New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-19
Two Senate Leaders Decide Not
to Seek a Re-
election.
REASON FOR THEIR ACTION
Mr., Hale Does Not Wish to En-
gage in a Scramble for
Office and Mr.. Aldrich
Is in Poor Health.

the Senate. will retire 10 private life at
the expiration of his present term Of
service on March 3 next. No announce
ment of Mr.. Hale's purpose TO leave the
public service has been made. nor would
the Maine Senator discuss the subject
tonight. IL IS known. however. that he
has decided not TO seek reelection. and
il is expected that formal statement 20
this effect will be forthcoming in the
near future.
In the last few months the political
opponents of Mr. Hale in Maine have
been unusually busy. They have brought
out Judge Powers for the Senate and
have laid their plans for state-wide
campaign To control the Maine Legisla-
ture against the venerable Senator. who
for forty years mas been a member OF
Congress. Friends of Mr. Hale felt con-
fdent that no possible political combina-
ton could be made that would result
in mis- defeat. and they have been plan
ming a campaign in his interest
Mr.. Hale himself felt confident of his
reelection provided he stayed in the
fight He was unwilling. however. TO
little doubt that MIR Hale was Influenced
very largely in his determination 70
withdraw from active public life by the
decision Of Senator Aldrich not 10 be
candidate for reelection TO the Senate.
Their Decision Regretted
All of the older members of the SEN
ate. including Democrats. who almost
invariably have opposed Mr.. Aldrich.
regret the decision of the Rhode Island
Senator not to seek reelection For
thirty years Senators AIdrich and Hale
have worked together. and each has the
greatest admiration for the others abil-
ity and high sense of public duty. They
have been the recognized leaders of the
Senate. and practically every important
public measure enacted in their time has
borne the impress Of their hand and
brain.
New Englands great power in the Efs
of the nation has been due in large
measure to these two Senators. Their
experience gave them great power. and
both of them possessed in an unusual
degree those qualities of natural leader
ship which ena bled them To construct
and carry TO the statute books the bills
which aimed to solve great nationai
problems. Neither of them made long
speeches at any time. but both were
prominent in the daily debates and gave
To- the minor questions of routine pro-
cedUre the same consideration which
they applied 10 the larger questions. As
parliamentarians Senators Aldrich and
Hale have no peers in the Senate.
When the late Senator Allison was
chairman of the Committee ON Appro-
priations Senator Hale was his first
lieutenant In that period Mr.. Hale
served as chairman of the Committee on
Naval Affairs and handled the great
naval appropriation bill on the floor and
in the conference committee. He sue
ceeded Mr.. Allison as chairman Of the
Committee on Appropriations. He is the
Republican member OF the Com
mittee on Naval Affairs and is also a
member of the Committee on Finance.
AS the oldest Senator in service he -
chairman of the Republican caucus
Senator Aldrich's Announcement.
Senator AIdrich authorized the an
tonight that he will not
be "A candidate for reelection 20 the
Senate. and that he will retire at the
expiration of his present term on March
B. 1911.
This announcement was made tonight
by the Senator on his return TO Wash
ngton from Rhode Island. where he had
-
associates.
The statement that Senator Aldrich
would retire at the end of his present
term was made exclusively in Washing
ION dispatches 10 The Tribune on April
10. 1909.
Il have decided not 70 be a candidsts
gain" said the senator. since some
hing of my plans has leaked out al
-eadv. l would be glad TO have you make
hat statement / had not intended TO
,av ANYTHING for a few days. as l would
nave preferred to have apprised my
friends in washington of my plans per-
,onaIly. but 1 suppose it is Just as well
Is it is"
Due to IH Health.
Mr.. AIdrich talked freely of his deter
TO retire. III health alone die
ated his decision. In his survice in
he civil War he had "a long siege Of
-vphoid fever. and as result of thst
illness he has suffered periodically with
Intestinal trouble. These disCCmfOrts
nave manifested themselves when he has
yorSed particularly hard. and have
aused him considerable worry.
week ago the senator went to New
York. where he consulted his physicians.
They insisted that ne rid himself Of thu
more sXaCting Of his burdens and de-
-ote "a large share of his time TO out
iCor exercise tie could see no way 70
cad such a life IL he accepted another
erm of six years I'm the Senate. and
therefore he decided TO retire.
After discussing the situation with
members OF hts family. the senator Went
o Rhode Island last Friday 10 make
he necessary arrangements. He wanted
Ia confer with his Republican associates
and to insure the sending Cf a Repubu-
,an 10 the senate TO succeed him.
And there is no doubt OF the result"
he said The rarity leaders have can
Sassed the situation and there Is no
doubt that a Republican will take nv
place. All Of my associates In the state