The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-18

Senate's Foremost Expert in
Finance and Authority
on Naval Affairs

~ III IL projection OF III NassaCnusettS COast. HIS
command consisted Of n miscellaneous collection OF coir
perted tugs, %ferryboats. old yachts and a monitor or two
left over from the civil war. hut none Of them ever fired
a gun at an enemy ship because none appeG red in the
vicinity of Boston.
Senator Weeks began his political career in the city
Of Newton, a suburb Of Boston. where he has always re
sided with his family. one evening a party Of ~neighbors
called on him and said It was his turn TO serve as Alder.
man. He did not want the job very much, but consented
to stand for election merely because his turn had been
reached.
He continued in office for three years and was subs.
quenty chosen Mayor of the city for two terms. lie
thought when the second term expired that his political
work was over, hut Congress was mentioned TO him AMI
1t sounded very attractive. This was chiefly for sent.
mental rea sons.
A great-uncle for whom ne was named served In the
War of 1Sl2 and aftcrward was elected to Congress for
accepted the Republican nomination in the hen Twelfti
Massachusetts district. He was elected in November, 1891,
to the flfty.ninth Congress 10y a plurality Of $500. ami
took his seat In December of the following year.
During his first term in Congress he was n member Of
the following committees: Banking and Currency, Exlcn.
ditures in the state Department.. In the Sixticih Congress,
he was n member If the same committees and the Com
mittee on Agriculture. He supported the Aldrich .vreelaml
currency bill and WAS n member ~ the conference com
mittee which made material changes in it ana addel IT,.
important clause providing fo" the creation Of the mono
tary commission, of which Mr.. Weeks was appointed a
member.
Mr.. Weeks was reelected I" the sixty first CongreSs.
and was chairman Of the Committee ON Post Offices ami
Post Roads He took an active part in getting reportel
from that committee anl enacted into law the bill es,ih
fishing postal savings banks lie framed ANA had char:c
OF the forestry him enacted into law nj that sessinn.
He was reelected To- the SIXTY >errnI Congress. AMI
introduced the bill for the protection of micra,. nv ana
insecttv"rous birds. known when "mctel into law ~, III.
bin. while 4 mpn'rr elect of the Siy,,
third Congress he resigned Ia tab" his seat as Senator.
March \. 1918. in the SiNtN third t'nurru>s
In every way Mr.. Weeks has demonstrated his leyis
iatVe capacity When he was chairman of the Comni
tee on Post offices and Post Roads in the SiNty-fr>t Con.
GresS h" was practically II new member. This commitio.
makes annual appropriations If more than S2,OUOnN,.
and when he brought in the hill for the first time
there was much curiosity To see how he would rc, oIn,..
with In.
His condu"t won The admiration Of The House and II,
defended it successfully at every point, the commicat,!
bill being adopted by The Senate without an amcndmon.
As a member of the Committee ON Agriculture ,onCr,,
man Weeks successfully managed the passage through In.
House OF the Whit" Mountain-Ap mII. He ais,
managed the postal savings bank bill In the Republican
caucus and in the House.
When naval matters have come up Mr.. Weeks has MI
ways been ready to lend u hand To any project which mo,
with his approval. He has always favored the deveIo,,.
ment Of our merchant marine.
In the Senate Mr.. Weeks is Il member Of tho foIlorin,
committees: Banking and Currency, Post Offices and pa,
Roads. Philippines, Coast Drfcnccs, Conservation Of \,
tonal Resources. Forest Reservation and the pro,ect,on ot
Game Public Health and National Quarantine, Indian
Depredations.
Among the important speeches he has made in the SCI.
~ was mat on the uhd"r""od.S Simmons. tarif bin whoI
he referred TO President Wilson's statement tbs, q "Don,
cratic tariff will whet the industrial wits" and added
"Snch a tarif is much more likely 10 shar pen tho al,
pettes Of the workers than the wits Of the emrloycr VIII,
IN many cases, as can he easily demonstrated. IS Obliged
10 work his wits overtime in order 10 make n living undor
present conditions and rates of duty"
another speech was on the currency hill. The subject
~ finance Is one Of which the Senator Is a master. and
ne treated tn" measure cNhausiycly, securing the adoption
of many important amendments.
He believes the railroads OF the country cannot Lo
properly administered without Intelligent liovernnont .u
perviIon. but he opposed he trade commi ssion bill md tM.
Clayton bill, his views being rized in an oddr.>,
made at Chicago on December : last. lie was heartily il,
favor of the establishment of a military reserve n n In
crease In the size of the army and the reorganization M
the regular army to give the proper proportion of infantry
neld artillery, cavalry, engineers. signal, sanitary troop,
the needed ammunition and supply trains. Senator Weeks
strongly opposed the shipping bill, 50 called, providing FOR
the Government ownership of merchant vessels. and took
a conspicuous part in that memorable fight.
Massachusetts feels that Senator Weeks is n hir maj
and that such II man must he selected for the Presidency.
mon a rcograrn'cal expression.
Several years ago Mr., Weeks aspircd to creatc a fairy.
shire. 1t was in The fan of 1911 that he began the work ON
Mount Prospect at Lancaster, his native place, and in Il
years time he had crowned the summit Of this 5000 foot
hill with a two story lodge, which with it's red tile roof
can he seen for miles.
At this splendid country home Senator Weeks, his wife
and two children are now passing the hot months.