The San Francisco call., 1910-08-13
REAL MP. fIXT COMES
FROM MASSACHUSEl Is
Jenator Crane Devotes Himself to Feeling
Mems Pulses and QuietiRg Troubles


(which side wonP" asked the report
ers.
Both Sides ehorused the teamsters
and their employers
That was just a sample of the way
MIR. Fixft fixes everything.
In 1904 Crane was appointed 70 the
senate. 1t seemed inevitable that ne,
should be dwarfed by the great career
of his predecessor, Senator HOar. There
is an unwritten rule of the senate that
new members shall be seen and not
heard. Lately with the arrival of La
Toilette Cummins, Shively and others
the rule has been ignored Crane, now
ever. observed il to the letter. He did
this, probably. because of his dislike
of public speaking
In spite of his reticenee. Cranes
natural aptitude for judging men,
bringing them together on any given
proposition and feeling their pulses,
brought him into immediate promi-
nence. Even before he entered the SEN
ate. Roosevelt had admired him. In
fact, when Roosevelt was president he
wanted Crane as his secretary or the
treasury but they found that he would
be ineligible because of his cOnnec-
tion with the paper manufacturing
plant and it's contracts with the gov
he severed all connection with the
company. but when he was being con-
sidered for secretary of the treasury
the fact that he had once owned the
company to which the secretary would
have to award contracts prevented his
acceptance of ROOsevelt's offer.
Roosevelt. however. had a very high
opinion of Cranes qualities. especially
his political wisdom. He is quiet,
timid man-Crane. not RooseveIt-but
he is quite willing to fight when fight
ing seems necessary 1t is only about
two years ago, for instance, that Crane
was fighting against the nomination of
Taft for president.
The inside history of this fight shows
the reason for Cranes fight against
Taft was his stanch friendship for for
mer Senator Foraker. The Iatter's
fight against Roosevelt was switched
to Taft when Roosevelt went out of
office. Roosevelt had once believed that
Foraker should be nominated as his
successor. They quarreled and ROOse-
velts switched his support to Taft.
Foraker left the senate embittered
against Taft. and the president has
never gone to the trouble to placate his
old enemy. In fact, the president used
his influence to beat Foraker for
election to the senate. When Crane
learned of this he went to Taft. who
was then secretary of war. and said he
would do all in his power to secure
Tafts nomination for the presidency
if the war on Foraker were called off.
Taft refused. Crane then joined the
SO called allies, who were fighting
against Tafts nomination. He was the
chief advisor Of the hackers of Foraker.
Knox, Fairbanks, Shaw, Cannon and
other men who~had presidential bOoms
ahoat
But when Taft was nominated Crane
went TO him and offered his congratuIa-
~ Ia oil
cheerfuly and with sincere friendship
for the victor Today he is Taft's
closest adviser. In the senate as has
been said, he rarely sits at his own
desk. He has never made speech on
the floor. He sits in any old seat
chatting and gOssipfng with his repub-
hcan and democratic neighbors. While
no talker himself. he has a remarkable
faculty for making the other fellow
talk. He can make a poll OF the senate
quicker than any one else and he usu-
ally hits the result on the head.
This ability TO fOretell the result of
any vote in the senate has made C~ane
invaluable to President Taft. Mr.
F1xit divides his time between the
capitol building and. the White House
and whenever Taft wants to know
what is going on he calls in Crane
Senator Lodge, who is Cranes col
league from Massachusetts. has been in
the senate longer. but he has not half
the influence that Crane has Demo-
Gratis and republicans. who dislike be-
ing questioned as TO how they are going
to vote. tell Crane anything he wants
to know.
Recently Senator Lodge wanted to
get a certain bill through the senate
There was no particular objection to
IT, excepting that caused by Lodges
manner of dealing with those who had
the votes. Democratic votes were
necessary The democrats rebe1ed
3 just because Lodge was back Of it,
Lodge then appealed to Crane. Crane
appealed to the democrats. "Oh, we'll
they said, If you want it we will do 1t -
Not long ago a friend, a man promi-
nent in the administration, remarked
that a certain other luminary in Wash
tngton was a great politician.
Now, don't regard that man as
anything of politician" said Crane
In fact, think he is a monumental
failure as politician. My idea of a
politician is a man who is good mixer.
a. man who can harmOnize warning
FACTIONS and who can get persons TO
work together. He must be a good
judge of human nature and liberal
minded enough to cOncede the rights
of others to differ from him. He does
not make an enemy of the man who
does not think as he thinks, but ac-
knowledges his privilege to think for
himself, yet retains him as friend"
Mr.. Fixit. probably uneonsciousIv.
was describing himself. He is Just that
kind of politician. And because he
is that kind of politician he has been
selected by the president to make a
canvass of the west and report on the
political situation in that part of the
country. If there is anything wrong
with the west, if it has the colIy
wobbles or the Group, Mr.. Fixit will
fix 1T.