The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1909-03-31
Interesting Pen Picture Of Senator
PenrOSe.

lowing concerning Pennsylvanla's
senior Senator:
"Penrose has developed a system Of
philosophy for his personal guidance
that is embodied in the brief creed,
What's the user If he is attacked
BY a muckraker and is asked to reply
he Shrugs his shoulders and says,
What's the user If he is blamed for
something he has or has not done and
Is asked for an explanation always he
says, What's the user Once, when
he was the subject of a particularly
bitter attack, several OF his friends
insisted that he must reply. What's
the user he asked Z know it isn't
true. You know il isnt true. Some
day the people will know it isn't true.
What's the use?'
Wherefore he sits in the Senate,
calm and impassive, voting always
with the majority, for he is an or
ganization man, thinking whatever
thoughts he may think, but always
silent, always regular, always depend
able from the organization viewpoint.
He leads no insurgent movements. He
never bulges into the center and bowls
for the rights of man. He never moves
off the reservation. Always he is there,
always looking at the antics of the
professors with a sort of grim amuse-
ment, always giving the impression
What's the use?'
"In his twelve years In the Senate
he has observed much hysteria that
never brought any results but noise,
yawp and go, has seen the party-split-
ting dissensions, the crises that were
to have so great an effect on the ma
ton, and that were forgotten in a
fortnight when another crisis arose,
has noted the republic trembling on
the brink Of the precipice, but never
topping over, has made up his mind
that it is mostly sound and fury, signi-
flying nothing, and as he gazes through
his half-lidded eyes or moves ponder
ously about you can see it sticking
out all over him: What's the use?
"He was an honor man at Harvard
and, after he had returned to Phila-
delphia and had been admitted to the
bar, he went into politics. He served
In both houses of the Pennsylvania
legislature, became an organization
man under Matthew s. Quay, in every
sense, and when Don Cameron left
the United States Senate in 1897 Pen
rose was sent to succeed him. He
was reelected in 1903 and again this
year.
"Penrose's political creed is as short
as his personal one. 1t comprises two
words: The organization. That is all
there is to Penrose, so far as politics
is concerned. 1t makes no difference
to him what the organization is or is
not, as long as he is in politics he Is
for and with the organization.
"'Penrose,' said a man who knew
him one day, you should get married.
Why don't your
"Never thought of it, Penrose re-
piled, but perhaps it would be a good
idea. Speak to the organization about
it and I'll marry any one they recon-
mend
THE ~intricacies Of Pennsylvania
Republican politics are many and va
rious, and it is not necessary to I'M
dertake to define Penrose's exact po-
sition in his party in Philadelphia
and the state, for as far as he is per-
sonally concerned he has held enough
of leadership to get a return to the
Senate without effective opposition. He
is the Republican national committee
man from Pennsylvania and was put
on the executive committee by Chair
man Hitchcock.
in the Senate he is chairman of the
Committee of PoStofices and Post
Roads, where he does much hard work,
and is on the very important commit
tees of Finance, Naval Affairs and
Commerce, besides others, which shows
the fact that his ability is recognized
by his colleagues. In the extra session
of Congress to revise the tariff Pen
rose will have an opportunity to do
much by virtue of his membership of
the Finance committee, which is
where the tariff bill will be made
eventually. A Republican whose law
is the organization is we'll placed on
the Senate Finance committee when a
tariff bill is under way"