The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-05-17
Progress Finally Wins.


But it took progress a long time
make dent on the senate. 1t cou,d
get the best of the pterodactyl. IT,"
mammoth and the cave man. but tht
senate detied it. Progress had tn,
troglodyte groggy after the first few
rounds, but it never feazed the senate
AS the fathers made it, so is it today
except that it has more money.
the days of Washington and Adam
the senate was long on back hair. in
the time of Webster and Clay it WAS
long on oratory, and at present it l.
long on bank books and the sto |,
market Sometimes also it is short vi
the market, but that is only when it.
inside information is bearish. The
senate is a dignified body, willing to
represent any one that looks like ready
money. 1t has brand of courte,
that, like charity, covers multtud
of sins.
The senate has a rule against ar
plause. but seldom has to enforce
since nobody wants to applaud. 1t H.: .
no written rule against reform, but a.
unwritten one that is as strong as the
laws Of the Medes and Persians. Il .
not know how strong the laws of the
MedeS and Persians were, and neith,!
does anybody else that talks abou.
them, but it is Il good phrase that hay
long done service. 1t is safe to SAY
that they were stronger, for example
la., II.
trust law
Most senators look like perfectly
nice men and are not at all imposinc
IN appearance unless one looks at
their rolls. BY pocketbook measure
their greatness is of tremendous girth
There are more milllonaires in the SEN
ate than in any other body of equal
size. They also look imposing to their
constituents, and for a reason. The
way they impose on these poor people
is something scandalous.
A senator is big noise in Washing
ton, where money talks. If you do not
believe that money talks in Washing
ton you should attend one of its social
functions or session of congress-
There are few other takers In the
town, but for persuasive oratory mon
ey has them all tied to the post. Tt"
others may be more garrulous and
have more rhetorical frills. but tho
long green brother is the vote getter
When he makes remark something
happens.
Lorimer and Bailey.
One of the members Of the senate is
Lorimer of Illinois, and another is Ba!
ley of Texas. These gentlemen belong
to different political parties, but whn'
are party lines between friends? Bal
ley once resigned, and Il few of us
were de'uded into giving three cheers
thinking that he meant it, but it was
too good to be true. There were also
persistent efforts to have Lorimer re
sign, with nothing doing. Lorimer huG
too much trouble being elected and in
keeping elected to resign. Perhaps il
is just as well that he did not. Tha'
would have spoiled "A most interesting
investigation at Springfield and an
other and more interesting one yet to
be pulled off by the senate.
The IIOrimer case had not a littl,
to do in crystallizilg sentiment fo
direct election of senators. Publ
opinion was already for the change
In a languid sort of way, but this
made it bristle and show its teeth
Now everybody is for the proposition.
or everybody except Senator Hepburn,
Uncle Joe Cannon and a few others.
The house has passed it by an i'm
mense majority, enough of the states
have indorsed 1t to compel a consti-
tutional convention, and the senate is
driven into a corner and must needs
accept 1t willy nilly. 1t has been a
long fight, and the outcome shows that
public opinion can finally have its wey