The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-12-06
ALLISON WILL Be
MISSED IN SENATE
Served as Head of Steering
Committee" Where He
Accomplished Much.
SERVED AS A PACIFIER.
PREVENTED BREAK BETWEEN
MAJORITY AND ROOSEVELT
SUCCESSOR LOVES WAR, NOT
PEACE.
By Sheldon S. Cline.


ly well-founded announcement that
Senator Hale of Maine, is TO succeed
the late Senator Allison of Iowa as
chairman of the republican steering
committee of the senate, serves to call
attention to this unique committee
which, without official status, is the
most powerful at the north end of the
capitol. The senate steering commit
tee is more powerful even than the
rules committee of the house, but its
existence is not provided for by the
senate rules. nor does a list of it's
members appear in the Congressional
Directory"
No important legislation can get
through the senate until it has been
passed upon and approved by the
steering committee and conflicting
opinions between influential republi-
can senators are harmonized by the
committee, instead of being thrashed
out in the open senate. 1t is through
this committee that the Inner circle
rules the senate, and it never fails to
go hard with a senator who refuses
to abide by its mandates.
Craftsmanship of the steering COM
mittee gave a man of the late Sena-
tor Allison's peculiar attainments eX-
ceptional opportunities for usefulness.
He was the greatest harmonizer the
senate ever has known, and his influ-
ence was none the less potent be-
cause the public heard SO little of his
ACHE evements. His colleagues give
him sole credit for the fact that dur
ing the past few years there has been
no open break between Preside Mt
Roosevelt and the senate majority
On more than one occasion when it
seemed that nothing could prevent a
rupture of relations, Allison stepped
in and arranged a compromise. To his
tact and sound judgment also has
been due much of the credit for the
fact that the senate machine has op.
Grated with so little friction. 1t is
stated that had it not been for ALI
sons influence the senate powers
that-be would have heaped unbearable
humiliation upon the head of Senator
LaFollette of Wisconsin. LaFollette s
public criticism of his senate collea
CUES from the lecture platform arous.
ber o Influential senators favored in.
flicting the severest punishment some
of them going so far as to advocate
the expulsion Or suspension of the
Wisconsin senator. Allison showed
them that to take official notice OF
LaFollette's unofficial utterances
would serve only to call attention to
the unpleasant things he had said
and to bring ridicule down upon the
senate.
Hale Loves Row.
1t will be interesting to observe the
success achieved by Senator Hale al
the head of the steering committee
He is of entirely different temper
ment from the late Senator Allison
Hale is fighter by instinct and loves
nothing in the world better than g
row. At times when the relations be
tween the white house and the senate
have been strained to the breaking
point it always has been Hale who
was feared by the advocates of peace
When he has anything on his mind
he has way of letting it off in oper
senate and the language he employees
on such occasions is blunt to say the
least
1t does not seem possible that Sen
ator Hale ever will be the senate
pacifier, so some one else must be
found to play that role. Senator Aid
rio Of 1nt RI
friction, but he never has been able
to take over the work that was Sena
tor Allison's peculiar forte. Senator
Crane of Massachusetts, Nas displayed
no little ability as a smoother out o.
difficulties, but his service hardly
has been long enough to enable him u
take Allison's place. Senator Cullon
of Illinois has achieved no little repu
tation as a harmonizer, but despite
| his many years in the senate he ha:
never been one of the inner circle
that rules that body. 1t is rather lat,
| now for him to attain leadership, fo
! had he had the aggressiveness de
manded of leader he would not hav,
been kept waiting all these years.
ncfOFfnS IN F1OuSc.
The creation of some such body a:
| the senate steering committee is on,
| of the plans advocated for reformin:
| procedure in the house, except it il
proposed the house committee shall
| be provided for in the rules and hay,
| an official status. In this case, o
course, the minority party would hav,
representation in the membership
One of the plans advanced is that tn,
| committee on rules shall be enlarge,
and made an official steering commit
| tee, while others favor a seperat,
committee.
Even those most strenuous in advo
eating changes in the present houst
rules admit that there must be som,
M afbpd nf controlling lagiSlation AM