The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-02-08
By JOHN R. HASKINS.
Copyright, 1903, by John R. HaskinA

United States Senator Aldrich of
Rhode Island. walked up to his coll
league from Massachusetts, George
Frisbie Hoar, the other day and said:
Senator, I congratulate you on be-
ing the new object of eager interest TO
visitors to the National Capital"
The venerable representative of the
Bay State beamed through his gold
trimmed spectacles at Mr.. Aldrich.
"Why?" he drily questioned.
We'll" was the reply, "a dozen sight
seers from Providence hunted me up
not an hour ago and asked me to point
out to them 'Hoar. the trust buster
And I've gathered in chats with other
senators and many representatives
that their constituents are daily i'm
ploring them to exhibit you in the role
of octopus hunter"
One visit to the Senate galleries is
sufficient proof that Senator Aldrich
was right when he told Mr.. Hoar that
he is an object of great interest among
Washington's thousands of visitors.
Any day in the gallery can be seen
groups of two and three with heads to-
gether having Senator Hoar pointed
out to them. gazing at him long and
curiously, and discussing him in whis-
pers or undertones. They seem to come
just to see Mr.. Hoar and, when they
have taken him into their hearts con-
tent, they steal silently away.
But if these same visitors knew that
the venerable trust buster" who gen.
orally disappoints them in his physical
appearance, reads genuine yellow-back
novels and ten-cent productions on the
same order with all the avidity Of a
messenger boy, or a giddy factory girl,
perhaps they would gaze longer and
with increased curiosity and wonder
ment. For truth to tell, Massachu-
sets senior senator has this mental
pastime and refuses to be separated
from it.
Mr.. Hoar's favorite time for reading
these hair-raising productions is while
travelling. Whenever he has a railway
journey of any length to make he car
ries with him a pile of literature of the
"Deadwood Dick" RED Headed
Ralph THE Ranger of the Roaring
Rialto" type. He reads the stuff
through from first to last-never skip
ping a word and gets the keenest en-
joyment out of the plots and impossi-
BILE characters. And he likes nothing
better than to discuss with his compan-
ions the curious working of the human
mind that can evolve such situations.
Eow Mr.. Hour Amuses the Senate.
But this is not Mr.. Hoars only trait
that amuses his legislative peers.
When he is feeling in particularly
good humor he keeps his neighbors
in the Senate in a constant litter of
amusement by his sotto-voice COM
ments on the proceedings.
His collee CUES have a unique way of
gauging his humor 1t is by the man
ner in which he manipulates bunch
i IL h fcs An
When he is at peace with the world
and everything is going smoothly
with him. Mr.. Hoar swings this bunch
of keys with an easy, regular notion
If the swing should stop, or become
irregular, then there is little temp
est brewing in his mind. II ne should
tap his desk with the keys, then it is
known that the views expressed by
some one on the floor are displeasIng
to him. When he draws the keys up
near his face and swings them in a
circular motion, he is amused at the
verbal antics OF some OF his oppo-
nents. But when he sweeps the bunch
through the air in long curve, ms
colIea CUES know that he is disguised
and about to take the floor to reply TO
some displeasing argument, or 10 re-
proach the Senate for some proceed
ing not in accord with his ideas OF
propriety.
Trolley Riding HIS Cnlei hecr0"'h'
Unlike most of his colleagues in the
Senate, Mr.. Hoar fancies no partlcu-
lar sport, and this, too, causes not
little good natured chan TO De poheu
at him He is neither a fisher nor
hunter His tastes are quiet and his
outdoor exercise limited to carriage
drives and trolley rides. Every sum-
mer during vacation it is his haDlt 10
gather company of his old eronies
in Worcester, charter special trolleS
car and go to the seashore at Glou-
cester, where they enjoy a hsh dinner.
The carload of old fellows go from
Worcester to Boston, where they re-
main over night. The next day they
GO to Gloucester, eat their fish dinner,
return to Boston and, on the thlrd
day. get back to Worcester delighted
with their outing.
These cronieS are the senator rs DEAR
est friends and are more numerous
than his intimates in Washington, for
this mild-mannered man, whose olue
eyes beam so benignly through huge
spectacles, has not made many close
friends in his public capacity. This is
due to the fact that he Yields a free
lance in debate and is as liable 10
wound a friend as foe. He mas
biting, sarcastic tongue, wh1cn, more
than once, has made him personal en-
GfnleS. IneSe enemies Seiii SNA-AS-
and disregardful of the rights ana
prerogatives of others.
He is a great stickler for the forms
and courtesies of the Senate as ap-
piled to others, but is more frequent
in his violation of them than any OF
his colleagues. He has a habit OF lee
turing the Senate on the properties,
and this. too, has caused feeling OF
resentment.
The brilliant ingalls,, whose wit ana
sarcasm often encountered That OF
Mr.. Hoar, was not very friendly TO the
Massachusetts senator during the
Arthur administration Senator Hoar
and his colleague, Senator Dawes,
vigorously fought an appointment
made by the President. Their feeling
was very bitter and it was reported
that there might be a repetition OF the
Conkling-Garfield episode when the
New York senator resigned. Wneh
the possibility of Senator Hoars res
ignation was mentioned to MT. IN
gals, the latter derisively excla1meo'
Senator Hoar resign? Not mucn;
When it comes to that point ne VIII
rise in his place and present the resls-
nation of Senator Dawes.
when Hoar Addresses the SENATE
Senator Hoar cannot be called an
orator, if oratory is eloquence. II,
however, oratory Is the art that holds
the intent ear of the audience py the
interest and power of the argument
- eft h0