The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-15
LEADERS OF THE SENATE
''STEERING COMMITTEE" CHARAC-
TER AND CHARACTERISTICS.
Allison the Undoubted Leader of the
Upper HOuse-Mr. Hanna's Dual
ROIe-Other Eminent Senators.


plasts. Love, giving a brutal instinct, the
Interpretation put upon it by so many two
legged minstrels and philosophers, is a
force more fierce by far than appetite.
Man, coming up from all-fours, stands
erect and demands chef and onyx pill
lars in the public house where he stops.
Love draws no lines, as a rule. Caesar,
told. cared for nothing but lunch
and fat women. Fighting meant power
and power was means toward an end.
Thus there are leaders everywhere and
thus leadership is defined, and in the pro-
cess of civilization, is refined as we'll. The
roaring lion has a motive; he would ter
rify every living thing and enchant those
that are not afraid. Man has ceased to
roar-he makes speeches, he builds rail-
roads, he plants the fields and here and
there he writes for the newspapers. If he
puts on uniform and sword we are
sured that he is almost invincible. Nature
was lavish and wise when she painted the
feathers Of the male birds and gave them
voices with which to sing.
There are leaders here in the House of
Representatives and in the Senate-leaders
who have triumphed on many a field and
have earned that which they have.
Through and through the House is below
the Senate in talent and notoriety. This
is not usually So it ought never 20 be so.
There are many distinguished senator's;
there few really conspicuous repre-
sentatives.
The scheme Of government where there
is constitution is complete and adequate.
man executes the laws; gives them force.
In America he is President Roosevelt; in
Great Britain he is King Edward; in Ger
many he is Emperor William. 4 body of
men make the laws, and this body in the
United States is Congress- other men de-
fine and explain the laws, and they
pose the Supreme Court. Among these
leaders of the people a whole the
few who control. The Supreme Court is
too consecrated to be talked about If the
gowned justices are earthly no one is sup
posed TO know it. or, If knowing IL, TO con-
TESS 1t. But IL the truth were known pub
lie leaders would be seen there just as lead
ers are seen on the barren rocks of the
ocean and in the dens beneath the ground.
A Greek prince when he lamented that he
was in prison and in irons was given silver
letters by king Of England, whereupon
he made arrogant with pride. Thus,
being free, the people of America are for
the very best of reasons content with their
President, their lawgivers and their court
of justice. More than that, they are vain
of their leaders, and this Notwithstanding
partisan rancor and bigotry. Jefferson,
Jackson. Lincoln and Grant now belong 10
the country, and we even hear of Lincoln
Democrats and Jenersonian PopuliStS.
NEEDFUL METHOD
Where things done there must be
method. In the Senate all business, all poll
cies, practically every detail is controlled
by what uneuphonically is called the steer
ing committee. In the House the commit
tee on rules directs legislation. In this
way leadership is acknowledged and
obeyed. Everything is arranged before
may believe that he does it haphazard. Not
so. On the contrary, he has been ordered
UP or been given permission to get up A
blind King of Bohemia went into battle on
horseback. There is none of that in Wash
ington. Here all symphonies are composed
before they are played. You will frequent
~ hear a Wagnerian rhapsody which
sounds eXtemporaneOuS, but In the main il
has been thought out in advance. When
a priest reprimanded Richard the First of
England for being proud avariciOus and
voluptuous he replied: Il dispose of the
first to the TemplarS, the second to the
Benedictines and the third to my prelates.'
This agility may do in repartee, in music,
art and literature, but it is unsafe in COM
merce and statecraft. When the butchers,
hucksters and hostlers made the States Gen
eral of France bloody and hideous there
was no steering committee such there
now is in the American Senate. On every
hand the processes of evolution lead up
ward. And so again we are reminded of
the tiger and the statesman.
First, let us consider the Senate, for there
can be seen great power, distinguished
talent and Roman arrogance and ostenta-
ton. The House. wherein. by law, much
legislation begins, is won't to sheer at the
Senate and the contempt there Dorm of
jealousy and sef-interest has trickled out
into the crevices of public opinion. But
the Senate is the conservator of peace and
prosperity. When the beasts and animals
could talk the sheep said to it's master: II
give you wool and mutton, but L must hunt
for grass. The dog is idle but you feed
him" The dog quickly made reply. Il
protect yOu,' he said to the sheep, from
thieves and wolves. If L were not on guard
you could not even go to the fields for
food Yes, the Senate is not only naughty,
but it is needed. 1t is vital part of the
government a "deliberative body" as Mr..
Thomas b. Reed so often said, with such
acidity as he alone could take from the
armOry Of language. But Mr.. Reed had "a
from great vexations." All men in the
House want to be senator's And 1 resort
to no fiction when l assert that every SEN
ator would like TO be President.
ALLISON FIRST.
The eminent senator from the State of
Iowa, William B. Alison, big-eyed and
brown, kindly, wholesome, courtly, poor in
these days of luxury and prodigalty; pacific
as was Mckinley; conservative upon all
occasions; respected alike by the rich and
the poor; pure in character, without stain
in all the relations of his life; a sound par
~ man throughout his career and with no
enemy. so far as can be known, is first IN
rank and all concede it, Here is a soft
spoken, slow sagacious leader who quietly
developed among the agricultural classes
in pioneer days when strenuous spirits We're
fighting prairie sod and primeval nature
and not one another, as they have done
and are now doing in Ohio. Allison is not
a brilliant man, but his lofty character, his
twenty-nine years in the Senate, his USE
fitness and wisdom together with his in
dustry in respect to the practical questions
which come before Congress have made him
powerful, transcendent among his col
leagues. He helps 70 steer the steering
committee. His pre-eminence is well for
the country. The odor of trusts is not
that he symbolizes the hated capitalistIc
class He is above and distant from sOrdid
influences and resembles the fathers of the
Republic. we are fond of describing them
TO ourselves. Purely as a fighter he ia d
failure. If he had always lived in Ohio,
where he was born. he might have learned
to step between rain drops" TO use Roscoe
Conkling's figure Of speech. and come to the
presidency through flowers and perfume
exactly as Mckinley found his way 10 i'm
mortality. He is such a man 10 whom
women would like 10 tell their troubles and
from whom to get sympathy, but. although
a widower for many years, he has been
without galantries Saint Louis had fine
CITY named after him. but Henry of Ma
varre will stir the emotions of men long
as they live and can tell a white plume
when they see it,
with Allison, in some respects, stands
Shelby NJ. Cullom. of Springfield. III. He
is poor. he is lawyer, he is useful and he
Is specilist, having given transportation