Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-03-10
QUEST FOR SENATE LEADERS.
Eoies Porrose May Take AIdrieh's S
Place at Head of Regulars.

When the senate enters the special
session on April 4 its machinery will
have tn undergo 4 remaking almost as
complete as that of the House. More
than u dozen sehatarS-about one
seventh of the memberShp-hav
dropped cut, ana the age and poor
health of three others make their re-
tir"mcnt ut any time likely. These
lnrn hold among them most OF the inn
port1nt coihnittec assignments under
The old organization.
Mr.. Aidrich'S retiromcE left the
great finance committee without u
head. Mr. Hale. of Maine. the titular
leader cf the Republican ma jority. left
the chairmansnip Of the appropriations
committee Vacan,. Mr.. Burrows Was
chairman of privileges and elections.
Mr.. Bcvclid-r of Territories. Mr.. Car
ter Of irrigation and reclamation of
arid lauds, Alr. Dcpew of the Pacific
islands and Porto Rico. Mr. IIlliins.
who died. uf interstate commerce. Mr..
Flint of intcrnce eanic canals Mr. kean
al audit and control. and Mr.. Scott of
public buildngs and grounds. These
men were ais" members of the most
inpartant committees.
Among the Democrats who retired
are Mr. Morey, Of Mississippi. the mi
nCrity |, ader and Mr.. Frazier, OF Ten
avSsce, ELI; irman of the committee on
clai.ns. Senator Cullom. or Illinois. the
aged cilairp.an of foreign relations;
Mr.. Frye 0t Maine. chairman of COM
mcrce and President pro tempore of
the Senate. and Mr.. Tillman, of South
Carolina. remain in office, but of late
they have been taking an increasingly
small part in the active work of the
Senate. leaving the greater part to
younger men on their committees. Mr..
Tillman viii not return for the extra
~ sSion.
Chief interest of course, centcrs in
the possible successor of Mr.. Aldrich
as chairman OF the committee on fl
nance. and known in Washington as
the general manager of the United
St2tes.' and to Mr.. Hale as the head
OF the appropriations and cx-oflicio
leader Of his party in the Senate. be-
caVso the real mastery of Senate af-
fairs will probably lie between these
places. Mr.. Hale. under the rule Of
seniority, would be succeeded by Mr..
Perkins. Of California, of by Mr. War
ren Of Wyoming. if Mr.. Perkins prefers
20 retain the chairnanship Of the
naval committee. which is esteemed on
tn Pacific coast or by Mr. Gallinger.
Of Now Hampshire. If Mr. Warren
wants Ia retain his chairmanship OF
military affairs. No one of these is
identified With the little circle of lead
crs' in the Senate. and so the titular
rank of majority leader on the floor
will probably, under the new organz-
alton, remain as empty an honor as Il
has been under the rule Of Mr.. AID
rich
Much attention is being paid to the
fact that the craftsmanship of finance
will go by seniority to Boies Penrose
of Pennsylvania. Should that rule be
followed, Mr.. Penrosc could not assume
the power welded by Mr.. Aldrieh.
That was a peculiar and personal
unwer. Mr.. Penrose will have to be
testel before lie gets the complete con-
tdcnee Of the regulars enjoyed by Mr
Aldrich Like his predecessor. he al
ready has the complete hostility OF the
insurgents. He and Mr.. La toilette
arc omen enemies. Ii is not likely that
tj,a Wisconsin man will ever forgive
Mr.. Pcnrose the speech he made last
year. in which, in n dispassionate ad-
dress Of some ten minutes length, ne
compared the tactics Of Mr.. La FOL
1ette to those of patent medicine
agent talking from "the tail of n cart.