The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1909-09-03
Handsome Albert"

tainly looks like political war OF the
real variety.
Handsome Albert"
Senator Cummlns Is tifty-nine years
old, of distinguished appearance, iron
gray hair and mustache, graceful and
Chestcrfeldlan In manner, always
wins the support of the women--so
much SO, in fact, that II woman suf-
fragc were in force he would be elect
cd almost unanimously man who
dresses we'll and knows how to wear
his clothes, called by his enemies
handsome Albert" and this man
Cummins," an orator who Is equally
at home with II column OF figures and
spread eagle pcroration-in fact, an
all around leader that If he catches
the tide on this present proposition Is
liable to go to almost any heights. ue
Is of the sort who will either be prcsi-
dent or die I'm the last ditch Glue
your optic to Cummins, for, without
trying to pun, he Is coming man.
Then there is La Toilette, small and
scrappy. who has fought even harder
than Cummins and has been abused
more, who also was three times gov
ernor of his state and fought against
the railroads and the old political
bosses, n man who would not accept
his election to the senate until sure
that his state reforms would be car
ried out! La Toilette Is five years
younger than Cummins and has been
in the senate four years longer. When
he went to that body the Aldrichcs
and Hales tried to haze him, but he
hit them so hard that they soon gave
up that policy. Well hated by the in
terests and better loved every year by
the plain people of the United States,
II Is n tossup whether Cummins or
La Toilette Is the real leader of the In
surgent forces, and 1t does not much
matter since they are 80 nearly alike
in principle that the same cause will
triumph whichever carries the banner.
Perhaps the third In Importance
among the senate insurrectos Is AL
bert ]. Beveridge Of Indiana, who is
younger than either Cummins or La
Toilette and has been in the senate
much longer. Beveridge Is Outgrowing
his reputation as boy orator and
through his fight against child labor
and for other reforms Is more and
more endearing himself to the hearts
of the progressives. He was born In
Ohio in 1862, beat Bryan in a college
oratorical contest and has long been
a Chautauqua idol and spellbinder
that could do anything with the Eng.
lish language except shut 1t of. The
old chaps in the senate never would
give the Indiana Demosthenes a
chance, and now that this insurgent
movement has happened along he is
in his element.
How Cummins Corralled Dolliver.
Nor Is Beveridge the only orator In
the bunch. Jonathan =. Dolliver, Cum
Minis colleague from Iowa, has the
American eagle trained so that 1t VIII
not only spread and soar for him, but
turn fipfaps in midair and scream In
sheer rhetorical delight. Dolliver Is
also an insurgent, though there are
those who say that Cummins had to
kidnap him and drag him into the
game, or, rather, Cummins grabbed on
the whole state Of Iowa and Dolliver
had to come along II he wanted to play
at all. At any rate, he is committed
and now makes noise like a pro
gressive. Likewise he gave Brothers
AIdrich, Hale and Lodge several I'M
comfortable half hours during the late
lamented extra session. Dolliver was
born in what is now West Virginia
flfty-one years ago and has been In
congress nineteen years, seven OF
which have been spent In the senate.
Joseph l.. Bristow Of Kansas is an
editor and a reformer of the Roose-
welt type. When he was not running
q paper in the Sunfower country he
was secretary Of the Republican state
committee and private secretary to
Governor Morrill, Mckinley made him
one of the assistant postmaster gen.
erals. third, fourth or seventeenth,
and he unearthed the Cuban postal
frauds. This made. him right with
Roosevelt, who set him to work clean.
ing out the whole postoffice depart.
ment, which needed 1t enough, as the
sequel showed. Bristow was born In
1861 and is a new member Of the SEN
ate. The only pity is that he cannot
investigate that body and clean 1t up
as he did the postoffice bunch.
Personally speaking, 1t is grief to
me that Burkett and Brown Of Ne
braska, who insurged up to the very
last hour. had not the stamina to stick
1t out and vote against Brother AL
drich In the last ditch-and beyond
I used to know both of them in my
salad days. when ] was trying to do
a little reforming on my own hook.
But there is hope that In spite Of that
one vote for the conference report they
will return to the insurgent camp and
make things interesting along the
Platte.
Nor should Knute Nelson, the grand
old Norwegian from Minnesota, be for
gotten, nor Clapp both Of whom stuck
to- the end: nor Coe !. Crawford Of
South Dakota. who insurged In spots
and at intervals. although lacking Mt
the last roll call; nor Victor Murdoch
and n host Of others In the house; nor