The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-07
SpOoner Pushes Himself For
ward as a Leader of the
Party in Power
NEW MEMBERS MODEST
Twenty Nine Of Them Pass Through
Their First Session and Nothing
Notable Has Been Shown
Regarding Ability.
From the Globe Washington Bureau,
Post RuiIdin0

From the Globe Washington Bureau,
Post Building.
WASHINGTON, d. c., July Elm
the United States senate leadership is
more closely identified with ability
than in the house, where seniority al
most completely dominates the situa-
ton, The great men of the senate are
able men, and while most of them have
seen long service that fact alone does
not suffice to give them control of
affairs. even though it may make them
chairmen of important committees. Mr.
Spooner is one Of the~infiuential lead
ers in the senate today although he
is only nearing the close of a second
term, and between the two there was
an intermission of six years. When he
came back to the senate he at once fell
into a position of prominence just as
he had worked up to one during
his earlier service. If he We're to re-
main in the senate for the rest of his
life he might make reputation which
would rival that of Henry Clay as a
successful deviser of compromise
measures.
Spooner's canal amendment was one
of the most shrewdly drafted proposals
NFOA ohOiIiIbSA " kAlC 0CI1dkE. II lGlI
each side thinking it would be ulti-
mately victorious. He took up Mr..
Morgan's own arguments, and, as if
recognizing their validity, made them
the basis of legislation. Morgan had
said that the Panama Canal company
could not give clear title and that the
Colombian government would not
make any reasonable concessions to us.
feet, IF that is so we will build the
canal across Nicaragua, but in case
you were wrong you would certainly
not object to our taking the short cut
between the oceans" The Panama
people all believe that they have won,
and that the difficulties which Mr..
Morgan has pictured are largely imag-
mary.
Spooner Smooths Rough Paths.
At the stage of the session when
this was done victory for one side
which should not be CALLING to the
other was of prime Importance. 1t
was no uncommon prediction six
weeks ago that there would be no
canal legislation, that the rivalry be-
tween the friends of the two routes
was so great that the houses would
become deadlocked and adjournment
overtake them. Instead of that the
canal bill has gone through victorious
ly encountering but six opposition
votes in the senate and but seven in
the house. Next to Mr.. Hanna, whose
aggressive espousal Of the Panama
cause gave it the standing necessary
for success, Mr.. Spooner deserves
credit for putting the legislative pro-
posal into a form which could not
very successfully be resisted.
His Cuban reciprocity compromise
did not come out so we'll. 1t is notable
that the best conjectures as to what
his compromise proposal would prove
to be, before the seal Of secrecy was
lifted from it, were derived from con-
sideration of how Mr.. Spooner's mind
might be expected to work, with a
given set of facts. He is methodical
in his compromises. Unfortunately for
the country he does not seem very de-
sirous of coming back to the senate,
and there is a factional fight in his
state which may prevent it, were he
willing. At the same time the matter
is by no means settled. Wisconsin peo-
pie realize, as a rule, that they should
keep Spooner in the senate, just as
Colorado should keep Teller, regardless
of parties and of factions in each case,
because of the large part which these
tional affairs. Independent Cuba" is
a monument today to the shrewdness
and foresight Of Mr. Teller in drafting