Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 July 1902 — THE SENATE BOSSES. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE SENATE BOSSES.

PEN PICTURES OF LEGISLATORS IN UPPER HOUSE. Prominent Hen. Who Are Popularly Regarded as Controllers of Legislation—The “Boxer” Element and Their Strong Men. Washington correspondency:

THERE has been ■ Jot of talk about Republican bosses in the Senate this season and the visitors to'the galleries SC*’ are ever eager to have the bosses Sga pointed out to them. jUlf These visitors have heard about AldSg\rieh, Platt, Hanna WgSLind Lodge as the bosses who crack yr J* the party whip, but they have been disapp6'nted |H I* performance. [l W ‘ There is no boss-

ing in the methods of Senator Aldrich. Nor has Senator Platt of New York given any exhibition as a boss. He is the quietest and most unobtrusive member of the Senate so far as the open proceedings go. He rarely speaks and is never seen moving about the chamber tellng others how to vote. He seems an onlooker in the Senate almost as much as those in the galleries who are looking for the bosses. Senator Hanna is more obtrusive than

either of these. He is aggressive and cannot help appearing so in the Senate, where the other leaders are as a rule quiet and apparently indifferent. Hanna has given several exhibitions of strenuous endeavor that would meet the expectations of the visitors who are looking for a boss, but these were not so momentous as they seemed. They were only the earn-

est efforts of Mr. Hanna in behalf of a bill in which he had a personal interest, or, more properly speaking, a personal conviction and desire to win. Senator Lodge had charge of the Philippine bill, and he watched the debate on that bill week after week, rarely opposing any one, but always appearing

to surrender points for the sake of harmony. Yet he was ever watching for opportunities to get the bill forward by compromises. And that was the way he won. It is the way all contests are won in the Senate. The leaders do not ■how the power they exer,t. They

do not boss. They persuade, and the greatest persuader is that mildest-man-nered man from lowa. Allison, who has been accused of studying the movements of the pussy cat when seeking her prey, or wearing gum shoes in the Senate and walking backward to disguise his movements. To tlie uninitiated Elkins of West Vir-

ginia, Burrows of Michigan, Nelson of Minnesota, Perkins of California, Dietrich of Nebraska. Burton of Kansas, and several other Senators who are called "Boxers” by the older Bien would appear like’ the bosses, as they fiy about the chamber, hold conferences, and talk

loud and long to the correspondents and others who are about the marble room. Stephen Benton Elkins of West Virginia is the chief of the "Boxers.” and the most perfect type of a boss ever seen fti the United States Senate. He is round and ruddy of face, rotund of body, quick and aggressive in his movements, ami voluble and positive in his talk. Elkins never has opinions. He thinks only positive facts that require no proofs. He always speaks as one having full authority, and whnt he says is gospel to him,

and in his view should be to all others. This is not a newly acquired characteristic of Elkins. It is a part of his natural self and has been so for many years. It was so when he lived in New Mexico and was a member of the Territorial Leg-

islattire nearly forty years ago. It was so when he came as a delegate to Congress from that territory back in the 70’s. He was then just as certain that he was running the government as he now is tb.t he is managing the Senate. Next, there is Burrows, Julius Caesar Burrows of Michigan. He is the handsomest man in the United States Senate. He is also one of the most impressive orators in the Senate. He is called the Columbian orator of that great body.

M. A. HANNA.

T. C. PLATT.

H. C. LODGE.

W. R. ALLISON.