Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-06-02

saw about him. He fits about the Sen
ate chamber and into committee-rooms |
all the day through like the busy |
little bee and also like the busy little |
bee. he usually brings the honey |
home with him. If no becomes the ack-
nowledged leader of tho Senate, as AL |
drch was. and as It seems possible |
that he will. his rule will be more |
benign one than that of the Rhode
Island Senator. 1t will not be so auto
lcratic; indeed It will not be so auto
cratic at all, for Mr.. Crane cannot
only lead a horse to water, but can
make him drink.
Mr.. Cranes admirers say that II a
mosquito lighted upon him with the
instructive ambition and intention of
biting him the Senator OF Massachu-
sets would not drive him away with
blows as would another man. Such ac-
| ton would appear to him brutal and
coarse Indeed. these admirers say Mr..
Crane might be expected to capture the
Iattention of the mosquito and point
out to him the small results to be at
tanned by biting such n thin, slender
man. "Why not" he might be expected
to argue. ego over and bite Senator
Hepburn? He weighs 2i0 pounds and
you would do much better for yourself
than by attacking somebody SO nearly
| your own size
| When Mr.. Crane was appointed to
the Senate in October, 1901 to fill the
vacancy caused by the death of Sem
ator Hoar. he quickly became one of
the controlling republican group that
was associated with Mr.. Aldrich in his
Leadership. Mr.. Crane made 1t his bust
ness to find out what was going on In
the Senate, and he always knew. Sec
rets disclosed themselves to him. Dem
locrats and republicans alike confided
In him. Senator'S would tell him how
they Intended to vote when they would
tell no one else. He never sought to
Impose his views on any one. He has
always been ready to make conccs-
sions and compromises in the s:rictest
fairness and consideration for the
rights. the prejudices and The needs
of those whose cooperation he sought
He furnished the greater part OF in
tellieence OF the alliance Of republic
leans who were opposed to President
Traits nomination for the presidency.
and now lie has become the trusted
and confidential Intermediary between
President Taft and tho Senate
When Mr. Crane saw that Presid Mt
Tafts nomination was inevitable he
accepted the situation and he did as
much as any other man at the repub-
llican national headquarters during tho
campaign to bring about Mr. TAFT s
election. AT one time when the repub-
Ilicans were most discouraged. and
when republican criticism of Frank
Hitchcock was Mt its heiEht, an effort
was made to induce Mr.. Crane to take
complete charge OF the Taft campaign.
1t has been commonly believed that
, Mr. Roosevelt was espe cially DESTROYS
that Mr.. Crane should supplant Mr..
Hitchcock but Mr.. Cranes excellent
political sense prevented cOnsum-
: matt of this plan. While the junior
senator from Massachusetts has been
so closely identified with the Aldrict
!. group in the Senate now disintesrat-
$ ing he has never had to bear any OF
4 the animosites Of the republican in
surgent" senators. nor has he a this
day their ill-will.
" In the present temper of Congress
e no man can fortell what the next day
Q will bring forth A little while ago
7 when the administrations railroad bill
$ was being emasculated the Senate
L by the elimination Of two of its i'm
y portant sections-one legalizing traf
= fic agreements among the carriers
- and the other permitting mergers OF
n two railroad lines under certain cir
+ cumstances-it would seem probable
Q that no further hitch would occur II
s. securing the enactment of the mali
: item on Mr.. Taft's program. Tho so
s called Irregular" republicans. as dis
, tinguished from the 'insurgent re
1t publicans. We're showing disposition
- to take what they could get II the,
t could not get what they wanted. Thi
= attitude seemed to be shared by Presi
:, dent Taft. But very recent events hav
" pointed to revival of open hostili
10 ties between the republican factions
- a recent Saturday night conference
- at the White House to talk over tn
whole legislative program and IN
prospect for it's enactment was parti
cipated in by 81 republican senator
~ at the Presidents invitation, represent
= ing all shades Of republican though
- and belief in the Senate except out
'' and out "insurgency." Their exclusio
y was resented by the "insurge MS.
=, Their resentment was increased whe
they heard that at the powwow the
had been criticised by Mr. Taft in un
measured terms Whether this wa
true on not. It had the same effect. )
now at this present crisis in the his
he tory of the Republican party. there ar
six republican senators from five PC
iltically important states in the middl
West who do not visit the Whit
House and who hold no intercourS
~ with republican president. The,
s | senators are Beverdge Of Indiana
of brlstow of Kansas. cummins and DO
se liver Of Iowa. Clapp Of Minnesota, an
n laFollette of Wisconsin. They al
n clean off the White House reservatio
he and are no more consulted by Pres
es dent Taft than If they were open al
IL ayowed democrats. If only the persol
b. atty and individual fortunes of the!
or men were involved. this would not !
3D. a serious matter or even worthy
" more than casual passing common
its hut there Is at hand every manifest'
ng ton and every evidence to show tina
OF as these mon think and believe,
do think and believe the majority of r
as nubIicans In their respective state
en- ana this Is n matter of firstrate IN
on portance 1t - to be suspected tn
e. President Taft has not comprehend
ed this.
u.s. This is a sketchy outline of the -
lot uation which Senator Crane is unde
Ii taking to compose in tho Senate al
Did which no one has appeared TO atteIn
TO to COMPOSE in the House. 1t Is 81
or uotion that has been familiar to dem