The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-04-26
PASSING or rHE OLD aIEARD.


Under the above caption the New
York Sun, an independent news
paper, speaks Of contemplated retire
ment Of Senators Aldrich and Hale,
and says
The rule Of seniority in the senate
is as fnaexible as The laws OF the Medes
and Persians. To-day Mr. Aldrich is
chairman Of the finance committee
and a ranking member on other com
mitteeS, such as interstate commerce,
rules and public expenditures, which
have control Of many important sub
jects Of legislation. Mr.. Hale is chair
man of appropriations and high rank
ing member Of public expenditures,
census, finance and naval affairs.
When Aldrich and Hale go out the
men now Immediately below them in
seniority of service will move up and
take their places just as automatically
as day follows night, and no matter
how gifted and distinguished new
senator may be he must wait his turn.
Thus the next chairman of the COM
mittee on finance will be Julius Caesar
Burrows, of Michigan, who twenty five
years ago had reputation as politi-
cal orator on the stump and in the
house of representatives, but who has
not ranked in the senate among the
leaders.
The new old guard of the senate
will be made up of Burrows, If he is re-
elected; Elkins, of West Virginia; Gall
niger, of New Hampshire; Lodge, of
Massachusetts; Warren, of Wyoming;
Smith, OF Michigan; Penrose, OF Penn
Sylvania; Crane, of Massachusetts;
Kean, of New jersey; Brandegee, of
Connecticutt Carter, of Montana
Root, Of New York; Hurton of Ohio,
and senators of that class now forming
the right wing of the old guard,
flanked with more or less effect by the
insurgent outriders-" busy bees like
Borah, OF Idaho; Bourne, of Oregon
Bristow, of Kansas; Brown and Bur
ton, of Nebraska Clapp, of Minnesota;
Dolliyer and Cummins, of Iowa; La
Toilette, of wisconsin, Nelson, of
Minnesota.
"Of the new old guard Lodge, Of
Massachusetts,, would easily be the
leader if he did not lack the very quail
tiles that have made Aldrich so sue
cessful in this position. Lodge is the
best orator Of the senator as well as
the scholar of that body. His talents
are admitted and apparent, his integ-
rity is unquestioned and bis literary
oleverness unsurpassed, Sbut he has
about him an air that does not attract
men to him.
To be a leader in body like the
United States senate, where men can
be persuaded but not driven, cajoled
but not forced, man must have the
patience and cheerfulness and cool
beaded astuteness and mastery OF de-
tails and knowledge of human nature
and above all the personal magnetism.
When the new old guard is in
working order, Carter and Crane and
Kean have no real fear of assuming
the responsibility of party legislation.
They know that it is votes that count
and that work in the committees and
in the cloak room and in the caucus
effects more than oratory on the floor,
and yet when oratory must needs be
had Lodge and Burrows and others
will be there to supply it, and if they
fail there will always be the loquacious
'insurgentss to draw upon.'
Senator Kean occupies seat in
the first row of the senate. and is
chairman of the audit committee, and
near the head of the committees on
appropriations, claims, foreign rela-
tions, interstate commerce, private
land claims and territories. He has
the reputation of being one of the
most popular and influential of the
senators and can get almost anything
he asks for.