Manchester Democrat., 1909-05-12
Garfield, siaine and Arthur.

Garfield was not president lona
enough for senators to take his mea
sure as chief executive, and all the
talk of his brief career in the White
mousse was centered around the bit.
ter controversy between himself ana
the New York senators, Conkllng and
2iatt.
Garfield took two men out Of the
senate who were in a measure rivals
of. Senator Allison. Blaine he made
secretary of state and William Win
dom of Minnesota he made secretary
oE the treasury. Blaine was an az
;tessive, dictatorial man. His sia
5ts:s7,s in the speakers chair and.
short minority leadership in tfie'
house, together with the fact that IL
two national conventions, 1876 anl
1880, he had nearly carried off tht
nomination, tended to increase the
natural dominance Of his character
Beyond question had Blaine remain
ed long in the senate he and Allison
would have clashed, because their
natures were so different and te.
cause Allison, with his natural con.
servatism, would never have followed
Blaine in his more vigorous, not to
say rash, policies. Window was
Chairman OF the committee on appro
priations, and when he went into the
cabinet, Allison, who was the rank
ing republican member succeeded tc
the place, a position he held until
his death, with the exception of two
years, 1893-95, when the democrats
controlled the senate. Window was
like Allison in the matter of Being
man of facts and figures, but gave
more attention to transportation prob
lens.
OF Chester A. Arthur, who sue
ceeded Garfield after his tragic deatf,
Senator Allison said: He was Pane
tilious In his promises. always
courteous gentleman, and consider
ate to q degree. President Arthur
was man OF ability, but he left
much to his cabinet officers. In HIS
administration the cabinet minister
transacted all the business pertain
ing to his department unless 1t was
a matter of great Importance. Arthur
believed in having competent men as
cabinet officers and holding them re-.
sponsible for the management OF
their departments.
Cleveland, Harrison, Mckinley.
Senator Allison did not care to dis
cuss the careers OF presidents then
living. one of whom was Grover
Cleveland. .My relations with Mr:
Cleveland and all the members OF
his cabinet" he said, were cordial
and friendly at all times. AS chair
man of the committee on appropria-
tions was brought into close rela-
tions with Mr.. Cleveland and his ad-
ministratjon, and. although we be-
!onged to different parties. we al;
ways maintained the best personal
relations. H..
'Benjamin Harrison served six
wears in the senate, but was in prl-
yate life when nominated and elected
president. He has often been de
scribed as cold, hard man, hut
those who knew him we'll have NO
such impression. He was retiring
and had way Of keeping within
himself which some of the newspaper
writer's have described as drawing
into his shell like turtle But when
1 once acquainted with him, he was
genial and pleasant. His aamlnlstra !,
ton was very successful ana cfeal'
to the country.
| "Although I never served IN ths
house with President Mckinley, wa.
intimately associated with him aurihs
the consideration of the Mckinle.
tariff bill. He was chairman OF tne
ways and means committee OF thS
house, and member OF the finance
committee of the senate. We were Were
both ON the conference committe'
,I where the bill, as 1t became Ia"
was agreed upon. When he became
president our relations were not oni.
cordial, but intimate, and !, with otn
, ers. was In frequent consultation VII
the president. This. was especlaii
d true before and during the Spanlsl
, war period. learned to know nun
as the kindly, courteous gentlemal
. that he was, and one who deslred on
: iy the best interests OF his country
In the counsels of Roosevelt.
, Senator Allison was one of tn
: most trusted advisers of Presiden
Roosevelt. He. knew the presider
I when he was civil service commits
4 sloner, also when he was assistal
secretary of the navy. Mr.. Roosevel
$ presided over the senate only for
@ short time in 1901, when the senat
= held a short session to inaugural
: the new administration and confirl