The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1921-04-28
PROBABLY A MORE PATRIOTIC
AND ADLER BODY THAN IN
THE OLDER DAYS.
STOCK TICKER NOT WATCHED
Lobbyist Still Around, but His Former
6razen Methods Have Been Aban-
doned Many, Senators Promoted
From Lower House.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

races today IN the United States SEN
ate, and also a greatly increased ma
Jority Of Republican faces, but it is
the same old United States senate that
it has been for ten years.
Just what does one mean by this9
Well, the senate is composed of aver
age patriotic American citizens, Of
little more than average ability in
good deal more than average ability.
The senate always has been this way,
but in one sense the United States
senate has changed.
The question has been asked Occa-
sionally If the direct election of the
senators has changed the senate body
materially. The same type of~Amer-
lean is there today that was there in
the old days, although it is probable
that some men are in the upper house
today who would not be there If the
legislatures still had the right Of selec-
ton. There were cases in the elder
day where rich men seemed to find
their way into the senate of the Uni
ted States when in some instances
poor men had no chance. The reason
may not be hard to guess.
There was time in the history Of
the senate when the members left the
floor frequently to go out and look at
the tape running out of the stock
ticker. Hourly some of the senator's
we're watching the markets. Why?
Again the reason may be guessed. Ii
might be said, however, that it is not
intended to intimate that many of the
senator's were trying to get rich out
of the stock market through advance
Information which they had Of the
way which legislation affecting the
public utilities was likely to jump.
Ticker and Bar Both Gone.
After a good many years in Wash
ingtOn one may write that he thinks
those old-day ways have gor&e and
probably gone forever. The stock ticker
no longer ticks in the corridor of con-
gress. It went the way of the old
bar over which many glass was
handed out containing something much
stronger that cold tea. The lobbyist
still frequents the halls of congress-
but his methods have undergone
reformation. He does not buttOnhOle
senator's as they are about to enter
upon the floor, nor, as was actually
the case in some instances in the past,
reckon the obedient senator to trot
from the floor to the hall to consult
with the lobbyist on pending legisla'
ton.
It might be asked If even in the old
days such thing as that last set
down was possible. 1t was possible,
and not only possible but it was not
of infrequent occurrence. When the
railroad rate bill was under discus
sion in the senate, the bill which final
ly became a law, railroad lobbyist
made his morning and afternoon head
quarters in the reception room just
across the hall from the private ell
trance to the senate chamber. Per-
sonaHy l saw one Of the leaders OF
the senate, who largely was charged
with the duty Of putting the bill
through leave his seat several times
to seek the lobbyist in the secludes
corner there to confer with him.
Those days are gone and with them
have gone from the senate seemingly
the particular type Of man who in-
dulged in that kind Of practice.
Many From Lower House.
A great many men are promoted
from the house of representatives to
the senate. In fact, it is probable that
the majority of the senators have
served at one time or another in the
lower house The average Of ability
in the two chambers seems to be
about the same, although perhaps
is trif1e higher in the senate thar
It is in the house because of the fact
that the men whose ability shone most
te.nspicuousIy were those promoted.
There are men Of commanding abil-
ity in the United States senate, and
some few other men Of what might be
called commanding cunning. Shrewd-
ness and cunning occasionally pass
for ability, and there are one or two
shrewG and cunning ones who have
managed to use them as sufficient
camouf1age for ability for a good many
years. One is not expected to name
names in this case, but zone cannot
remain in Washington looking on
things for a good many years without
r;'rfIng a thing or two which seem
&, lie past the power of challenge.
There is demagogism in the senate
as there is in the house; not much of
it, but enough. There are men in the
senate who are not good Americans;
a precious few of them, but still they
are there. The country knows pretty
we'll who they are and if the whole
country could have say in the mat
ter they probably would never be res
turned to their seats However. taking
things all in all. the United States
senate today under popular election of
its members is perhaps saner. more
patriotic and ADLER body than it was
in the days when the legislatures had
'ontroiiing voice In the elections