Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-03-25
NOvICES IN THE SENATE
NEW SENATORS MUST TAKE A BACK
SEAT AND KEEP QUIET. SAYS Mr..
TILLMAN.
Another Interesting Letter From Washington.
Mrs. Roosevelfs Hair, Tillman- Bever-
idge Debate. the President at Din.
ner. His Iron Constitution,
Senator Depew.

Washington, ID. c.. March 21.-
Special Correspondence: Over in the
Cherokee strip" sit sextette OF re-
publican senators who l will wager
will vote this session of Congress the
most miserable period of their exis-
tence. / refer to the four BIS"
Brown, of Nebraska, Bourne of Ore
gon. Briggs of New Jersey, Borah of
Idaho and Stephenson of Wisconsin
and Guggenheim of Colorado. the
latter being the richest man in the
senate; worth more, it is said, in fact,
than all the other VI senators COM
bined.
These six senators are all brand
new. They are not only new sena-
tors, but they are new in Congress
and in Washington. Of course there
are some new democrats. but they are
with their colleagues. These six
mentioned are not only new, but they
are over in the Cherokee strip"
among the democrats, this being the
overflow section of the Senate. They
not only look miserable and disap-
pointed, but they are that. They
admit 1T.
They have been and are passing
through sort of period of probation
as it were. 1t is an unwritten law of
the Senate that new senator must be
seen and not heard during his first
session. OF course there is no rule
that actually prevents a new senator
jumping in and talking and making
himself generally conspicuous. but ex-
perience has proven the wisdom OF
keeping in the background for the
irst session at least.
Day after day these noyices in the
Senate take their seats and sit
throughout the session. silent but at
tentive. The veterans give little. if
indeed. any attention to them. The
kindergarteners help to make a
quorum, and are there to vote if
necessary. but that is all. They don't
count at all in the scheme of law
making. Some of them are rafting
good takers who have been in the
habit of getting into the game active
Ey. and they are literally worn out
with restlessness and listening. They
fear they may lose the power to speak
in public. Next session they may be
permitted, under the unwritten law.
60 dip in little now and then when
unimportant matters are under dis
cussion, and each session will bring
them additional privileges. However.
not until they have been elected for
tEeir second terms are new senators
taken into full fellowship and per-
mitted to take hand in constructive
Legislation and not then, even, unless
they have won their spurs.
recall how Senator Dolliyer chafed
the first year or two he was in the
Senate. His case was o little different,
COO. He had been in the House for
ten years; was on the Ways and
Means committee and one of the ac-
knowledged leaders in the lower
house lie knew what was going on
and how things were done. He had
been In frequent conference with sen.
ators and had standing in Congress
And yet when he entered the Senate,
the voice that had delighted and
electrified the House and the country
was not heard for year or two. To
my certain knowledge Senator Dol
liver was most miserable man dur
ing this period; in fact there were
times when he actually wished him
self back in the House and regretted
having donned the senatorial toga. To
him the Senate was prison But that
is thing Of the past. Senator Dol
liver now talks when he wants to and
has a definite standing in the upper
house. He won his spuis in the rail
road rate fight OF two years ago and is
now an old timer.
at last Mrs. Roosevelt has sue
cumbed to the temptation to puff and
wave her hair. From the time of her
lirst appearance on the social horizon
Mrs. Roosevelt has worn her hair
combed back from her forehead with
only hint of pompadour. She has
used no FRAT" and has coiled her
hair loosely in the back. She has not
varied this fashion even on the most
ceremonious occasions. such as the in
auguration balls, the marriage Of Mrs.
Longworth, and the reception to
Prince Henry. Her ntmost conces-
sion to the modes has been to elevate |
the pompadour little or TO add a
twist of ribbon, flower. or a diamond |
ornament to the coiffure Imagine |
the establishment of the guests when
Mrs. Roosevelt appeared at the dinner
which Secretary of Agriculture Will