Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-12-20
SENATOR sAU1s8Usr.
A ssSun" GOrrcspondens's Picture OF
Dcfaware,n senior Senator.

strange freak of politics, q Republican
viii present himself to be sworn In az
Senator from the State of Delaware, and
the venerable Eli salisbury will retire TO
his bachelor home at Dover. Mr.. 2auls-
bury 10 the father Of the Democratic side
OF the Senate chamber, as Mr.. morrill, Is
OF the Republican side. For eighteen
years he hss been o senator, and Others
of his immedia.s relatives bad occupied
seats before him No Democrat III the
Senate has served SO long as Mr.. Ssuls.
hurry. Ii IL one OF the traditions OF poll
tics chat the sousn keeps jts representa-
tives in public life FOR much longer
period than the north does, and are
thereby gamers from their valuable ex-
perience. It 10 fact, nevertheless, that
while there are several senators on the
Republican side OF the chamber whose
terms began ss early as even before that
OF Senator Salisbury, there is no Demo-
cxat who was there when he was sworn in
on March 4th, 1871. II two months ego
the Democratic senator's had been called
upon to name the one among them least
likely to be succeeded by Republican,
or whose defeat for reelection by o man
of any party ives least likely to occur,
all would have unhesitatingly answered,
Senator Salisbury. Yet the old man
must SO, and enother chair be added to
the Republican side of the chamber. The
Democratic senator who ranks next to
Mr.. Salisbury In length Of service 10
Matt W. Ransom of North Carolina, who
took his seat in 1879. The next in order,
Senator Oockrell, has served three years
less time than Mr.. RGuspm, having been
sworn In on March 4th, 1875. In 1877,
Senators Bntler, Coke, Morgan, Harris,
Voorhees,, MCPHERSON ana Beck came In,
and these men now represent the guar
dianH of the Democratic aide of the
chamber, and yet only two Of them have
served more than twelve gears.
There is an old custom in the Senate,
growing out of the traditional senatorial
courtesy, by which the party that con-
trolls the organization she'll hand over
certain amount of the patronage of the
body to the minority. Taus many OF the
clerks, doorkespers, and other officials
are now good, faithful Democrats, who
were on the rolls when the Democrats So
cured control of the Senate for brief
time about ten yeags ago. This conces-
sion to the enemy is not confined alone to
the privilege of appointing certain ON
ployes, but is extended also to the more
important matter of the control of the
committees. There are in the Senate Al
standing and seven select committees.
OF this number, 48 in all, nine are by the
courtesy Of the Republicans controlled
by the Democratic senators. These COM
mittees have Democratic chairmen, the
majority Of their members are Democrats
and the clerks and other employees con-
nected with them are appointed by the
Democratic head Of the committees.
These committees, with their chairmen,
are as follows
Private Land Claims-Senator Ransom,
Woman suffrage-Senator Cockreli.
The Five Civilizsd Tribes OF Indians
Senator Butler.
Revolutionary Claims Senator Coke.
Nicaraguan Claims--Senator Morgan.
Epidemic Diseases-senator Harris.
Additional Accommodation for the L.
brary of Congress Senator Voorhees,.
Potomac River Front-Senator McPher-
son.
Engrossed Bllls-senator Salisbury.
OF this number four are regular stand
ing committees Of the Senate. In addi-
ton to this, Senator Beck, the chairman
of the Democratic caucus committee,
presides over what is known as the Dem
ooratic consultation room, very COM
Portable place set apart for them, where
be and his political colleagues meet to
II over public snd pElva, al4s, dEgglt
~ political schemes, Rpo tell unoa
stories. OF these ten prizes Mr.. Sauls.
bury, as the ranking Democratic senator,
both in point Of age and length of SER
vice, has drawn the most desirable. He
70 chairman OF the committee on eneroased
bills, which has nothing in the world to
do, and he has a perfect bijou OF a COM
mltteo room and clerk and messenger
70 help him do it. The pretty room Is in
tine gallsry haor Of the Senate chamber,
and is fitted Up IN all the luxury OF thick
carpets, modern furniture, and lace eur
tains. 1t has often been remarked that O
committee on engrossed bills was rather
superhnous adjunct to the Henats, as
there is also committee on enrolled bills
that attends to whatever business comes
along. The United States Senate, how
ever finds on excuse for many piece Of
extravaganza on the ground Of precedent,
and 1t iustifies the existence Of q commit
tee on engroseed bills with the explsna.
ton that there is committee on library
and another On additional accomuloda-
tions for the library OF Congress; a com.
AAAseSI VA SANA btkNAJG hilI f6Efe0CHEDGnt.
and another to examine the several
branches OF the OWL service; q cotopait.
tee on Indian aTaiSs, one on Indian
traders, and still another on the fiys ciYit-
lied tribes of Indians COMMITTEES on
railroads, one on interstate commerce
and third on transportation routes to
the seaboard, and One epeh on claims.
pnVete land claims, revolutionary claims,
AND MiRu rp frr-nv ~ tnt,
puhoesa transacted by The three LOST
named committees is not worth mention
ing. On March 9TH, therefore,. Mr.
salisbury viii cease 70 be CHAIRMAN Of
tee pleasant little committee on eugr3sssd
pliis, sud smother Democrat, probably
MT. Beok will succeed hirl.
MIR. SRulsbury's striking face and A..
ure will he Sadly rnissed from Tho floor
by the spectators IN the galleries., As the
first question ASKED by the great majority
Of visitcrB is
who is that tall thin, white.haiy
smooth. BhaVsn man y
That ii Senator salisbury Of Della.
ware" is the reply
The CID gsntisman Will be "a years old
on she 29th of the present month, ana he
looks every year Of it. He has ruecsd
frame, however, and 90 active, vigorous
mind, aud had the Republicans not stolen
march upon him in November lest, 10
might have served his State In nis own
peculiar way another tix years. MI.
Salisbury never took front rank in Ire
sepate. He iH too prejudiesd, too par
row minded for this age Of progress. He
seldom took pHrt in debate unless 10 ory
out against soIDe piece Of socsiled OK.
travagsncs on the part Of the Rapnbii.
cans, snd IN many cases he was aora PEELED
10 stand out against his own party. II ia
said that study OF tho 1oll.ealls in the
Senate will show that Dir. salisbury
almost alMaYA Yotnd M H ia n ,,,,.sA :. Z