The Washington times., 1911-07-03
BABES OF SENATE
DEFY PRECEDENTS
Refuse to Remain Silent as Is Expected of New Men,
and Weld the Verbal Lash Whenever They See
Fit-Gmpse at Newcomers

Three months experience has demon
strated that there are all kinds Of Sena-
tors In the big class of newcomers
whose entrance into the highest DELHI
erative body In the world" on April 4.
practically revolutionized that august
assembly.
So many millionaire bosses were re-
tired that the Senate lost, to a large
extent. right TO its ancient title Of being
millionaire club" 1t gained only one
millionaire. unless Mclean. Of Connect
cut, as well as I.ippitt. Rhode Island. is
I'm that fortune-favored class. but it has
been strengthened by the addition Of
new blood. Young men OF ambition and
energy. free from the shackles Of big
businesses. and in full touch with the
spirit OF modern conditions.
A striking feature Of their invasion
has been the disappearance Of the last
vestige of that long--evered tradition
that new Senators should be silent dur
ing the first Congress in which they
serve Progressives have badly shaken
the practice in the last few years, but
the inrushing phalarx of freshmen in
the present Congress has driven it into
the limbo OF has beens.
Break Old Precedent.
Some of the aggressive new Senators
have taken upon themselves all the
privileges Of veterans who have spent a
generation in the upper house Of Con-
gress." A startling demonstration OF
their independence was given by Sena-
tor Luke Lea OF Tennessee and Senator
William 8. Kenyon Of Iowa early in the
session. Lea Is the youngest member
Of the Senate, being thirty-two years
old. Just two years over the minimum
legal age for Senators, and Kenyon Is
not much his senior.
There was a discussion in the Senate
on the question whether the Loriner
should be conducted by
the Committee on Privileges and Elec-
tons, or by a special committee ap-
pointed by the Senate. OF lection was
made to the work being given to the
on Privileges and Elections,
because many of the members were
also members Of that committee when
1t Investigated Lorimer a year age and
gave what was generally considered a
verv detective exhibition of the art of
finding out things.
Old-timers met arguments Of advo-
Gates of q special committee chiefly
with the complaint that. to take the job
away from the Committee on Privileges
and Elections would he a violation of
Senatorial courtesy They dinged
about the outrage OF not observing the
historic courtesy as though II were akin
to treason.
Old Senators Amazed.
Then six feet of Lea arose. and in
voice clear as bell and strong enough
to carry to the furthest nook of the
Senate chamber, he made remarks frank
and free abort the fetish of Senatorial
II had been mIsused. he said.
as a block to legislation important to
the welfare Of the nation. He would. of
be courteous to his colleagues,
but he did not propose TO allow. without
protest, so-called courtesy to interfere
with the business OF the Senate.
Old Senators listened with amaze
ment There was the youngest Sena-
tor assuming to himself the preroga-
tive reserved for years to former Sena-
tor Hale. the high prerogative Of lee
turing the Senate. They chafed under
the fire, but none chose to answer.
The old timers were given another
shock when Kenyon took the floor and
fred a broadside along the same lines
that had been observed by Lea.
Senator Works, the progressive Cali
fornian. was one Of the first Of the new
members to assert his independence OF
hoary tradition. He early took the
privilege of discussing in set speeches
strong IN argument and rejecting
thorough reasearch. the more importan,
questions pending in the Senate.
Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska
took an active part in the debates
on the election of Senators and the
plans for the Lorimer investigation.
He suggested a plan for the appoint
ment of a special committee from tine
of the Committee on Privi-