The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1908-12-24
PASSING OF
REACT|ONAR|ES
Is Theme of Articles in Nun
Sey'S Magazine
KITTREDGE AND CRAWFORD TYPES
OF the Old and New Order
of Things

In the January number of Munsey's
magazine is an article upon THE
Passing of the Reactionary in Ameri-
can Politics." by Judson c. Welliver.
Mr.. Welliver's article is especially in
teresting to South Dakotans on ac-
count of the references to two of the
leading politicians of the state, and
il is well worth the thoughtful con-
sideration of every citizen.
Mr.. Welliver says in part:
"A few weeks ago the last spark
of the doctrine of divine right OF
kings flickered out in western Europe.
The world saw a strong, imperiOus,
dominating ruler yield to the pressure
of national demand. Public sentiment
forced the Kaiser's hand.
In our own country the era OF
Rooseveltism has reversed this Ger
man experience. Instead of people
leading a man, we have had a man
leading a people; preaching to them,
writing at them. turning on the light
for their benefit; working ceaselessly
to inculcate better conceptions OF pub
lie and private duty. There is soon
to be change. Roosevelt will retire,
and it may be worth while to take
account of stock and determine what
the country will have to show for his
work, and what it may hope to realize,
during the next few years, by reason
of the projection of his work into the
future.
The greatest work of Theodore
Roosevelt has been the exclusion of
big business from improper part III
public affairs. He has not accomplish
A.. . &c
be done. But he has preached the
crusade, he has aroused the people,
and they will push the work forward.
All the specific legislative accomplish
ment which is entitled to be classed
as representing the Roosevelt policies
is insignificant and unimportant COM
pared with the arousal OF the PUBIC
conscience, in which the president has
taken the lead. The important thing
has been the demonstration that the
people could yet make themselves
heard. and that neither big business,
nor reactionary politics, nor confirm
ed Tories in places of power could
deny their demands.
We shall have legislation along
progressive lines about as fast as we
get parliamentary reform. 1he mouse
rules make the speaker all-powerful;
the Senate rules give control TO tne
liltle group of elder statesmen VINO
dominate the big committees. ms
method of controlling the senate is 1ar
less understood than is the speaker
mower over the house by reason or
his prerOgative OF making the commit
tees The senate is conducted very
much on the principle of a hne ciuD
of old gentlemen in which the elders
dominate by right of priority. 10
question their right so to do would be
irnpolite: and in the senate impollte'
ness is the highest crime.
Take judiciary one OF the very
great committees. AS made up last
session it included on the republican
side. Depew, of New York; FORAKER,
of Ohio: Kittredge, of South Dakota;
Fulton. of Oregon. Depew and F'orak-
or have passed into the shadows, ana
il seems to- be assured after the con-
clusion of their present terms they
will not continue in public life. hit-
tredge and Fulton have both been de-
feated in their states, and will not be
returned. Why? Because they were
lust the sort of men whom the elder
statesmen select to fill out such I'M
portant committees.
.'Kittredge and Fulton had not be-
come elder statesmen as yet. Iney
we're apprentices; given more years
and service, and they would nave
Grown into vacancies at the top or
the scheme. Each was defeated be-
cause the general impression got
abroad in his state that he was too
svmpathetic with the elders to be ef-
fectively progressive. These four
mon all going out because OF the
public's disaffection with them, consti-
mite half the republican membership
of this big committee. The case OF
Judiciary handsomely illustrates how
the elders control things, and how the
neople are wrestling control from them.
a good many changes have recent
" been made in the Senate personnel
for the same reasons which actuated
their states in dispensing with Sena-
tors Fulton and Kittredge. There
were Millard. of Nebraska, who didn't
believe in railroad regulation; Long,
of Kansas, who tried most sincerely
10 live up to an eleventhhour con-
version to progressivism, but whose
intellectual processes could no more
adaut themselves to it than could the
hands of your watch begin running
backward; Ankeny, of Washington
who from all accounts spent enough
money to deserve reelection, but In
whom no other shadow Of qualifica'
tion for a senatorial seat was discov-
cred; Hemenway, OF Indiana; ana
others. Representing the new senti-
ment. the new idea, the senate has
gaiuad cuch mon as RriStOW of Kan
sas; Brown, of Nebraska. Crawford,
of South Dakota; Cumm. ..gs, of Iowa;
Jones, of Washington; Chamberlain,
of Oregon; La Toilette, of Wisconsin.
and Borah, of Idaho. Beveridge, or
Indiana. has been there longer. pio-
neer of the new school, gradually see.
ing his force grow and his power OF
protest gain recruits.