Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1922-01-13
Friday, January 13, 1927
DEARTH OF STRONG MEN

liS OllilCd SNulSo DShetNS haS
suddenly discovered that it lacks
strong men, and would like an
infusion of new vigor. More
than one Washington correspond
ent has reported the existence Of
this sentiment. Its immediate
cause was the death of Senator
Penrose, following so closely up
on that of Senator Knox. To lose
two such men within so short a
time was a severe blow to the
State of Pennsylvania, as well as
to the Senate. Urgent appeals
have been made to Governor
Sproul to select a man of COM
handing intellect and character
to succeed Penrose. Senators
have added their pleadings. The
state of the public business is
such, the outlook for the Repub-
lican Party is so disqdieting, that
the demand for a strong man in
the Senate mounts daily.
1t is not a bad sign. We must
know how badly off we are be-
fore we will earnestly seek to
better our condition. And if the
Senate has at last walked to the
fact with which close observers
of our politics have long been
familiar, that is so much to the
good. But the way to get strong
men is to breed them and have
a good supply constantly on hand.
We cannot wait for an emergency
to confront US, and then say: Go
to, let US choose strong man."
If the methods and rewards of
our public life have been as if
deliberately designed to bring to
the front weak or mediocre men,
the strong man will not be there
when the crisis comes. The re-
suit defective comes by cause.
And it would be hard to prove
that our political system as ex-
emplifed in party management
does not tend to discourage or
exclude rather than to
call forth their abilities and give
them full scope.
Grant the improbable and I'M
expected; find a public man of .
unusual vigor and proved capaci-
ty in Pennsylvania eligible for
the Senate; induce the Governor
to appoint him; and what will
happen to him when he takes his
seat in the Senate? He will get
only insignificant committee APP
pointments. He will be expect
ed to be silent for at least six
months. If he undertakes, as
new Senator, to impress upon
the Senate any positive convic-
lions of his own, ne will be haz. /
ed" like a college freshmanin the ]
effort to teach him his place. If
thereisin theSenatea 'careeropen
to talent, " it is open only after
long waiting. In short, theSenate
that now processes an anxiety
for the accession of strong men
itself puts formidable obstacles
in the way of a strong man. Its
rules, as Senator Wadsworth has
just been lamenting, make it al
most impossible to transact bust
ness. Its time is mostly taken )
up by querulous and ineffective :
Its committees are g
by the rule of seniority,
which too often spells senility. :
Indeed, about the only way in il
which the Senate as it is at pre- t
sent can be said to be a nursery
Of political strength is in accord
ance with the maxim, Suffer and a
be strong. A Senator who can =
for a few years the suf- v
Fering, mental and moral, which c
ne has to undergo, in the Senate, !
nay emerge into power and in /
iuence. But upon the strong h
nan just arrived the Senate al !,
ways puts a damper. :
Able men are as much product