The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-02
new IDEA PUSHES
OLD GUARD ASIDE
Another Regime Begins
TOM orroW in United
States Senate.
GREAT LEADERS
HAVE DEPARTED
Only Lodge Is Left Of the Bril-
liant Coterie Which Once Ruled
Supreme in Upper House of
Congress Mighty Changes
Worked by Political
Wheel Of Fortune.

Washington. D. c., April IA tre-
mcndous change in the Senate will be
noticed when that body meets for its
work in the sixty Congress.
The New Idea has made It's way
forward. pushing to the rear the old
Guard OF former days. and with the
advancement OF the New. Idea" al
yocates new regime take hold.
Two years ago, when Senator Nell
son w. Adrich told his friends that
he had tired OF congressional life and
ycarned for tho quictude OF his pri-
vnte home. there We're not a few who
doubted df such an announcement was
to be seriously considered. The Rhode
Island Senator had SO Ions been a
veteran in the upper house Of Con-
grcss, for SO many years was his
advice on financial and monetary mat
tiers eagerly sought. and for 50 long
had he been the right hand man of
the President. thut there was serious
doubt whether, after all, he would
really lie allowed to retire.
AIdrich Missing.
But those who Will look down from
the galleries on the Senate floor be-
low when Vice President Sherman
rabs for order Tuesday and announces
that the extra session OF Congress Is
ready TO perform dts duties. will see
Islander is missing. and that another
has come 10 take his place.
Senator Aldrich could have stayed In
his seat indefinitely had he cared to
do and doubtless he would have
chosen to remain there had he not
seen the handwriting on the wall He
saw that in tho very order OF things
the Senate, within a Few years. would
be filed with a young clcment--nn
~. ~,
to tile buckSround-And rather than
submit TO sec his power curtailed or
even his authority doubted lie chose
tho only course which his pride per
mitted-that OF gracefuliy retiring TO
private life.
The retirement Of Aldrich and Hale
and Foraker and others, who half I,
dozen years ago held the Senate III
their very grasp marks great change
in the country's hiStory--a change.
however, which has been becoming
more apparent year by year. Old ira
ditions are being showed aside and
the old leaders with them.
Unlike the House, the whole spirt.
! OF the Senate has been the resist
| ance of popular ciamor. Nothing but
| death has stirred It, and nothing comes
nearer approaching 1t than :hc staiu
and stately supreme Court.
H.,
the chief counsellor. with his aids con-
sisting OF Spoontr, Allison, Hale and
Plat. Allison is dead. Spooner saw
what was coming. and suddenly an
nOunced that he would forever quit
senatorial life. lie did so, and is now
one OF the chief attorneys in many of
the big trust cases pending before the
United states Supreme Court. His sal
airy as Senator was $500. and as ad-
wiser for the trusts lie probably earns
$4,000 from Christmas to Christmas
Maine has lost the services OF Sen
ator Hale. Thomas Collier Plat, long
denominated the easy boss,' has gone
TO his reward. Foraker-"Fire Alarm"
Foraker, as he was called, especially
during the days when he was making
the life OF former President RooseyeI;
miserable over the shooting up Of
Brownsville and the treatment OF the
negro soldiers-has also left the SEN
ate TO resume the duties Of private life
teller. the man who was elected TO the
senate on three separate platforms. is
likewise missing Time dealt lcniently
with tho veteran Westerner, and wear
after year he was returned 10 the SEN
ate, but finally the day had 10 cc.ne
when he like many others who had
gone before. should sit for the last