Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-08-11
MIR. TAFT'S WESTERN ENVOY
Senator Crane ms Politician and OIL
What Constitutes n Politician.
To

Wv aSnlngtOn Letter to the brooklyn
Eagle)
President Taft has picked a good man
to find out for him what is going on in
the West. Senator Crane of Nassachu-
sets. who has been chosen the Taft
envoy, is an expert in the business Of slz-
ing up political situations, OF asccrtainng
what folks are thinking about and OF
feeling the public pulse generally.
Crane is to tour through the West. and
report to the President what he thinks
of things there. whether the insurgent
movement is flash in the pan, whether
the tnriff is satisfactory to the public.
whether Cannon Is looked upon as Il
wicked man. and Just what is thought
of the Taft administration.
Crane made his reputation in the Senats
as professional pulse feeler" The
Massachusetts man is not an rator, nor
IA statesman. He has never made a speech
on the floor and says frankly that he
can't 90 it. Yet he is one of the busiest
members of this body. He Is a great
mixer. He has a kindly. fra,errizing dis
position is gentle as "A child and never
says "A mean word about anybody.
Crane scarcely ever sits at his own
desk Iia, slips about here ana there in
the Senate. chatting and gossiping with
his associates. He is as likely to be found
on the democratic side as on the re-
publican side. He IL not a great talk
himself yet he has a remarkable faculty
for making tho other fellows talk. Crane
can make a poll Of the Senate quicker
than any one else and he will be mighty
near the real situation, too.
Finding ont how the senators are to
vote is his speciality. If Aldrich is worried
about getting Il good vote on the cur
rency bill, or if Hale is doubtful about
pulling an appropriation hill through,
they ask Crane to find out what the
situation is. All the senators know that
Crane is working for Aldrich and Hale
when he asks them how they stand. But
they tell him just the same They all like
Nm, lave confidence in his iudgme nt
and know that he can keen n secret bet
ter than the Sphinx.
Some of the senators are inclined TO
poke little fun at Crane. They think
he works too Hard taking census of tho
thoughts of the Senate. The frequency
with which the Massachusetts senator
Haciliatcs between the White House and
the Capitol during exciting legislative bat
ties sometimes causes senators to smile
1t may be remarked that those who thus
mildly scott are not often called upon by
the President to undertake confidential
missions.
Senator Crane has his own ideas Of
what constitutes @ politician. A friend
once remarked to the senator that GER
tion was a grcat politician. Crane smiled.
! don't regard that man as anything
OF IA politician" lie said In fact, l
think he is a monumental failure as n
politician. My idea of n politician Is Il
man who is a mixer. man who can
harmonize warning factions, who can get
persons to work together. lie must ba
u good Judge of human nature and lib
cral-mindcd enough to concede the right
OF others and to differ from him. He
DOCS not make an enemy Of the man who
does not think as he thinks, but acknow-
lodges his privilege to think for him.
SELL Yet retains him as q friend"
IL was only n trifle more than two
Years ago that Senator Crane was doing
all he could to prevent the nomination OF
TART for president; He headed the move
mont or the allies. and was tho chief
advisor of tho hackers OF Foraker. Knox.
Fairbanks. Shaw and the others who had
presidential booms, bat when the hooms
or the allies collapsed Crane climbed on
tho Tart band wagon, extended friend
~ hand to the Blk driver. and the two
nave been East friends ever since,
Taft and Foraker never have made up
their quarrel, thus illustrating the Crane
ueilpiion of successful politician. For
aker left the Senate enbittered against
rant and the latter neVor cared to so
TO tho trouble OF placating his old en-
envy
The trouble between Taft and Foraker,
by tho way. was responsible for the
activity of Crane to beat TAFT for the
nomination. Crane and For
aksr are fast friends. The former was
So9ely troubled because Taft was using
MS influence to beat Foraker for re-elec-
ton as senator. He went to MIR, TAFT.
VINO was then secretary OF war. and said
thot no would do all In his power to in
sure Thfts nomination Il Taft would call
OH the war on Foraker and aid the lat
ters reelection, Taft refused and tho
Tight OF the allies was continued to the