The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-11-02
YOUNG MEMBERS
MAKE SENATE TOO
WARM FOR HIM
Reason Why AIdriCh Has DeCid-
ed to Retire
WILL NOT BE CANDIDATE
General Manager" of Upper House
Losing Prestise-out Of SYM
pathy With "New Idea"

Washington, Nov lit has been
known among Senator Aldrichs
friends in the Senate for a long time
that he would not be a candidate to
succeed himself upon the expiration
of his present term, and from time to
time during the last two years the re-
port obtained publicity Senator Al
drich himself has never taken the
trouble to confirm or deny it for pub
LEGATION. If he had not reached a set
tied conclusion on the subject, how
ever, the course Of events would have
tended to increase his inclination to
quit the game on March A. 1911.
The Senate now Is very far from
what It has been for many years from
the Aldrich point of view. For Con
gress after Congress he has had things
pretty much his own way. Around
the senate end Of the capitol he was
referred to even by employees OF the
building as the General Manager OF
the Senate" His will was the domi.
nant factor in the decisions reached
by the little group that have come TO
be known as the Old Guard He
was the leader of that group, even In
the days when o. H. Platt OF Connec.
ticut, Spooner Of Wisconsin, Allison
Of Iowa. and Mark Hanna Of Ohio
were in the prime Of their influence.
Allison was chairman of the Repub-
lican caucus and head OF the Steering
committee, but 1t was Aldrich who
was the real manager In those DAYS
no man dared dispute with him on the
floor of the Senate and there was nev-
er a word from his party followers In
criticism or opposition But the last
two congresses have seen a remark
able change In the seth congress
came La Toilette, the first Republican
radical, and openly defed the Aldrich
regime He was alone then. but IN
the first session OF the Sixtieth con.
gress, the last winter he had the com
pany OF a number Of other radicals
from the western states.
The opposition TO Aldrich on his
currency bill gave another illustration
OF the way I'm which he was losing his
grip on the Senate In the old DAYS
he would have cracked through his
bill as It was at first reported and In
Just the shape he desired. without any
/ trouble and woe TO the Republican
youngster who dared to get in his way.
But last spring the Republican insur.
gent youngsters made him remodel his
. bill very materially before he dared 10
bring It TO a vote and they served no.
+ tice on him In unmistakable terms
that In case he did not modify Il they
would Join hands and beat H.
Under such conditions a. Is evident
that service In the senate has lost a
| great deal OF charm for Aldrlch
Moreover, the tremendous popular de
mand for legislation affecting corpor
atiOns tends TO make him unhappy
Aldrich Is a reactionary OF the ex
IRENE school. He has no sympathy
with the new idea In politics and
the new tendency In legislation.
President Roosevelt had many a hot
argument with him before he would
consent TO permit any OF the radica
legislation which marks the "RoOse
welt policies 10 90 through the sen
ate When Aldrich finally yielded e
the insistent demand of Roosevelt h,
stood by his word and the bills wen
through. although he did contrlve IN,
surrender amendment TO the rate bill
But Aldrich is tired OF that sort o.
Legislation, and weary OF having e
fight IT,
He doesn't like being pilloried con
tinually In newspapers and cartoons
as a corporation senator the represen
tatiye OF special interests and es
pecially as a Standard oil man.
charge which comes naturally from
his being the father.in.law OF John d
Rockefeller Jr. His grip on Rhode Is
lard Is rs firm as ever so far as HI
personally is concerned He coul,
have another election without doubt
But the game has lost It's charm. II,
Will be 40 years old when this term 4
ended and he has been telling hi
friends that he Is entitled to a res
and means To- have AZ