Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-02-16
Editorial Comment.
Senator Hale.

senator haIe.
CRumford Falls Times)
Nothing could be more foolish than for
the republicans of the State of Maine to
retire Eugene Hale to private life and
send Judge Frederick A. Powers in his
place.
No doubt Judge Powers is an able man,
and he is brother of the late Elewellyn
Powers, former governor and congress
man, it may be that he has strong politi-
cal influence. But why should Senator
Hale be retired?
Eugene Hale is one of the abIest men
in public life. He was born at Turner,
Maine June 9, 1896. that he is now
nearly "A years of age: but he is. never
theless one of the most active men in the
senate. He was admitted to the bar in
1857. For nine years he was county at
torney; for three years a member OF the
legislature; for ten years member or
the Federal house of representatives,
and While a member of that body he
twice declined seat in the President
cabinet In 1874 Grant wanted him TO pc
general; in 1877 Hayes wanted
him to be secretary of the navy In 1881
Mr.. Hale was elected to the senate Of
the United States to succeed Hannlbai
Hamlin who declined a reelection: each
six years thereafter Senator Hale was
reelected, so that he is now serving his
twenty-ninth consecutive year in the
greatest legislative body in the world-a
body so peculiarly constituted, orgahized
and managed that a new senator, no
matter how able, he may be, must take a
back seat. and wait long time before ne
can be influential or particularly mseful
to his state. Mony very aple men nay a,
endeavored to crowd their way to the
front and have utterly failed the new
senators go to the tail end of unimpof-
tant committees: they are forced to serve
a period of probation; nobody knows
them: they have no influence, they may
speak but they have little opportunity to
know the details of important legislation,
which is prepared by committees com,
posed of the older and more experienced
senators. Senator Hale. notwithstanding
his great ability and his long experience
in the house of representatives,, couid 90
nothing more than work his way slowly
to a position of power and influence. lie
is now one of the really great men OF
the senate: he has served longer than any
other senator. for it was eleven Gays Id,
ter that Mr.. Frye, the other dlstlnSulsned
senator from Maine entered that Douy.
Senator Hale is chairman of the commit
tee on appropriations, he is second on ma
val affairs, he is second on the committee
on census, and he is fourth on the com
mittee on finance. These are four OF the
most important committees of the senate
In addition, he is chairman of the I'M
mensely important committee on eXpehdl-
tures-a new committee of the senate,
whose purpose is to decrease the aDpro-
priations of Congressman he is also d
member of the unofficial steering com
mittee" which to large degree controls
the calendar of the senate, pushing for
ward certain bills for consideration ana
holding back others.
1t would be a great mistake for Name
to retire the oldest and one of the ablest
senators, whose intellectual powers show
no signs of weakness and against whose
record no criticism can be made. merely
to provide a place for man who mas
had no experience whatever in national
affairs and who. even if exceptionally
able and exceedingly fortunate. could not
reach in twenty years, the commanding
place in national legislation which Eu-
half her present commanding influence
in the senate by sending. him back to
private life and great loss, an utterly
needless loss. would be inflicted upon the
whole country.