The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-04-16
SEN. ALDR|CH
PASSES AWAY
At HIS HOME
HEART DISEASE is CAUSE OF
DEATH - WAS U. S. SENATOR
CONTINUOUSLY FOR THIRTY
YEARS.

New York, April l6.-Former Sen
ator Aldrich died at his home here
this morning of heart disease.
Nelson Wilmarth Aldrich held a
seat in the United States senate con.
tinuously from 1881 to 1911. The in
fluence exerted by him on govern
mental affairs was best illustrated
by the fact that when he was satir-
ically introduced to an audience as
the general manager of the United
States" the appelation lived through
the administrations of Mckinley,
Roosevelt and Taft.
Probably the greatest parlamentar-
ian that ever served in the senate,
Mr.. Aldrich had no difficulty in
maintaining leadership of his party.
Although known among the veterans
as committee senator, he was
quite as much at home on the floor,
and naturally was more in evidence
in the larger arena While he gave
special attention to the tariff and
financial legislation in committee, on
the senate floor his ear was open
for all that was said on any sub
ject of general importance. He sci.
dom failed to participate in the dis
cussion of any measure effecting
| governmental policies.
Naturally Mr.. Aldrich's long contin
ued supremacy in the counsels of his
party and in directing legislation
caused him to become the subject
of much adverse criticism. He was
charged with bossism and with being
the tool of tIe interests" Whether
or not this was true in the main
! it can be said in fairness that some
| of these assertions gained and held
| currency because it was his policy
never to defend himself against pub
| lished attacks. He rarely permitted
himself to be quoted by the press
Born in Foster, r. l.. Nov. G, 1S41
he first appeared in public office as
member of the common council OF
the city of Providence. He was elect
ed to the Rhode Island assembly ir
v 1875. and four years later sent tt
congress After two sessions he was
elevated to the senate, as successor
of General Ambrose f. Burnside.
Having begun his career as busi
ness man, Senator Aldrich continued
throughout his public service to dis
play business like methods and eX
traordinary capacity for organization
Upon his election to the senate, HI
was Immediately made chairman o
the committee on rules. and mem
ber of the committee on finance ant
Interstate commerce. Later, as chair
man of the finance committee he wa
called upon to assume large shar
of the responsibility for all tarii
and financial legislation before tn
senate. He participated in the prep
aration of no fewer than six revision
of the tariff and bore the burden o
labor incident to them. The Payne
Aldrich tariff act was engineere
through the senate by him after man
weeks of skillful maneuvering an
hard fighting.
Mr. Aldrich was always ready
seize upon any trend of public bust
ness to advance legislative causes i
) which he was interested. The "banl
, ers' panic"~ of 1907 enabled him t
give impetus to his plan to brin
about monetary reforms. The frs
fruit of his labors in this directio
was the Vreeland-Aldrich emergenc
currency law of 1908, put throug
the senate by Aldrich after an his
toric filibuster directed by Mr.. l.
|