The Washington times., 1905-12-22
INSURGENT SOLONS
BEHIND THE GUNS
Loaded for Taft as Well as
Roosevelt.
THEIR PRER0GATIVES GONE
Elder Senators. as Well as Veteran
Representatives., Want old-Time
Prestige Returned.
THEIR PRERoGATIvES GONE

President Roosevelt is not the only
man who has been marked by the Con-
sressional insurgents.
That they are going about IL syste
maticsliy To make trouble for him and
his policies is now frankly recognized.
Incidentally. they are looking for
chances to make as much trouble for
Secretary Taft as possible
The unfriendliness of Congress for the
President is not dif1cult 10 understand.
The President never was a member of
Congress. He does not really under
stand the Congressional attitude to-
ward MANY things-postoffices patron
age in general. civil service the Senste's
power OF confirmation. etc.
The othe- day IL was suggested that
eight or nine men largely control legis-
iasion. by controlling the great com
mittees OF the Senate. Now. this group
of powerful Senator'S are veterans who
date back TO the time when national
conventions were controlled by Con-
gress. when the home machines re-
sponded to the suggestion from Wash
ington. and sent delegations TO the ma
tionsl convention that served the pur-
poses of the Congressional leaders.
Old Regime Recalled.
Recalling the great parts that Platt,
Conkling. Quay, Hanna. Cullom. Hoar.
Allison, Blaine. Spooner. Davis. For
aker. Hale. Frye, and others of that
older regime have played in the max
ing of Presidential candidates. it is not
diffieult TO understand that the Sena-
torial elders have z certain feeling that
the day of Theodore Roosevelt has seen
them shorn of great snare of power
Roosevelt was nominated for Presi-
dent by a convention which. as some
body said. contained all the opposition
TO him that could he mustered from the
entire country He was nominated in
spite of the opposition Of this elder
group OF publicists. 1t was for a LONG
time almost a prerogative of the Re-
publican Senatorial leaders to deter.
mine who should be the party candi-
date for President. Roosevelt put an
end TO all that.
Tho genesis OF this power of the Sen
ate is an interesting study. Back in the
beginnings of constitutional government
the national convention was unknown
In fact 1t is. in anything Ike its pres
ent form. only about half as old a.
the House was regarded as the powerful
legislative body. and caucus of th'
House members Of a given party use'
10 get together and nominate their can
didate for President. Then the Senat
began TO take on prerogatives, 10 capi
taIize its PREF 1-'itiEes into politica
power j [ wanted hand in things. AM
the national convention developed
largely controlled by the members o
House and Senate.
Result of Civil War.
The civil war brought ar era Of in
tense interest I'm public affairs. In whic
the Executive. as must happen in sue
q strenuous epoch. overshadowed tn
Congress. But when the war was owe
Congress impeached and tried a Pres
dent. by way OF demonstrating it's powel
as much as anything else. And then be
cause the country was growing grea
and populous and rich at a tremendou
speed. the number of offices was increas
ing. and the Senate. because OF its powe
OF confirmation, began to develop Ovei
shadowing power. The Senators becam
the managers Gf the State machines
they dictated governors and State of
GERS at home and Presidential nominee
i'm national gatherings. and because {
such traascendent powers they weT
able largely 10 determine the policies
administrations.
In this immense business of wholesal
mana cement, the Senators present.
found their hands very much occupies
IL was easy enough 10 take the neN
step. 10 a political partnership with n
corporations and big private interest
that are heavily concerned in legisls
ton Thus ii came about that we sa
Colossus Of politics like Cameron II
elder. ruling at Harrisburg, at Wasl
ington, and in national convention
like Plat. bestriding the interval b
tween Albany and the National Capita
both; like German, who could bo.
Maryland and al the same time vi
make the tariff policies or has party 4
the sake of the Sugar trust; like Aldric
who is as supreme at Providence as
is in the Senate Committee OF Financ
like Hanna. who departed a little fro
the regular order, made a Presidef
and then made himself the spokesmi
of that President In Congress. IT
list might be lensshtened indefnitel
but Il is unnecessary
y Senate Prestige Increased.
The Serate found it's prestige increas
Immensely by that action OF the Hou
when. under Reed, II put away its POI
ers Of deliberation and adopted rul
that gave over the custody OF Its co
science and its policies into the han
Of a few leaders. Perhaps II was nece
sary because Of the unwieldy proportio
10 which the House had grown An
how II was done. and the Senate becar
greater than ever.
So the Senate grew into the posltl
~ the great clearing house OF polite
influence. Senators came TO be label
with the initials Of the corporations tn
represented They were known as I
bosses in their home States. They al
tated the distribution of patronage, a.