Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-24


Senator Smoot OF Utah and Senator Cum
minis OF Iowa have attracted more than
average attention in the senate since the
extra session began, on the pending issue
of tariff revision they are ranged in OPP
posing camps. Senator Smoot supports the
committee measure. while Senator Cum
minis ranks as an "insurgent republican
who insists on genuine revision downward.
The Washington correspondent OF the
Brooklyn Eagle calls attention to the
prominence of both in legislative matters
and sketches their characteristics In a
friendly spirit. According to the writer,
Senator smoot has shaken off the depres-
sion occasioned by his long fight to retain
his seat, and has become a right-hand man
for Senator Aldrich in the tariff battle.
"Smoot Mas been a revelation, and not
one OF the Endowment house kind, either
said a republican senator. During the
hearings on the tariff he amazed us by
the breadth and depth of his knowledge.
a man. came before us the other day with
some samples of cotton cloths. Smoot took
them and felt them critically with his fin
gers. and told the man offhand the n1mber
of threads per square inch, cost OF manu-
facture and other details that only cotton
experts would be expected to know. He
has done the same kind of stunt with
many other articles, and has been a con-
slant source of wonderment to u.s."
The secret of Shoots knowledge then
came out. 1t seems that he has been a
wool grower and a wooden manufacturer
He has been a banker and a practical
business man. He was the principal buyer
and at one time the main superintendent
of the great institution in the Mormon
church. the Zion Cooperative company,
handling hundreds of thousands of dollars
worth Of goods every month. He is a
veritable jack-of-all-trades Smoot made
the oldtimers' eyes oyen, too, with his
willingness to work. He has put in an
average of twenty hours a day for weeks.
He has lost much weight by his devotion
to work.
Aldrich deserted the field on the sec
ond day Of Delivers vicious attack on
cotton and wooden goods schedule. He
left Smoot alone to defend. The latter
was also required to carry the main bur-
den of defense against Cummins' on
slaught on the steel schedule. The same
meekness and humility which marked
Shoots demeanor during the days of the
fight for his Ceat is still present, but
in less degree as he champions the Aid
rich bill. He has an endless array of
definite facts at his command about the
cost of production, wages, profit, trans
portation charges and other details. He
has an embarrassing way of quoting fig
ures and asking pointed questions. He
was breaking down Cummins' speech the
other day by injecting statements which
didn't agree with those of Cummins.
Il refuse to be interrupted further, tes-
tily exclaimed Cummins, and / ask the
senator from Utah to take his seat"
Senator Cummins has made two speeches
since coming to the senate. First he talked
about an income tax. It was interesting
to note how the oldtimers watched Cum.
minis in his first try out, Aldrich, Hale,
Lodge and the rest looked upon him with
suspicion as a trouble maker, ,and they
wanted to see how he handled himself in
action. They paid him the great compli-
ment of sitting as still as images in their
chairs, screwed around so as to keep their
eyes glued to the far left-hand corner
OF the chamber and heard him to the fin
ish. CImmins' bold speech shocked his
colleague, Mr.. Dolliver. into the first real
activity he has shown in years.
"Cummins has the same chautauoua
style of oratory that so many of these
new western senators have" remarked
a man in the gallery. He Kisses his SIS.
bites his words in two at one point and
slng-songs them at another"
You are always surprised on seeing
Cummins after reading mis- military rec
ord. He's not the kind of fighter that
Champ Clark or Bob LaFollette is. Clark
believes In the bludgeon and the battle
ak and friendship with his foe is i'm.
possible when the fray is over. LaFol-
lette Is much the same kind OF a bel
lgerent. Cummins, on the other hand.
rights nercely while the battle Is on
out being thoroughly human, is willing
10 concede something to his enemy and
snake hands after 1t is all over. He is
a good mixer and at a dinner can laugh
at a political foes Joke or tell a story
just as well himself. Already he Is
popular with that set in Washington
which enjoys dinner giving, and is ell
terins largely into the social life of the
capital. "
MAJOR Alexander Mcdowell clerk NJ ,he
Pouse OF representatives, is the president
OF a THRIVING bank up in his home town
OF sharon, Pa. In his younger DAVIS he ran
a country neWsnstar -,