to ques-
tion. Gen. Alger is a good man, and 1t
would be very nice compliment to pay
him to send him to the Senate. to fill out
the unexpired term of Senator Mcmillan
but Gen. Alger is sixty-seven years old.
He could vote with his party, but it is not
reasonable to suppose that a man of mis-
age could or would exercise the energy
necessary on. the part of new member of
the Senate to place him in the influential
place required for the good Of his state
Then, too, it would only be question of a
few years when he would want to retire
and the work of breaking in another man
would have to be faced by the state and all
of this time practically lost.
Favors a Young Man.
This same argument applies equally if
not more strongly to Mr.. Ferry He is a
man seventy-two years DID, and although
man of prominence and standing, yet it
seems to me to be a mistake to put such
men into place where for the good of the
state, young man should be placed
Right on this point l feel strongly that
the only policy for a state to successfully
pursue In selecting her representatives in
the national legislature is to get young
ana vigorous men at the beginning and
then keep them in the place until they
nave acquired the efficiency of long serv-
Ice, which is so essential for usefulness of
that character"
Mr.: Thompson favored the selection Of
Mr.. Smith.