The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-05-19
Majority In Upper House Look
ing for a Suitable Successor
to Aldrich.
Mr.. HALE MAY BE DEFEATED
Lodge Also Has Fight on His Hands
Others Lack Power to Control
Murray Crane Of Massachusetts,
May Be the Man.
BY WILLIS ]. ABBOT.

houses may go. but the senate goes I
on forever, has long been the rule.
1t has been almost fifteen years |
since the Democrats last controlled |
the senate, and even the present dis
organization In the upper house does
not presage Democratic control. But |
the senate does face leaderless con
dition. 1t Is like school with Its
longtime teacher going and no GER
taiaty as to the successor. Its we'll
disciplined majority faces disorgan-
ization like that Of a football team
suddenly bereft of its captain. or O
flock Of sheep minus the bell wether.
And all--ort chiefly all--because Aid
rich, the boss of those who are mostly
bosses In their own states, has de-
clared his purpose to quit
Some folk say that the Aldrich
Threaten promise-of retirement Is
mere bluff, intended to bring to him
for the aid of his party In the pending
congressional campaign, those power
full political and pecuniary forces
which he has so long represented and
controlled That ! don't believe, and
| find comparatively few of the bigger
men in either party who question Sen.
ator Aldrich's sincere desire to with
draw from public life. That he might
stay. II he chose, until advancing age
tacle as Plat In his latter days, or
Cullom today, is undoubted. That
section Of the press which stands for
the interests which Aldrich has repre-
sented with an ability and vigilance
that compel respect Is clamorous
with demands that he reconsider his
determination. Indeed I'm afraid that
insurgent Republicans and hopeful
Democrats regret the Aldrich procla-
nation, for 1t takes from both one OF
the issues of the campaign the poll
ticians are now entering upon. Can
nonism" is good war cry, but Down
with Aldrich and Cannon" beats 1t,
The only plausible reason have heard
given by anyone who doubted the sim
cerity of the Aldrich abdication was
to keep Aldrich, as an issue, out OF
the pending campaign and that after
November the High Priest of Higher
Protection would still be doing duty
at the old stand.
AS have said, l don't believe that.
Aldrich is sixty-nine years old--not
an advanced age for a senator, and
besides he doesn't act 1t, Viewed from
the perspective of the press gallery
he is the hardest working man in the
ssnate--infectng with his industry
men thus far little known to fame.
like Reed Smoot or Kean of New Jer-
| sey. But his fame or its reverse is
| likely to rest ON his version of the
tariff law which bears his name joint
| ly with that Of Payne of the house.
The country abhors 1t. The one other
| measure-that for currency reform
| to which Aldrich would like to attach
his name, has no possible chance of
| passage In this congress, and less IN
| the next when an almost assured
Democratic house Of representatives
| will Block legislation originating In
| Wall Street SO Aldrich Is justified
| in thinking his work done and seek
ing retirement Even the political
boss, General Brayton, who has al
ways handled the Aldrich campaigns
In Rhode Island, declares that the sen,
ator is done.
| Who After AIdrich?
| Surprising he Is? Who will run the
United States senate? Aldrich has
! said that he could run the United
States government for 100000, 00l
less than II now costs annually, but
can he devise his absolute senatorial
power to successor? 1t was said the
successor would be Eugene Hale Of
Maine, until the latter also formally
announced his retirement Senator
Hale is eighty-four years of age. q
sprightly octogenarian indeed, keer
ing pace with Chauncey Depew, 1T;
William p. Frye, 70: Shelby M. Cul
Ion, 81, or Isaac Stephenson (whc
knows him except as the man who II
fighting La Follette?), 81. However
to bark back to Hale. Whatever hi,
age he has had fight on for re-elec
ton that probably would cost him hi.
place. Only today talked with Franz
Dingley, owner of the Lewiston (Me.,
Journal and brother Of the author O.
the once famous Dingley law. He de
| clares that the caucuses show the de
feat of Hale is a practical certainty
AS he puts 1t:
| Hale and His State.
"Mr. Hale has been for forty year
In public life and since the Spanish
war he has assiduously misrepresent
ed his state. On several occasions h,
would have been defeated for re.elee
ton had not his astute mind devise,
ways and means Of eliminating al
competition for that high office. Hal
was as good as defeated for one rf
election when his competitor. M,
Littleheld, withdrew for reasons wei
understood. Senator Hale has been 4
consistent opposition to the policies q