Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-05
LACKING IN BIG men.
Senate Has Practical Rather
Than Brilliant Members.
TWO USEFUL SENATORS
VALUE TO THE COUNTRY OF
ALLISON AND ALDRICH.
Sketches of the Latest Acquisitions Of
the Upper House Of Congress-
How They Gained Promotion.
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
AS one looks over the Senate chamber
from the reporters gallery it does not
seem to be filled with big men. Perhaps
the present occupants of the floor are as
good and as useful as their predecessors.
Perhaps it is better for the country to have
practical rather than brilliant senator's.
But the closest inspection cannot discover
any such great men as Oliver P. Morton,
Allan G. Thurman, Roscoe Conkling. James
G. Blaine, John Sherman, George F. Ed
munds, l.. Q. c. Lamar, William M.
Evarts and George F. Hoar. 1t Is not
necessary TO go back to the time of Web
ster, Clay, Calhoun, Sumner, Brecken-
ridge and Fessenden for purposes of COM
parison. / do not suppose there has ever
been a more useful man in public life than
William Boyd Allison, who has served
longer and lone more hard work and &C
complished more useful legislation than
any man who ever sat In the United States
Senate or any other legislative body In the
world. He may not be as big Alexander:
he may not have made as much noise In
the world as Julius Caesar or Constantine
the Great, or so much trouble as Napoleon;
but none of those men ever passed as
manly laws OF dppTOpTldl 50 LlucH fnOllSy,
or performed more solid, useful, everyday
service for his country and mankind as
The Old Gray OWL from Iowa If the
total of the appropriation bills that have
passed through Mr. Allison's hands since
he became chairman of the Senate COM
mittee ON appropriations were to be added
up, 1t would make bigger sum than all
the wealth of the world many times over
and no one has ever suggested or sus
pected or even dreamed that he was guilty
of q dishonest act or thought.
Iowa Names for Allison.
They have several pet names for William
Boyd Allison out in the corn fields of Iowa.
They used to call him ''Blue-eyed Billy
before he got so shaggy and gray; they
formerly called him '.Old Pussy Foot"
too, because of the quiet and unobtrusfve
way he has of doing things. / have also
heard the term "Rubberured Statesman
applied to him for the same reason. These
nicknames are intended to describe his
characteristics. Senator Allison never trav-
els with brass band. He never yearned
for glory. Early In his career lie discov-
cred that soft words turn away wrath,
and grievous words stir up anger" He
learned with Solomon that ''in vain doth
the hunter spread the net in the sight of
any bird or words to that effect, and he
has worked on that theory for nearly half
a century.
Nelson w. Aldrich is also a business
senator, and knows how TO do things bet
ter than Daniel Webster or Henry Clay;
and there are other men of practical mind
In the Senate who can secure or defeat
legislation and accomplish their purposes
much better than any of the great orators
or statesmen of the past generation.
BY the logic of evolution the talent and
integrity of the Senate certainly ought to
improve. If not, there is no value in ex-
perience. If not. why spend so much
money and labor to make the world bet
ter? Why found universities and civil SER
Sow, Ic rafn
and law, and social science associations?
We have improved our breeds of COWS and
horses, and Secretary Wilson will tell you
that the present generation of hogs and
chickens is much superior to those who
furnished ham and eggs to our fathers.
We have better wheat and corn, better
apples and prunes, and better machinery
and implements to cultivate them with.
Hence one would naturally think wewould
have greater senators and representatives
in Congress If there has been any pro-
nounced improvement, mentally or moral
ly, it is not apparent from the reporters
gallery. The criminal dockets of st.
Louis and Portland do not show it. and
there are whispers around the Interior De-
partment and the Department OF Justice
that other members of the American house
of lords may be called upon to defend their
honor in the courts.
The New Senators.
Tie new senators, however, are all clean;
evea the man from Utah has passed the
ms oectlon of the committee on privileges
and elections. Major Burrows of Michigan
has branded him and turned him into the
herd, as they say out where he comes
from His name is George Sutherland. He
~ republican, and lives at Salt Lake
'Ity, where he practices law but he can
never be President of the United States,
because he was born in Buckinghamshire,
England. He is a few months older than
Mr.. Beveridge. the boy senator from In
1.
legislature. He served one term in the
House Of Representatives also, and de-
clined denomination. No reason Is given.
1t is unnecessary to say that he Is Gen
tile.
Elmer Jacob Burkett of Lincoln, Neb, is
the baby senator, being only thirty-eight
years old. He Is western-born and west
ern-berd and was q farmers boy He
at Tabor College, Iowa, and the University
of Nebraska, and practiced law at Lincoln
He came to Congress in 1899, when he was
only thirty-two years old, and served con-
until he was elected senator
Hence he is pretty we'll known about the
Capitol.
Frank Bosworth Brandegee of New Lon
don, takes the seat of Senator PIatt Of
Connecticut, the greatest 1urist we have
had at the Capitol since Mr. Edmunds re-
tired from public life. Mr.. Brandegee does
not expect to fill Mr.. Platt's vacant place.
No one in sight, in Connecticut or else
where, could do that; but he is young yet
(only forty-one years of age), and, next to
Mr.. Burkett, the youngest man on the floor
He comes from good stock, the best in
New England. His father was a lawyer
and politician of fame and sterling nteg-
rity, and his son has had an unusual ex-
perience He graduated at Yale in 1885,
and from the law school in 1888. He was
imme diately elected to the general as
sembly of Connecticut, and served continu-
ously until he, came 10 Congress year
ago. He was reelected to the present
House of Representatives. but in the mean
time was chosen to fill the vacancy caused
by the death of one of our greatest of law
ma ers.
Two New Ones From One State.
We have two new senators from Con-
necttcut. General Hawleys successor is
an insurance man, the president OF the
Aetna Life Insurance Company. which was
organized by his father many years ago.
His name is Morgan Gardner Buckley, and
he has had a very active life. He Is sixty
eight years of age, and has held many Of
fees and enjoyed many honors. He rounds
out his career with a seat in the United
States Senate which he can hold until no
Is seventy-five years old.
Frank Putnam Flint. the successor to
Senator Bard of California, is going to be
heard from after a while, when he gets the
hang of the schoolhouse. He is a Yankee
was born and raised Inc a Massachusetts