The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-09-17

work have told upon him physi-
cally, and IN the past year
or two he has been inclined to leave
the burden of labor in the House to younger
men. In his last great speech on the tariff
he closed earlier than he had intended, say
ing that he found himself unable to speak
for so long time as in earlier years, and
asking permission TO print the remainder
of his remarks, which, Of course, was granted
TO him.
Although Mr.. Kelley is the oldest member
OF the House in point of service he is not the
oldest in years. Mr.. Wait, of Connecticut,
ranks" him by nearly three years, having
been born in 1911, being seventy-three years
of age on August %, OF this year. He has
been a member of the House for eight years.
The next in rank to Mr.. Kelley in the num-
Der of years of continuous service in the
House is Mr.. Randall, who came one Con-
gress later than Mr.. Kelley, and has been,
therefore, twenty-five years continuously
a member Of that body. Mr.. Cox, OF
New York, ranks both Mr.. Kelley
Mr.. Randall in point of early service, hay
ing been a member Of the Thirty.ffth Con.
gress twenty-seven years ago; He repre-
sented in that Congress and in three that fol-
lowed it, the Columbus, Ohio, District. Re.
moving to New York City, however, he
dropped out of Congress from the close of
the Thirty-eighth until the beginning of the
Forty-first Congress. he again disappeared
from Congress at the close of the Forty
second, having been defeated as candidate
for Representatives. large in the Forty
third Congress. However he was subse-
quently elected to succeed James Brooks, de-
ceased, since which time he has been con-
SANITY member.
1t does not follow that long term in Con-
gress makes men noted or prominent. The
researches necessary to gather data for this
article brought to the surface the curious
fact that on ma had hpar a ri inn in
the House than was Thomas Benton in the
Senate, but that not even the best posted
men IN matters of that sort were able to re-
member his name or the State from which
he came.
He was member from one of the Southern
States, and is entitled TO the distinction of
having served longer in Congress than any
other man living or dead. Vet no one here
in Washington is able to recall his name or
any circumstances which lead TO its discov
cry. Such is fame.
1t does not follow that because a man is
prominent as member of Congress he has
been long in that body. Everybody listens
when Abram S. Hewitt, of New York, rises
in his place to speak upon almost every sub
Jet, yet he has been a member of only three
Congresses before the present one-the Forty
fifth, Forty sixth and Forty-seventh. Will
lam Dorsheimer, OF New York, is counted
very prominent as a member of the House,
yet this is his first term in Congress. Mr..
William Walter Phelps is counted
one of the most prominent on
the Republican side of the House,
yet he has been a member of only one Con-
gress. Mr.. Ingalls,, OF Kansas, is counted
one Of the prominent men in the Senate, and
is more carefully listened to, perhaps, than
any other on the Republican side, yet he is
only on his second term. Ben Harrison, who
commands attention on the Republican side
of the Senate, is on his first term in that
body and in Congress. Finerty, of Illinois,
who attracts more attention on the floor
than any other member from that State, net
excepting Mr.. Springer, is on his first term,
while the great Morrison has only been in
Congress few years.
Senator Anthony's death removed the only
man who could claim the honor of having
been continuously member of one branch of
Congress for more than q quarter of a cent
ury, yet there are four men, the total of
whose terms OF service in Congress aggregate
more than a century. They are Senators
Dawes and Morrill, and Req resentatives
Kelley and Cox, OF New York.