The Detroit times., 1908-05-07
Washington
Lette r.



WASHINGTON, May 6--Time wat
in the senate when new member
who ventured To oppose the rulini
coterie--or the old.timers--would %
so thoroughly disciplined that hs
would not forget in years. Time was
when new senators sat still and list
ened when the old-timers spoke and.
II they had feelings persuading them
10 arise and offer a criticism. they
smothered them. The oid-timers were
the bosses.
That time was. IL is not the case
at present. The young senator's are
kicking over the traces with vehe-
mence that Is startling. IL is particu-
larry startling to the old-timers them
selves. The guardians OF traditions
are much surprised. to say nothing OK
their indignation. They cannot UNI
derstand why the fedglings are so
darlng--or.. perhaps, they have never
noticed that the pin feathers have
long since disappeared to be replaced
by pinions swift and enduring.
Until this session. the young sena-
tor had to sit around on the outside
edge and pick at the crumbs OF me
real craftsmanship OF the senate IL
is natural that some time he would
get tired.
One time Senator Dolliver slipped
the halter and capered around, caus-
ing some annoyance To the old-timers.
He was, OF course, punished for II ana
became content not to get obstreper-
Gus again, but the days OF disciplining
the refractory are rapidly passing.
The young senator, II he has some
thing to say, gets up on his legs ana
says II. He does not consult the feei-
Ings OF the older men before doing
so. either.
There's Senator Hale. OF Maine. for
instance. In my last letter. l explain
ed that Senator Hale was one OF the
last men the younger senators would
cross swords with. Along came SEN
ator Burkett. who did not like Q
speech OF Senator Hale's and he STOOD
right up In the aisle and said so. Ev-
eryone held their breath TO see what
would happen. Then they began to
breathe naturally again-for notnink
happened.
IL is pretty hard for the old-timers
to let go their grasp of the senate.
They feel Il keenly. For 20 years Sem
ator Hale has scolded the members
whenever he felt like 1t. This scold'
II Ing caused the brewing OF revolt.
When one OF the younger element
resented something done by the older
senators. he was not alone In the
movement He had the sympathy OF
the gallery. as well as the younger
men on the floor.
Senator LaFollette, who never did
show a disposition to bow to yoke.
has evidenced the audacity to say nay
when he did not like the exercise OF
the prerogative of the old-timers.
There was an anxious moment NOS
long ago when the Aldrich bill was
up for consideration. 1t was with diff
ficulty that the younger members were
forced into line. Borah, Bourne.
Brown, Hepburn and LaFollette vot-
ed against II. Senator Aldrich scowL
ed right merrily when he saw the re-
| volt.
Beveridge. OF Indiana. kicks up
once in while: Dixon. OF Montana.
refuses to go along smoothly when
the road does not suit him; william
Alden Smith Is not entirely amenable
TO discipline and a numoer OF others
grow refractory when they are SO in-
cltned. AS matter or fact. the young
Senators now pounce upon every OPP
portunity TO break. i
A prominent Georgia politicians
dropped into Washington to see the
senator from his state the other day
After general conversation, he said
this:\
'Takin' my liquor home. now. r.
have my little bottle on the sideboard.
Wife objected at first till told her Z i
saved about five cents on every drink.
THE other night she said. Now.
Bob, you've had your drink and saw.
ed Ave cents-it's time to 90 To,
| bed !
Yes" | told her, but I feel more
than ordinarily saving tonight thinh
III put away a quarter" =