Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-04-17
Sen. N. ". ALDRICn
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rled to a son Of John D. KockefellII
served to strengthen the. popular i'm
preston that Senator Aldrich was
i'll some way peculiarly friendly to the
oil magnate, and considerable of the
so-called "Rockefeller interests" YET
when a friend Of the senator once
asked him for a letter to Mr.. Rookie
teller, Mr.. Aldrich replied:
'|As | have met Mr.. Rockefeller
only twice in my life | fear the letter
would be of but little if any assistance
tO'you." h#
Sectionalism Charged.
In legislation he was charged with
being sectional. This is hardly borne
out by the facts, and more than once
he gained his points by utilizing the
conflict of interests between West
and South and East.
g A temporary opponent within his
own party when suddenly deprived OF
the floor during a debate on proposed
currency reforms expostulated in
vain. AS he took his seat he said:
"The senate no longer is the great
forum Of free speech, at least not
when the senator from Rhode Island
is here" '"'' "'
Studious.y avoiding discussing or
reading attacks upon him Mr.. Aldrich
practically invited adverse criticism.
A well-known writer of Wall street
tales devoted one whole winter to a
study of Aldrich and then wrote a
long biography for a popular maya
zine. The article was %profusely illus.
trated and a highly colored photo
graph was used on the outside cover.
Naturally the author desired to know
what Aldrich thought of the article,
and a friend sought to find out. A
copy of the magazine was handed to
the senator. He looked at the cover
and his face depicted disgust. II
never wore a green waistcoat in my
life" he said, and forthwith the Of
Tending magazine was thrown into
the waste basket. .iT
In Politics EARLY.
Born in Foster, r.. l., Nov. 6, 1S41,
he first appeared in public Office as
member Of the common council in the
city Of Providence. He was elected
to the Rhode Island assembly in 1878,
and four years later sent to congress.
After two sessions he was elevated to
'the, senate, as successor Of General
Ambrose E. Burnside. s'"
Having begun his career as a bust
ness man, Senator Aldrich continued
throughout his public service to dis
play business-like methods and extra
ordinary capacity for organization.
Upon his election to the senate, he i'm
mediately was made chairman of the
committee on rules, and a member Of
the committee on finance and Inter
state commerce. Later as chairman
offthe finance committee he WAS CALI
ed upon to assume a large share OF
the responsibility for all tariff and f.
nancial legislation before the lenate.
He participated in the preparation of
70 fewer than six revisions of the tar
.ifr and bore the burden Of labor incl
dent to them. The Payne-Aldrich tar
.iff was engineered through theSsenate
by him after many weeks of skillful
~manoevuring and hard fighting.
Monitary Reforms.
Mr.. Aldrich was always ready to
seize upon any trend of public bust
ness to advance legislative classes in
which he was interested. The "bank-
er's panic" Of 1907 enabled him to
give impetus to his plan to bring
about monetary reforms. The first
fruit of his labors in this direction
was the Vreeland-Aldrich Emergency
Currency law of 1908, nut through the
senate by Aldrich after an historic FL
ibuster directed by Mr.. La Toilette,
the Progressive Republican from Wis.
consin, who was aided by M. Stone
of Missouri. a Democrat. Sharp par.
liamentary tactics enabled Mr.. Aid.
rich to bring the bill to a final. vote,
hut in taking Mr.. La Toilette off his
feet Mr.. Aldrich made an enemy who
was relentless in his opposition dur.
ing many subsequent legislative con-
tests.
Best Possible Remedy.
The emergency currency law was
regarded by Mr.. Aldrich as the best
remedy possible of speedy enactment.
but he did not stop there. He began
work Immediately upon a more per-
manent plan of currency reform, Civ
ing most of his time to the work Of
the national monetary commission.
He was able to devote his time I'M.
reservedly to his work because tn
1911 he declined to be a candidate for
reelection, giving ill.health as a rea-
son.
Mr.. Aldrich's friends %contended
that his effort to revise the currency
system of the country was approach
I'd in an absolute non.partisan way.
He was exceedingly anxious that his
work should stand up as a monument
to his pubic service. His disappoint-
lment was keen when in 1911, his
party lost control Of the house and
took from the Republicans the credit
of putting through this f%ar-reaching
legislation. Before the political COM
plexion Of Congress changed Mr.. Aid
rich was compelled to admit that his