The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-05-24

FEW DIE---NONE RESIGN.
BUT THIS is NOT TRUE OF UNITED
STATES SENATORS.
Edmunds and Reagan in Voluntarily
Throwing Off the Senatorial Toga Bring
On the Rear of q Procession More Than
Two Hundred Strong-Long Death Roll.
Especial Correspondence. |

Two Hundred Strong-Long Death Roll.
Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON, May 4.-There is an old
saving of office holders that few die and
none resign. When asked a few weeks
ago if he intended to retire from the SEN
ate, Mr.. Edmunds adroitly threw his ques-
toner off the scent by replying, "Did you
ever know any one to resign public Office
unless he had better one in view?" Yet,
the adage and the senator TO the contrary
notwithstanding, we have within a month
had two instances of resignation from the
senate-Mr. Edmunds, stepping down on
account of his health, and Mr.. Reagan, be-
cause he wanted to make sure of good in
come in his declining years. There was
something pathetic about the resignation
Of the latter. After fifty-two years of pub
lie service in his state, in the Federal
congress, in the Confederate congress
and cabinet, and again in the Federal
congress, he felt it necessary to
resign in his old age and poverty,
80 that the fortunes of politics might
not leave him stranded at last. Who
was it exclaimed if he had served his God
one-half so we'll as he had served his coun-
try, etc? Thinking one day about the old
saying that few die and none resign, con-
cluded to supplant maXims with facts. So
looked up the records and was surprised
to find that there have been more than 225
designations from the United States SEN
ate and nearly 100 deaths of senators in
office. Considering that only 8S5 men all
told have sat in the senate, these figures
strike one as being somewhat remarkable
refutations of the old adage. IL appears
that in the early days OF the republic a seat
in the senate was not considered so high
an honor nor so great prize as it is
in these times; and it is safe to assume
that in the first half century of the gov
eminent senatorial seats were not bought
and sold as they have been in some
instances in later times. At any rate, res
ignations have been much fewer of late
Nowadays when a man steps voluntarily
out of the senate it is generally, as Mr.. Ed
munds says with certainty or eXpecta-
ton of getting something better, such as
seat on the supreme court bench or place
in the cabinet. Even in recent times, how
ever, there have been a few instances of
resignation from other motives. Conkling
and Platt resigned for pride'S sake; a few
years ago General Gordon, now senator
elect from Georgia, resigned to go into
money making; Jonathan Chace, of Rhode
Island, resigned two years ago because he
could not afford to live in Washington on
a senator's salary; Simon Cameron re-
signed to make room for his son Don, and
now Edmunds and Reagan, who have been
conspicuous men for full quarter of a
century, throw off the senatorial toga.
Most of the recent senatorial designations
have been of men called into presidential
cabinets.
t. ~ al : Iao
either a mania for resigning some politi-
cal tradition which required men elected
under certain conditions to step out before
the expiration of their terms and give some
one else chance. Except on some such
hypothesis it is impossible to explain the
large number of voluntary retirements dur
ing the first half century of the senate.
There was scarcely state that did not have
from half dozen to a dozen such instances.
In Alabama William K. King resigned
twice, first in 1914 and again in 1858; John
w. Walker, one of the first senators, re-
signed in 1922 Other designations were
John Mckinley, 1887, and A p. Bagby,
1915
Arkansas has had three designations
Server, in 1878; Borland, his successor, in
1858, and Garland in 1885, to go into Presi-
dent Cleveland's cabinet
California has had but one resignation.
that of Senator Casserly, in 1873 Colo
RADIO has had but one, that of Senator
Teller, in 1852, to go into President
Arthur's cabinet.
In Connecticut Oliver Ellsworth, first
senator, resigned in 1876, and was succeed
ed by James HillhouSe, who served four
teen years and then resigned. johnson,
another first senator, resigned IN 1871;
Roger Sherman, who succeeded him, died;
his successor, Mitchell, resigned; his sue
cessor, Jonathan Trumbull, resigned; his
successor, Tracy, died, and Tracy's success
sor, Goodrich, resigned. Senator Smith
resigned in 1854.
The little state of Delaware has had a re-
markable number of designations, AS fol-
lows: Read, 1893; Vining, 179S; Latimer,
1901; Wells, 1904; James A. Bayard, 1913;
Rodney, 1923; Thomas Clayton, 1927; Nc
Lane, 1929; Nandain, 1886; John NJ. Clay
ton, 1886 and 1899; James A. Bayard (sec-
ond). 1864; Thomas f. Bayard, 1885.
designations in Georgia have been:
jackson, 1875; Milledge, 1909; Crawford,
1911; Bibb, 1916; Troup, 1878; Forsythe,
1919; Walker, 1921; Cobb, 1898; Berrien,
1929; Troup again in 1883; Berrien again in
1852: Colquitt, in lS4S, and Gordon, in 1880.
Illinois has had but one resignation, that
of Ninian Edwards, a first senator, in 1874
Iowa has had three-Harlan, in 1865; Grimes,
IN 1869, aud kirkwood, in 1852. Kansas has
had one-Caldwell, in 1873.
The early statesmen of Kentucky were
fond of throwing off the senatorial toga,
Here is the record of one seat in the senate:
Thurston resigned in 1909, and Henry Clay
filed out the term; Bib succeeded Clay,
and resigned in 1914, Walker filling the
term; Barry came next. but resigned IN
1916, Hardin filling the term; then came
John j. Crittenden, who resigned in 1919;
after johnson and Bib again Crittenden
came in once more, and resigned a second
time in 1910; Guthrie resigned in 1865.
The other seat Jared in this way: John
Breckenridge resigned IN 1906; his successor,
Adair, resigned in 1906. Henry Clay filing
ont the term; Pope, who succeeded Clay,
resigned in 1914; his successor, Bledsoe,
resigned in 1919; Bledsoe's successor, Tai
bot, resigned in 1870; Talbot's successor,
Logan, resigned the same year; finally Tai
bot was induced to serve out full term.
and Rowan initiated his example; then
Henry Clay was elected for two terms, but
resigned in 1912; Crittenden, who succeeded
him. resigned in 1S4S, and was succeeded
by Metcalf, and Metcalf in turn was sue
ceeded by Clay. who resigned once more in
1852.
Louisiana senators who resigned were
Destrehan. Brown, johnson, Livingston,
Porter, Mouton and Soule. Maine had
many resignations-Parris in 1925, Sprague
in 1885, Shepley in 1886, Williams in ls4S,
and Fessenden in 1864; Hamlin resigned
twice. in 1857 and 1861; Morrill, resigned in
1915 ard was succeeded by Blaine, who re-
,r, int Eor6alS'S ,>af,iner