Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-19

and f~erociously as his chances Of success
grew less. Aldrich keeps a sharp eye on
the enemy and many a time he has beaten
a graceful retreat, only to appear again
with the same bill under another dress
or after some of the opposition had been
quietly converted behind the scenes-and
carry 1t to success. His currency bill, in
the last congress, was lost. Aldrich was
beaten. Another bill was sent over from
the house. When 1t was presented to the
senate, Aldrich rose, in his inimitably quiet
way, and offered an amendment striking
out all after the first clause of the bill
and substituting what was really his own
old bill. The only difference was hat in
the meantime he had found the votes
that is a ~favorite expression Of his-and
the amendment was carried. supported in
conference, with a few trivial changes
which made no difference, and became a
law.
Master of Manipulation.
A leader he is not. A ~standpatter he is
not. But what he is is a manipulation and
organizer, a keen-eyed, marvelously
shrewd, farseeing manager Of men and
things; level headed, imperturbable. un-
magnetic, but a man of marvelously clear,
cold, domineering, executive ability. He
knows what he wants and he gets all he
can of It. His invariable calmness and
good nature are not artificial. Nothing
dlsturbs him. When tho tariff fight waged
it's fiercest and he was made the target
for every blow, he would quietly slip away
from the senate, II a set speech was under
way and there was no chance of a vote.
go over to the new office building, where
the finance committee has an elaborate
array of rooms, shut himself in the one
devoted to his individual use, quietly lie
down and take a nap. In the prostrating
heat, when the end was at last positively
in view, 1 came upon the senator looking
as cool and fresh as if he were on the
deck Of his yacht. I said to him;
"You must be very tired, senator, and
glad that adjournment is fixed"
mo. indeed, / am not tired" he said
tariff matter settled: and it is growing a
pleasantly. Il shall be glad, for the bus
mess interests of the country, to have the
little monotonous, but I am not ired," and
he was not. There was not a man in the
senate but looked more tagged. Then
when the end came and he started for his
beautiful Warwick it was precisely the
same as when he took a nap. He directed
his clerks not to forward TO him any mail
except what was strictly personal. He left
the whole business behind him, and Il 1
am sure of anything l am sure that he
Immediately forgot all about it as thor
oughly as he would forget a winter suit
when he turned TO a spring wardrobe.
The following votes showed the same old
matority-from eight to a d~ozen-which
Aldrich held from the beginning to the
end, with very few exceptions. New erthe-
less, Aldrich left for Warwick not In the
least elated. knowing, as he knew from
the beginning, that he was the best dis
liked and the best abused American at
large, still Struggling his shoulders and
smiling. and when a friend ventured to
suggest an explanation, a defense or an
apology. always making the same reply,
What's the use?'
solid in Rhode Island.
And for the other fellow, too, What's the
use7 You may hate Aldrich and you may
hit lin, but you can't hurt him For pub
lie opinion he cares not a straw. He Is as
firmly founded in Rhode Island as the
eternal hills. They may not love him; they
may not worship him, but they know that
the interests Of the state are better off
in his hands than they could possibly be