Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-03-08
Maine's Retiring Senator.

| SidiluS " -ilS AI'hlAs ~ N'N'''f' ~N4t7' 4''
credit to his constituency. He merits
distinction through his remaining
days as Maines first citizen.
i Bchinl him are four decades of hon
est. fearless, eminent service. 1t is
part Of Maines proud history at
Washington and can not be disassoci-
atcd from our national prominence.
For the present our splendid line of
: Congressional leaders, running through
quite a half century and linking such
names as Fessendcn, Hamlin, Bla!ns
and Reed. ends with him. AS one of
forty-six commonw ealths, our depend
ence at Washington rests hcnccfUrtA
upot juniors and the future.
| Washington respects him for much
lmore than his 80 wars of senatorial
tenure. AS he steps out. he Nacatcs -
leadership, established by capacity FOR
real achievement. lie can manage
men and measures. lie has stood for
| his convictions, based on careful
| judgment. and maintained his indiyid-
been a sturdy partisan. His partisan
| ship has never Outwcig.icd ConSidcra-
| ton OF his states best inter- stS or
the country's best interests Us N saw
them.
Criticism has fallen to him M full
measure. 1t would have cmhittered
and discouraged one of smaller cali-
bcr. His career las extended to a
time when traits of independence ana
strength, standing counter to the
elamor Of the hour. invited unusual
attack. But had he acquiesccd moro
readily. his fame might have been less
secure as the years pass. Tile 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 4 construc-
tive legislator. lie has not trimmed
his sails to every passing breeze, nor
become Of the complaisant type that
throngs Senate and House too numcr-
ously III this Era. He had been on the
hard working committees OF the Ma
tional 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. \
vast dead 81 his efforts hav. been in
connection with the voting OF govern
nient supplies. He has had Il hand AT
shaping policies in the expenditure OF |
billions OF government moneys. In |
scrutiny Of appropriation details and |
i'll the thankless task of safeguarding
the Treasury. he is one of little
group OF men. who have done their ut
most to restrain the riot of national |
But his activities in Congress have |
been varied. We will not attempt 10 |
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 unremtting >igor the
modern Llilltarism.
All avalanche of misrepresentation
ard censure descended upon him for
opposition to the Spanish war, He
faced it with a courage that will per-
petuatc his name No public man
from Maine ever furnished at WASH
inSton more inspiring example Of
patriotic independence. He sounded |
far in advance a warning about our
acquisition Vf the Philippines The |
government swept on with It's pro |
grainlne and verified his prediction of |
the embarrc SSmentS that would cnSuc
he cXhorted against the governmental |
eXc"sScS Of prosperity. II is the irony
of politics that the popular resent
ment. due IN some measure 10 the very
things he iaNeighed against. also bore
him under.
Names appreciation Of what Sena-
ter Hale has done at Washington viii |
not Ea9c. He is not the character of
public servant, who will be speedily
forgotten, even by the men who lave
alhered vita him on issues and lceis-
iaticn' Political and factional con-
s'dc:attons at home are small in COM
parison with his record at the federal
capital. His championship of Names
interests there has been in keeping
viii the powerful influence lie has
long eNerted there as one of til,
States two ambassadors.
All these matters will and shorld