The Detroit times., 1910-04-23
ALOR|CH'S POWER
PUZZLES MANY
With His Personal Influence or
Craft He Rules Senate With an
Iron Hand.
eY ROBERT WILSON.


WASHINGTON, April 23.-Never
has one man dominated the legislation
OF the United States as Senator Mel
son w. Aldrich has done, and will con
tinue To DO until he retires next year
He was the first. and from present III
dications will be the last OF senate die
tators.
Yet IL is hard 10 put ones finger on
the secret OF his power. Aldrich was
! by no means born 10 the purple he
always SO nightly champions. lie
was II poor boy. His start in life was
running a corner grocery store.
No book on general biography de-
votes many lines TO Aldrich He has
been silent in self-eXpoitation, as he
has been in his Legislative programs.
He has made millions, yet no biogra-
ply states his business His business
has been politics. He Is 90 years old.
He first held Office when he was 30.
and he has continued TO hold office
ever since For 29 years he has been
the senator from Rhode Island.
On his shoulders fall all the power
that had once been swayed by the big
six S partnership, that OF Senator'S
Allison, Aldrich, Hale. Plat, Hanna
and Spooner, OF which Allison was
leader -but-only- equalin power
Plat Hanna aud Allison died. Spoone-
resigned Hale and Aldrich alone re-
manned. Aldrich rose. Hale became
his first mate.
More Absolute Than Cannon.
How Aldrich became sole leader and
autocrat is mysterious. He works
with no machine at his back. He has
only his personal power or craft. That
power, in the senate, is even more an
solute than Cannons in the house.
other men have equal intellect.
Some have as commanding personal
ity. A few possess mis- craft. but no
man in public life has his combination
OF all three. Add TO this the weight II
the solid backing OF the financial pow
ers of the country. His name begins
with "a, making him first in the roll
call guide 10 the wavering for Aid
rich is always voting right These
are all elements of his power.
He is the senate's great compro-
miser His rule has been stated as
Ito win, tie or postpone. That is, he
never figured on defeat Once he be-
strobe the saddle he continued his
reign by the fear he inspired Each
individual senator knew Aldrich's
ability TO block pet legislation. In
that way he secured continued high
tariffs in the cotton and wool sched-
ules Perhaps not once did he make
any actual threats in accomplishing
his ends
The eyes that peer under his shaggy
l IrNt % hn Hn1
Lodge. Kean, Crane, Smoot. Gallinger
and Warren are his lieutenants. Not
one is his equal.
Guides Taft Railway Bill.
At present he is the unseen hand
firmly guiding the Taft railway bill.
He is silent in the sessions and
silent outside of them. His vote in the
senate is his speech. Once he spoke
for an hour on the tariff bill. That was
his longest address He doesn't cam
paign for the party. He seldom talks
for publication. He is silent, sinister,
dangerous for he is always on the
side of money and against men.
When he does speak his speech is
short blunt, effective.
He has one absorbing ambition,
monetary reform. which, for him,
means "A central bank. He has one
fear, his health. He has one hobby,
the raising OF flowers In his Rhode
Island hotbouses.
During the present session he caught
slight cold, which chung TO him
rather stubborningly. AT once he
feared for his health. He went to
Florida for three weeks. Frankly. the
senate suspended bushes. Frankly it
waited for his return TO take up the
administration measures.
He has the build and upright car
rage OF an athlete. His face glows
with apparent health. Walking in his
principal exercise. He has a weak
ness, TO be fattered upon his social
successes.
in his 80 years in the senate he has
been noted for his unceasing activity.
He is the enemy OF the plain people,
yet one cannot but admire the intel
Ilect that dominates a body of men,
many OF whom are dominant every
where except in the senate. With no
particular schooling he confound5
great corporation lawyers with his
knowledge of law Probably he is hon
est according to his own views. But.
I Hike Hanna and others, he has exalted
business" above all else
There is one wellspring OF power
! that he has long held. II is control OF
the senate committee on committees.
| This makes the vice-president pup
pet as presiding officer OF the senate.
| The committee has the power that
made Cannon car for II distributes
all the chairmanships and committee
on rules.
This power gave both Cannon and
Aldrich grip on Democrats as well
as Republicans.
Rebukes la Toilette.
one instance shows how bad" sen.
atnrs are treated La Toilette fought
Spooner, Aldrichs friend. La Toilette
came to the senate Aldricn gave
| him the Craftsmanship of one commit
tee-the committee on the Potomac
river front--which had nothing to do
and hadn't met for years That's all
! I.aFollette got.
! For a committee room LaFolette
I was assigned to a dingy cell down in
/ the subcellar. under the porticO
Smoot. the Mormon from Utah. was
good. and though a young senator
! Aldric hgave him fine assignments and
much power and pap.