The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-05-16
INFLUENCE OF
new SENATORS.
They Are Breaking Down Old
Traditions.
FORMER CUSTOMS SET ASIDE

| Statesmen Now In Their Graves Would
| Be Shocked at Way in Which New
| corners Take Hand In Speaking
and LeeisIation-other Capital Topics
| Washington, May 13.-[Special. J.
Quite number of what are called
maiden speeches are being delivered in
the senate They are of rourse by
new senator's. Twenty years ago a
senator would hardly have dared to
| get up in his place and make a set
speech on any subject, much less
launch out in discussion of a tariff
bill He would have been frowned
down. It was considered more becom-
ing in him to remain in the back
ground for at least two years after
taking his seat and that his status
would be better if he waited four
years before engaging in the debates.
| The late Senators Hoar, Sherman,
Morrill, Beck, Bayard, Garland and
others. including the venerable ex-
Senator Edmunds Of Vermont, would
| be shocked if they were in congress
now to hear the freshlings tackling
| the tariff and other momentous qtles-
tons within couple of months after
landing in the senate.
| Western Men Assert Themselves.
The admission OF SO many new
states into the Union within the past
twenty years is responsible for the in
novations In both the senate and the
house. The men from the west. as
rule, are Of virile stock, and, besides,
the membership of the senate has been
SO increased that no longer is it pos
Sible for the senators from the east
to have things their own way to the
extent they had in former times. 1t
would be far from the mark to state
| that sectional hatred has been engen-
dered, but as interests are somewhat
| different there is undoubtedly tend
| ency on the part of western men to
take the bit in their mouths and not
| submit as much as formerly to the
leadership of men from the older and
more thickly populated states. In
| other words, the western men SO far
outnurnber the eastern that they ap-
pear to be endeavoring to do some of
the leading themselves. Quite a mum
Der from the distant states are serv-
ing their second and third terms.
| Walked While He Spoke
In delivering his maiden speech in
the senate Mr.. johnson of North Da-
kota cut caper that never before has
been witnessed in that body. He has
a seat on the extreme right of the pre-
siding officer and on the back row of
| the Democratic side of the chamber
because there are not enough desks to
accommodate all the Republicans on
their side of the chamber. Senator
Johnson had not been speaking two
| minutes before he began to amble.
Soon he was ten feet away from where
he first arose. Then he kept moving
until he was observed standing near
the main entrance in the center aisle
Then he came on forward, and by the
time he finished he had slowly walked
around half the chamber
End OF Session Indefinite.
Meeting Champ Clark, the minority
leader of the house, in the lobby of
one of the big hotels, member re
marked to him that the talk was that
congress would adjourn by June 1. IF
It does will buy you new hat said
the AIissourian But once you pre-
dicted that it would adjourn by May
Is, insisted the other man. Il know
did, replied Mr. Clark, "but | have
long since got that out Of my noddIe. II
The speech of Senator Dolliver has SO
stirred things up In the senate that the
Indications are his attitude with regard
to some Of the leading schedules in the
tariff bill will provoke much discus,
sion which otherwise would have been
avoided. Speeches yet to be delivered
are SO numerous that there is no tell
ing when the measure will be sent to
conference, and when it gets there the
chances are it win remain some time, |
for it is admitted that great many
of the amendments to be made to the
Payne bin in the senate are for trad. |
Ing purposes pure and simple.
Not New Experiences.
Oscar S. Straus Of New York. who
soon goes as ambassador to Turkey. |
will not be new at that diplomatic |
post. for he was once before the rep
resentatiye of this government at Cor
stantinople When formerly minister /
to Turkey Mr.. Straus was Demo
crat and was appointed by the late
President Cleveland, but he became |
Republican in 1896
Administrators Southern Policy.
Secretary Nagel of the department I
OF commerce and labor is, according i
to the latest gossip. to make politi-
cal address at the coming Republican I
state convention in Virginia. It is ex-
pected that in that address he will
let drop some significant remarks as
to what the administration policy viii
be in the south. The Virginia Repub-
leans. from all accounts. are to have
a convention made up entirely Of
white delegates. For several years
they have Ianar1 ora vita f;rU +rxrre NJ ~, |