New-York tribune., 1909-02-13
SENATE INSURRECTION
Younger Members Working for Bet
ter Committee assignment.
rr-nu, Tse r,isua- B.r-a.,.J


Washington Feb 1z-That the United States San
ate will soon prove the OF insUrrsctior %
least interesting proportions Is the eonv1cr'o@
OF many who have watched the spread OF the doc-
trines so actively prOpagated By Senators La FOL
lette. Burkett and others OF the newer element N
the upper house. The purpose OF this tnsurrectior
which said have found It's first expression IN
the dilatory tactics adopted by Ar La Foiette
yesterday. when he compelled Senator Hale 70
postpone the consideration Of the naval oin unth
Monday, is primarily 10 obtain. for those taking
part in the movement a better list OF committees
assignments The outcome OF such an e1ort =
probIenaticaL There is sufficient number OF tas
younger elenent-yOUnger IN point OF sefFlce-to
succeed with little help from the Democrats pro-
vided they can find any man big enough to act as
leader. but II is on thetr inability TO md sueh
man and on the lack OF cohesiveness Of the eie-
ments which go TO make up the insurrecuon tnak
the Senate leaders are counting
When Senator La Toilette succeeded yesterday IN
having the bill put over until next week ns
said that had the hardihOod not only To douot
the perfection Of the present arrangement ouA
almost TO believe that II the business OF consider
ing the legislation OF the Senate could ee dis-
tributed among the ninety-two. instead OF oslnk
taken charge by less than One-tnird OF the Ooos
it would be Improvement over existing eonol-
tons
Committee assignments count for eVsrythlns !"
Congress-. A member OF the COMMITTEES on Appro-
priations is in position powerfully 70 lIanuens9
legislation He cannot only satisfy those oel1aao-
Of his state which involve the appropriation OF
funds. but BY the exercise Of care for the Tlsnes
OF other Senators he can usually obtain their SUP
mort for other measures in which he Is deeply N
tsrested Members OF the Finance COMMITTEES exert
a powerful influence on the framing Of tartn leg
isIation and also questions Affecting tne oen~-
ing and financial interests place on Fore-sn
Relations carries with II not only tne oPpore1l11s
for DISTINGUISHED servfcs in the foreign affairs OF
The nation but considerable social prestige 1ns
committee ''plurns are distributed By the commit
tee on COMMITTEES which IS chosen BY tho party
caucus ana is guided hrst by seniority and second
h,- zeos-aphtcal location. As matter OF fzcC rne
ns-4x csucuz and the COMMITTEES connznisrees
have for years been dominated by a small nunaoer
of the older Senator'S. popularly known as tns
better thought" and "the elder statesmen
The Senate leaders refuse 10 take tns iasrss
noovsr1snt seriously. They understand OK ccorse-
that NJ La FolIette and the other fnsursene 1oi-
Iov.r. can make much trouble by hiibustsrinS out
+ba fact that a special session VIII 50 closely fol-
Low the expiration Of this Congress materially ti-
gates even the effectiveness OF niiousterns tacnes
Tbsv intimate moreover, that thers are few insur-
gents who cannot be won over By . postr1zssersaip
or two or a small appropriation Tor the Improve
ueut Of some river. But, above all the leaders
maintain that there is not . On ths tasurgen-
rolls who Is big enough to be \ leader and thsys
base this statement on the contention that Il r.
ouires seIf-enaceEnent opposed to ssf-expiotts-
ton infinite courtesy opposed TO didacuctzu1.
and broad generalship opposed to selEshnssa. TO
1T any man for leadership in the upper hoEss OF
Congress.