New-York tribune., 1910-07-12
THE SENATE LEADERSHIP.

Roth narties in the United States Sen
n+e will have 10 find new leaders after
March ? next. one of the striking Incl
dents Of the last session Of Congress was
the announcement that Senators Nelson
w Aldrich and Eugene Hale would
borh decline TO stand for reelection.
Their present terms end On March ).
1911 al which time Mr.. Aldrich will
have served twenty nine and half
wears and Mr.. Hale thirty years. These
two Senators shared with William B.
Allison up TO the time Of the latter :
death. in 1908. the responsibilities Of the
majority leadership. Mr.. Allison was
the dean Of the Senate. and besides be-
ing chairman of the Committee on Ap-
propriations was chairman Of the Re
publican caucus and of the Republi-
can steering committee. Mr.. Hale was
his chief assistant on the Appr0pria-
tions Committee and relieved him of
much Of the arduous work involved in
the preparation and passage Of the sup
plv bills. Mr. Aldrich was chairman
Cf the Finance Committee. and had more
10 do than any one else with shaping
tariff. financial and railroad legislation
and defining the attitude Of the majority
on the political issues on which the two
Darties were at variance. After Mr.. Al
lison'S death Mr.. Hale assumed sole
charge Of the appropriation bills and
MIR AIdrfch's leadership in the rest of
the legislative field became complete and
unrhallenged.
It will take the Republican majority
in the Senate some time to readjuSt itself
10 the conditions created by the disap-
pearance Of these two controlling figures
No successor TO either Mr. AIdrich or
Arr. Hale is vet in sight. The majority
leadership will therefore become once
more co-cDera tive in -chara cter. no single
Senator assuming guidance except in
matters connected with the work of the
committee of which he happens 10 be
the chairman Both parties in the Sen
ATE have -alternated between the systems
Of loose control and close control. Nhen
there have been many Senators with
equal claims JC leadership power has
been diffused Groups have governed
rather than individuals But when a
group obtaining pretty firm control in
party affairs has been able To perpetu-
ate itself. admitting no newcomers into
the circle of authority that authority
has finally become lodged in the hands
of one man. or at most Of two or three
men Thus. Mr.. Aldrich Inherited the
power exercised through a period of IF
teen or twenty years by . group consist
ing Of Senators Sherman. Morrill, Al
Iison. Hoar. Hale Platt. Of Connecticut.
and Spooner. IF which he early became
an influential member. Politically he
was the residuary legatee of the whole
coterie becauSs its membership was
never replenished from the outside thus
creating a divisible interest. In the
same way Mr German exercised leader
ship on the minority side as the sur
vivor of q company of great figures and
vigorous personalities which had made
Democracy a vital force in politics and
legislation.
Time may bring in another develop
ment of that sort on both sides of the
Senate Mr. Money, the titular Demo
cratic leader. retires 10 private life next
March. His authority in party affairs
has been merely nominal. and the Demo
cratic minority will have TO begin at the
beginning if il wants 30 build up n sense
# party cohesiveness and solidarity.
One man leadership has few attractions
for Inc Democrats in the Senate. for they
are too much engaged in factional dis
cords 10 welcome ccntrol which would
make for unification. 1t may be that