Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-04-13
CRANES PLACE IN SENATE,
Tie Does Not Care for the Appropri"-
tions Commhtcc Chairmnnship.

tho craftsmanship OF the committee on
APPROXIMATIONS made vacant by the "a
t,rctncnt of Senator Hale OF Maine. Tho
chairman of the committee on appropra-
lions IS one Of the most important and in
fuential persons in the Senate, In fact
the whole government Owing to his CON
troll over the appropriation bills be Yields
tremendous power. The chairman of the
committee has always been n man who
has served many years in the Senate, and
who ia recognized as one Of It's leading
men. The Craftsmanship comes to him be-
ca use he is recognized as n man OF forco
and character. and by virtue OF his posi-
ton he is acknowledged TO be one Of the
leaders of the Senate.
The workmanship entails great respon-
sbilitv and perhaps even greater work.
TO make up the various bills that pass
through the hands Of the committee and
to explain and defend them on the floor
when they are under discussion demands
more constant attention and watchful-
ness than is required of any other sena-
tor.
Mr. Hale was one OF the hardest
worked and most conscientious memberH
of tho Senate. He had been for many
years n member OF the Appropriations
committee and was one of n half-dozen
mon who knew intuitivelv the require
ments of the government service and all
tho ns and outs of evory department.
Senator Crane Ia now the chairman Of
the committee on rules. It is commit
tee that rarely meets and has practically
Iothlng to do. The most serious work
imposed on the committee since AIr. Crane
has been its chairman was the ALLEGATION
Of the rooms in the Senate office building
Nhen it was turned over by the build
ers for tho use of the Senate
Mr.. Crane, with his usual tact. a quail
ity that Is almost a genius for smoothing
over rough places and making everybody
feel happy managed TO convince every
senator that he had the very best room
IN tho building. It required deal Of
ability TO do that. Nearly every senator
thought ne had been badly treated at
first and that his dearest enemy had
stolen from him the very room on which
Re had set his eye After Mr. Crane had
gently argued with the dissatisfied sena-
tor he went away content and perfectly
certain that he was the luckiest man in
the Senate. The committee on rules has
also the mana cement Of the Senate res
taurant. In short, the committee on rules
| might go out of existence and the coun-
! try would not know l..
| The ordinary man placed at the head
| Of an unimportant committee would re-
main undistnguished But Senator Crane
! is no ordinary man. a Erea' many sena-
| tors became famous by 'irtie of their
service on important committees. which
trey attain more often than not ny length
of service. and occasionally there is a
man who is bigger than his committee
and who can afford to disregard com
| mittee assignments.
| Nobody in Washingtor thinks about
Senator Cranes committee He might be
| simply a member of the committee on the
disposition of waste paper and it would
make no difference. Without the pres
tige Of a powerful committee chairman
| ship he has made himself the most IN
fuental man on the republican sid.
1t Is because Of his prominence that Son
ator Crane has been asked to take the
| Craftsmanship of the committee on appro-
priatons With the exception Of Mr.
| Crane there is not single senator who
would not Jump at the chance to go 10
the head of the committee. But Senator
Crane never Jumps at anything. Person
prefers to remain chairman of the COM
nittee on rules and he the adviser and
manager of his side Of the house and
Leep in the background as much as posi-
HE rather than to bn thrust in the lime
light. Against his inclination he may he
forced into the chairmanship but he
would much prefer that somebody else
should have It.
Whether he becomes chairman or not
Mr. Crane will be the managing mar
among the republican conservatives. He
will take the place that senator Aldricl
occupied for So many years, The real Sen
ate leader. Senator Hal" was Away:
Senator Aldrich's confdant and first leu
tenant. Senator Hale has gone, so tina
Senator Crane must be both Aldrich anC
| Hale.
Senator Crane Is different: both from
Aldrich and Hale. Both men were Otter
heard in debate aud both enioyed spea k
lug. Senator Crane never makes speed
and never takes part in debate His grea
quality Is the g!ft he has on Cancellation
and bringing them together.
Senator Crane once said that he nrve
Quarreled with amy one n is quite true
and no one wants to quarrel with him
He has probably more friends than an
man IN Washington. men who really lik
him and are alta hed t. m One re.t
son for this Is that he " 81 out OF hi
e way and put himself to 5reat deal O
trouble TO do n man a good urn
Theoretically the insurgents ouS.t
detest him "a much as they detested Ald
rich, and they had almost n ITlbid hatre
for him. Theories are very fine thinf