Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-03-15
Names Retiring Senator.
{ Kenaebec Journal. }


Kenaebec Journal.
Senator Eugene Hale has put off
the harness and yielded his public
place at Washington. With the demo-
cratic transformation, he steps aside.
The career, rounded out and full, that
stands to his credit, rebounds also in
credit to his constituency. He merits
distinction through his remaining
days as Names first citizen.
Behind him are four decades of hon
est, fearless, eminent service. 1t is
part of Names proud history at
Washington and can not be disassoci-
ased from our national prominence.
For the present our splendid line of
congressional leaders, running
through quite half century and link
ing such names as Fessenden, Hamlin,
Blaine and Reed, ends with him. As
one of forty-six commonwealth,
our dependence at Washington rests
henceforth upon juniors and the
future.
Washington respects him for much
more than his thirty years of senate
rial tenure. As he steps out, he va
Gates leadership, established by ca
pacity for real achievement. He can
manage men and measures. He has
stood for his convictions, based on
careful Judgment, and maintained
his individuality of view. He is and
always has been sturdy partiz an.
His partizanship has never out
weighed consideration Of his States
best interests or the country's best
interests as he saw them.
Criticism has fallen to him in full
measure. It would have embittered
and discouraged one of smaller cali
bre. His career has extended to a
time when traits of independence and
strength, standing counter to the
clamor of the hour, invited unusual
attack. But had he acquiesced more
readily, his fame might have been less
secure as the years pass. The Senate
of his time has averaged higher in
ability than any other Senate in our
history. He has ranked with the best
and ablest OF his associates.
Senator Hale has been a construc-
tive legislator. He has not trimmed
his sails to every passing breeze, nor
become of the complaisant type that
shrongs Senate and House too numer-
sously in this era. He had been on the
hard working committees of the
national house for ten years before
Maine promoted him to the Senate.
He has known, as few other men now
in public life know, every cog and
shaft in the federal machinery.
A vast deal of his efforts have been
in connection with the voting of gov
eminent supplies. He has had hand
at shaping policies in the expenditure
of billions of government moneys. In
scrutiny of appropriation details and
in the thankless task of safeguarding
the treasury, he il one of a little
group of men, who have done their
almost to restrain the riot of national
extravaganza.
But his activities in Congress have
been varied. We will not attempt to
review them here. They have been
too comprehensive for an editorial
column. A great monument to Sena-
tor Hale's public service is the mod
'ern navy. Others may claim author.
ship of the idea but it is essentially
his. For more than twenty years he
has worked indefatigably to upbuild
our fighting strength upon the sea.
He advocated naval expansion along
sound, conservative lines but COM
batted with unremitting vigor the
modern militarism.
An avalanche of Misrepresentation
and censure descended upon him for
opposition to the Spanish war. He
faced it with courage that will per.
petuate his name. No public man
from Maine ever furnished at Wash
ington more inspiring example OF
pAtriotic independence. he sounded
far in advance warning about our
acquisition OF the Philippines. The
swept on with it's pro-
gram me and verified his prediction OF
the embarrassments that would ensue.
He exhorted against the govern
anental excuses of prosperity. II is the
irony OF politics that the popular re-
sentiment, due in some measure to
the very things he inveighed against,
also bore him under.
Names appreciation of what Sena-
tor Hale has done at Washington will
NOT wane. He is not the character OF
,rhl;c aeryaut who will he speedily