New-York tribune., 1918-03-24
By Ralph Block

WASHINGTON, March 23.-The
"wheat state" Senators, the little group
of men who put $3.50 wheat through
the Senate Thursday, with the back
ing of the cotton Senator'S and the coal
Senators, give in themselves a fairly
good composite picture of the develop
ment of the Middle West.
Gore, who fathercd the amendment
for $3.50 wheat to the agriculture ap-
preparation bill, is a Texan, who be-
came one of the first Senators from
Oklahoma after the territory became
state
Curtis, of Kansas, is part Kaw In
dian, and used to be cab driver.
Kellogg is onetme corporation
lawyer, who went West, to Minnesota,
from New York State, was at one time
president of the American Bar Associa
tion and fought Standard Oil, the paper
Pacific merger as special agent for
the government under the provisions
Of the Sherman antitrust law. At the
time he received his appointment from
Washington he was thS attorney in the
Northwest for the United States Steel
Corporation, which has tremendous in
terests in Minnesota.
Gronna, of North Dakota, one of the
most persistent advocates of a high
price for the farmers product, is an
Iowan, who taught school, became Il
farmer and moved to North Dakota
and engaged in merchandising when
North Dakota was still a territory.
Has Vast Farming Interests
He is banker, has vast farming
interests, was one of the "wilful
twelve" on the resolution empowering
the President to arm merchant ships,
has avowed his loyalty several times
on the floor of the Senate and has a
| son in France now.
Curtis and Gore probably are the
most picturesque of the group. The
Senator from Kansas is one of the
/ shrewdest politicians in the Senate and
his ability receives general recognition
The Republicans have made him Senate
whip, not only because he has been ir
Washington almost continuously since
1892, but because back of his natona
record is record in Kansas politics
which is full of shrewd instances.
Curtis is not the same type Of Indiar
as Owen. Owen is tall, straight, has &
long face that is stern and we!
schooled, and shows the Indian strain
chiefly in the peculiar arching lines OF
the eyebrows and in his walk. Curtis
walks the same way-a kind of swing
ing lounge-but he is short, fairl,
round, and has round, cheerful face
W hlo~l
talk great deal, but. when he doe.
1T is to the point and comprehensive
His Indian blood comes from his grand
mother, who was q Kaw. His father
was a Civil War veteran
curtis received a common school cdu
cation and studied law in an office il
Topeka. He went to Congress in 189
and stayed there ten years. In 1907 h,
went to the Senate, and has been ther,
since except for an interim Of twt
years.
A Republican Negotiator
He is credited with having carried OF
the negotiations in the Republican
party that put Theodore Roosevelt OF
the ticket with Mckinley in 1900. Th
Iowa delegates were annoyed at th
submergence of Dollver, and Laft
Young was allowed to make the nomi
mating speech But 1t was Curtis VIII
forced Mark Hanna to accept the Rougl
Rider
Every one who visits the Senate ask
about "the blind Senator" A blind OBJ
server might recognize Gore when h.
speaks more quickly than one with eye
sight. He speaks with passion at tn
lightest need. His face is turned tow
ard those he wants to address an
pointed slightly upward, 1t is as il h
felt the need of giving sharper nc