New-York tribune., 1907-04-28

make connections with a nomination for the
Supreme Court. decided to have another term
in the Senate. There he is chairman Of the
most important committee. sort of vice-ma
jority leader, and generally person of much
Importance.
With all this, he is a man OF moods. and many
Of his moods have not endeared him 70 his asSO
ciates At times he fairly eXudes gayety and
sunshine. At others the sun is clouded and
Senator Armstrong assumes that attitude which
brought about a combination of the first year
Senators to force favorable consideration by
him Of their bills in his committee which is
known at the Capitol as the revolt OF the
His legislative experience generally and his
close connection with Governor Hughes in the
insurance investigation naturally have put him
at the head of the Governors forces in the
Kelsey case. Some OF the Senator's have
chosen this leadership at various times
instrument 10 plague him, declaring that he
was prosecuting Mr. Kelsey because he
couldn't stand il 10 read the Armstrong report
entirely through. and that they didn't blame
Kelsey for not agreeing that the Armstrong
report ought to be used as a textbook in the
public schools Of the state.
Senator Armstrong is OF the ready de-
baters OF the Senate. Few bills OF much i'm
purtance come before that house on which he
does not express his opinions. He expresses
them forcefully and clearly-so forcefully in
deed, that sometimes he draws down on the
project he IS advocating overwhelming opposi-
Ion because Of the method Of his advocacy.
He IS a keen thinker. ready at retort in the
war Of words. and because of that has a dis
tnct advantage over many of the Senator'S IN
debate which has not added, in some Instances.
10 his personal popularity Last year The in
surance expert, this year Senator Armstrong
mas become a financial wizard, Juggling with
hSure3 IN the millions, pairing huge chunks out
OF the state s expenses. and shearing away ruth
!esSly the expenditures which enthusiastic legis-
lators would put into the annual appropriation
Dill The fact that the states ready money is
somewhat less this year than in other Years,
ana the additional fact that with cOmmendabe
zeal Senator'S and Assemblymen, anxious 10
benefit their home districts. have piled up an
imposing array Of special appropriations which
Fa far TfRFHrrl
prosperous state than New York with all its
wealth, have caused him to get a touch OF
writer's cFamp from welding the blue pencil.
senator Armstrong; capacity for work and
ms ability TO grasp confused situations and
bring out a workable policy differentiate him
took hold Of the finance committee work he
found that appropriations had been made for
the state departments in previous years en-
bioc, without especial regard 10 the particular
use the departments desired To make Of the
money Working in conjunction with Assem-
blyman Moreland. chairman of the Wavs and
Means Committee. lie devised system whereby
Tor this years appropriations the heads Of de-
pariments were obliged TO specify the purposes
Tor which they expected to spend the money.
In this way many appropriations were scaled
down materially and others cut out COM
petely.
For several years Senator Armstrong's esne-
cial legislative hobby has been the good roads
project His name is associated permanently
with the Higbie-Armstrong law. under which
the state system of roads is being built He
IS practically the only legislator outside the
chairmen Of the committees on Internal At
fairs who has grasp Of this highly compli-
that the states work on a highway system has
been effective.