The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-03-30
ALOR|CH' s HOLD ON
SENATE IS SECURE
His influence Is As Strong As Cam
mons Has Been in House, But
Conditions Are Different.

WASHINGTON. March 29.-Insur-
gency In the senate when the big bills
come up tor action will be lively
enough, but will scarcely approach the
revolution stage. Unlike the mem
berS OF the house, the senator's will
avoid the joys OF 24-hour sessions and
the excitement OF high pressure
speeches calculated TO scorch the hide
and hair from fellow statesmen.
The progressives in the senate have
the same inspiration as those in the
house. but conditions In the senate are
not such as call for the mode OF war.
fare waged By the representatives.
There Is no issue regarding the rules.
II has been said by many that the in
fluence or Aldrich in the senate is as
strong as that OF Speaker Cannon has
been In the house, but IL is different.
The senate does not elect Aldrich
to anything but committees and the
power To appoint committees Is not in
vested in him by the rules. His
power comes indirectly and is due in
large part TO his strong personality,
his skill as a tactician and the pc
culiar influences at his command. In
the house Capitalization OF power Is
more obvious and the speaker was a
shining mark.
While the Democratic representa-
tives stood solidly IN line with the
| Republican insurgents 20 bring about
revolution in the house nothing of the
sort could be accomplished. even II
there was occasion for such a COM
bination in the senate.
Adrich Could Sway Democrats.
Those who are familiar with senate
conditions say that in any close vote
on Aldrich or an Aldrich proposition
IL would be possible for him TO muster
some Democratic support.
No organization has been perfected
by the senate progressives. and no eff
fort has been made 70 agree upon a
program AS the progressives range
from radicals 10 near-regulars, II
would be difficult, if not impossible to
get an agreement for united action on
series of questions.
What thes prugressives will do wan
be 70 preserve their freedom Of action
and show up the bad spots In the big
bills as they come along. Their fight
will be 10 prevent legislation along re-
dictionary lines
| The first demonstration OF the pro-
gressives was made on the postal saw
| ings bank bill and IL was q success.
| The bill had made II possible 10 use
| the deposits for the repurchase OF
800 600. 900 2-per-cent bonds now In
the hands OF the bankers. A fight was
made on this provision, a charge be-
! ing made that this was to relieve the
banks OF the low interest bonds and
enable them 10 buy forthcoming Pan
anna 3-per-cent bonds
As a result of the protest the bill
was amended so that the money could
! be invested in no government bonds
carrying less than 2 IA percent inter
est. 4 number Of the regulars voted
with the progressiyes on the Issues.
Fight Coming on Railroad Bill.
There will be a fight on the admins
tration railroad bill which Is called
up and laid aside In the senate every
/ day. General speeches are now In
order. and after the supply has been
exhausted the bill will be considered
| by sections. Then the amendments
will be presented. and the debate will
be hot and heavy. Senator Cummins
Iowa progressive. In keen analysis
of the bill declared II was full OF bad
spots and his colleagues think he made
good. At any rate Senator Aldrich
rose a few days later TO say that n
number OF amendments 10 the bill
would be offered by its friends. but he
wanted Il distinctly understood that
the action was not influenced by Cum
Minis speech The amendments had
been decided upon long before Dy the
administration.
The biggest FIGHT Will be over the
section CT the bill that proposes the
creation OF n court 81 commerce, 20
have special Jurisdiction over cases
under the interstate commerce law.
Thon there is 20 be spell Of tariff
discussion that Will revive the con
tcntions OF last summer. when the new
tariff rates were adopted President
Taft's laudation Of the Payne-Aldrich
bill in a number u his recent speeches
Is given as one of the reasons for the
desire Of the progresslves TO reopen
the question
They also have views. however. on
tho relation of The tariff 10 high prices
that they think may be Of general In
terest. The debate viii probably be
precipiiated By an amendment 20 the
sundry civil appropriation bill for the
creation ~ tariff commission
Dollivcr Nep. Iowa), who figured SO
prominently In the fight against the
cotton schedules i'm the tariff law. Is.
according t. his colleagues. COMPOSING
q speech that will attract national
attention.