Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-14
Some Things You Want to Know
The American oOngress-The Leaders of the Senate.

tional cases by senatorial courtesy. the
senate machine usually has easy going.
The senate is ruled by a committee on
the order Of business. a committee not I'm
cluded In the Official lists Of the senate
committees. 1t is ordinarily known as the
steering committee" The republican
steering committee controls the senate, the
democrats having a similar steering COM
mittee to guide the minority. senator Hale
OF Maine is the chairman Of the majority
steering committee. He Is the helmsman
OF the republican senate ship. Of which
Senator Aldrich Of RI lode Island is cap
tain.
Senator Hale has charge of the daily
routine Of senate business. He makes the
motions to proceed to the consideration
Of executive business" which means that
the senate will retreat behind closed doors.
He makes the motions TO adjourn, to take
recess, to do this and to do that. He is
also the official guardian OF the precedents
and the dignity Of the senate. and it is he
who rebukes the new senator, or the reck-
less senator who has inadvertently, or de-
signedly, transgressed the ancient and
honorable rules Of the senatorial behaviour.
Senator Hale is constantly in the attitude
Of deploring the iniquity Of the opposition,
but in recent years he has not been forced
to deal with an opposition strong enough
to endanger his steering gear.
Senator Aldrich is the reai leader Of the
senate. He considers policies Of state and
he is able usually to shape them to his
liking. He is fortified by the possession
Of the four things most required in a SEN
ate leader. length of service with its in
crement Of experience and seniority; abil-
ity to compel, persuade or command as the
occasion demands; capacity for infinite la
Dor and study, and, therefore, complete
knowledge OF any subject under discus
sion; and, lastly, the. sympathy and con-
fldence of those conservative forces which
have been supreme in the American gov
eminent for the last generation.
In the tariff bill fight during the special
session Of this congress 1t developed that
Senator Aldrich's leadership was quite as
powerful as that of Mr.. Cannon In the
house. The measure of loyalty to the OPP
position was not how a senator voted on
q particular schedule this time and that,
but how often did he vote with Aldrich
and how often against Aldrich. The Aid
rich methods differ widely from those of
the house organization, but 1t does not
appear that they are less effective.
The senate always has had strong lead
ers. The trlumvirate Of Clay, Calhoun and
Webster was most famous, but the united
strength of these three was unable to OPP
pose the successful leadership of Thomas
II. Benton. Stephen A. Douglas and
Charles Sumner were examples Of great
ness in senatorial leadership. John Sher-
man left indeli5ie impress upon the his
tory of the country as a senate leader.
But never has there been a man WHO has
been go successful and so powerful in lead
Zruhtr, as NeIson w Aldrfob TTp.H1n5 -,
any system of rules such as supports The
speaker OF the house, open always to at
tack by the opposition. and having little
or no general popularity to support him,
MIR. Aidrich, by sheer force of superior
ability, has attained to his high position.
He has none of the spectacular attachments
which have given fame to great senator's
his is the genius of labor. We works hard,
and he can do more hard work than a
dozen ordinary men. This, and the fact
that he has had such long service, is The
secret of his power. = 3, A-sF
The country is divided, of course, in its
opinion of the wisdom of Mr.. Aldrich's
leadership. For the first time in many
years he is facing some organized opposi-
ton in the ranks of his own party. The
: senate. las the house, has its section Of in
s~urgent' republicans. They will attack Mr..
Aldrlch's leadership, but with little hope
! of success. Nevertheless, they will force a
e fight and win bring the senate much into
the public eye.
Z During this session Of congress the SEN
4 ate will indicate what course 1t will take
5 with respect to the pending subjects OF leg
g ~islation, and will foreshadow the legislative
!, program OF the Taft administration Alto
i gether, the present session of congress
e promises to be one of the most interesting
1 of recent years,
FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.
= Tomorrow-"washington Memorial Hall."