Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-05-04
CAPITAL CHAT.
Continued from Page One)

tElt he Is sincerely convinced TIC
ought to be the leader of the Senate.
He has said so time and again, with
the qualification that he supposes he
will have to wait till the older men
get out of the way.
And so the consideration of the four
battlesnip amendment furnished the
colts another chance to caper around
the Senate and they kept the Senate
in debate for six days, which was
four or five days longer than there
was any real warrant for doing.
The strife of the ambitious young
senators has been going on in
this fashion for several months
and it will be kept up, perhaps,
to the end Of the session. Ger
tain Republicans who served in the
House of Representatives and regard
themselves, with some warrant as
veterans in the legislative service,
have recently become Senators. They
think the Senate leaders have not adj
vancd them as rapidly as should be or
are disgruntled because others of
their House colleagues have Jared bet
ter than they. For instance Senator
Hale took up Senator Hemenway, OF
Indiana, and had him given a place
on the great appropriations commit
tee Several senators of that COM
Eiittee are growing old and weary OF
the immense amount of hard work
that service on that committee entail.
They wanted a younger man to take
some of the burdens. But he had to
be competent and well trained man,
or he would have been cumbrance
rather than a help. Mr.. HemenWay
had been chairman of the House APP
preparations committee, had been
tried in appropriation work and ac-
cordingly there seemed to be warrant
for placing him in that responsible
position. Senator Burkett, of - Ne
braska, who was also member OF
the House appropriations committee,
would have liked the same job but did
not get it. He is one of the most
spirited of the Senate colts and is kick
ing out in fine style.
Senator Reverdige wanted to be a
member of the great Finance Commit
tee, when the committees were reor-
ganized last December. He has
never had any experience in framing
tariff or financial bills. He was re-
fused place on Finance and an
ex-memper of the House Ways and
Means Committee, Senator HOPKINS,
Of Illinois, who had helped frame the
Dngley tariff law, was put on Ever
since then Mr.. Beveridge has been one
of the colts. He has constantly pre-
dicted the downfall of Senator AL
drich, chairman of the Finance Com
mite. as leader of the Senate. Mr..
Aldrich has not taken altogether
kindly TO the circulation of those re-
ports by Mr.. Beveridge. The lively
fire between the two Senators on the
floor the other day was due to the
unkindly feelings the one entertains
for the other. They dill not descend
to a personal quarrel during the de-
bate but it came very close to it.
The list of the recalcitrant colts
might be added to. The Senate in.the
last three years has gained a lot OF
new blood, the old leaders have been
gradually dropping out ana those who
are left sometimes have to look to
their laurels. And yet there is prac-
| t;cally little chance that the colts will
get loose and carry thing; their own
! way. The Senate leaders are very
| cautious in shaping up their pro-
grams. They know that leaders lead
| by forestalling the wishes of the ma
| jority They are very keen men IN
finding out what the will of the ma
jorty is likely to be.
Then as soon as a rev Senator comes
| in, who demonstrates that he has
ability and capacity for legislation
they begin to provide for him. They
make good places for him on COM
mittees, places where he can grow UP
to have influence in legislation. The
theory of such selections is very wise
It proceeds upon the idea that the
best men shall be developed by this
quiet but effective method. Few, II
any, mistakes, are made by such Sc
| lectiOnS.
The Senators who do the kicking
the young colts can safely be classec
either as having inferior ability or as
men who have not yet had enough
opportunity to satisfy the leaders OF
their ability Occasionally a young
colt, who demonstrates great power
by kicking. convinced the leaders
that he can be of real use in conduct
| ing the business of the Senate, where
upon he is certain to be given recog
milton. And at that point he ceases
to be colt and a kicker. He ther
discovers that the Senate is grea
legislative body under the Leadership
| ,,,,I nh