Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-03-27
KING OF THE SENATE PREPARES
TO CARVE PAYNE TAR
IFF BILL. T.
slDELleHTs ON WORK
< OF MAN WHO DICTATES
AIdrich Man Of Business in the Halls
Of Observation-Disclosures Gives
Way to the Needs of the Moment
Aldrich Not an orator-Plays Poll.
tics for Business Only.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
Washington, March 26-Hear that
raspfng, grinding sound from the SEN
ate wing of THE capitol, as If the scis-
sor man had come in and started to
fix up all the. edges on all the scis-
sors and razors in town? That's Nell
son w. Aldrich whetting up THE big
finance committee knife that's going
ito. trim the Payne tariff bill when it
gets to THE north side of the legisla-
tive headquarters building. Mr.. AID
rich is out for the Payne bill. He
assaults than Mr.. Roosevelt is car
rying to Africa ito back up his on
slaught on the lions i'm their lairs.
Mr.. Aldrich isn't saying much, but
he ds working away on his plans for
tariff bill that will meet his views
of the right sort of revision. It's one
of the most remarkable things fmag-
Unable, how everybody winds up ev-
cry conversation about tariff with a
remark like this:
;.sBut then, what's the differences; it's
aid UP TO Aldrich. He'll NIX u IN rhe
senate and in conference.
Aldrich is a Power.
For everybody comedies THAT AID
rich is the real power in two great
departments of national legislation;
tariff and finance. There is a mar
velous difference of opinion as to the
manner OF man Aldrich is, but there
Dis mo division as to his skill as leg
islative manager. He doesn't make
speeches. He doesn't pretend to know
much about the constitution, and
what he does know he losses into dis
EMISSIONS in casual and incidental
way-very frequently making it highly
effective. but never putting on any airs
about 1t. He allows all kinds of leg
dslative. matters to get by him without
naying the least attention. He never
wastes his powder on game that isn't
worth while. He lets the senate work
away for weeks at a time, without
ever assuming to direct it's perform
ances. SO long as it isn't doing any
thing that he cares much about He
not only takes no interest in some
things. but he takes pains at times to
keep himself out of entanglements
with matters concerning which he sees
no reason why he should interfere.
He's Always Ready.
u But let Mr.. Aldrich's province as the
great business man of the senate be
dny..ded or even threateneds and the
man from Rhode Island will be seen
sJohnny -at-the-rat-1 pole." He sud-
ao,,J,, 4,,r.y,. I'm o0ron1ata1v anJ1inne(i
loaded and shotted, ready for every
phase OF the matter. He knows every
step in the financial history of the
country better than most men would
know 1t df they had been there and
helped in the making of DIT. Without
pretending to be a critical student OF
q philosophical analyst of history
even American anistory-he knows at
all times the particular Things he needs
To know ito prove his point. A good
many statesmen and other people have
wondered on numerous occasions why
Aldrict isn't more snowy. He knows
Everything to which he addresses him
Self. but he seems to have a contempt
for display OF his erudttion or his
power He can quote exact rates and
fell ninnlte incidents in tariff litory,
Eelatinp to eyery tariff measure the
country has ever had. But he never
does it merely for the sake Of show
ing himself off. He only does 1T incl
dentally- apparently; he uses what he
knows to enforce his points when he
has a piece Of constructive legislation
before him.
Not Standard Man.
,A,a,,,,t,s 10 oJ,x-ovs referred to In the
ras,,al characterization which muck
raking press indulge, as a Standard
Oil man That is based of course on the
fact that his daughter welded a son of
Iohn IS. Rockefeller. Yet the truth is
st,at M. Aldrdch. who is a man of
largo wealth and many interests, never
mas ha 4, ANYTHING to do in business with
the Rockefeller or Standard Oil group
Rather he would be properly referred
~ as OF the Ryan crowd in New York
Will, which he is extensively interested
Considering his relationship TO MT
Rockefeller, he has had an extremely
limited acquaintance with the head OF
standard Oil. and never in connection
WITH business, They have met a few
+;voas casually and incidentally. Mr.
Aldr,ch never complains publicly of the
thinos that are said about him in
prints his apparent contempt of such
manifestations Of public opinion is one
~ his weaknesses as a public man
privately and personally, he has at
times taken the trouble to explain his
nositfon about some matters, in quar-
ters where he felt he could not afford
to ba misunderstood.