New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-17
."NEW BLOOD" IN THE SENATE
NOT so MUCH OF 1T AS HAS BEEN
IMAGINED.
SOME STATISTICS SHOWING THE AVERAGE OF
AGE IN THE sENATE-TiIE COMMIT
TEE QUESTION.
fsy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNE.l

Washington Nov lG.-The younger OF the
Senate II Is again said will break over some OF the
time honored customs and insist upon having
equal share OF the good committee places As the
time for the meeting of Congress draws near. the
purpose Of the younger Ser aio-s TO demand greater
consideration n the hands OF the older members is
being seriously discussed Senator Dubois and Sen
ator Hi the acknowledged leaders In this re-
bellion-ths strike for better places.
good deal has been said about the recent "ln-
fusion of YOUNGER blood" into the United States Sen
ate Accounts have been given Of alleged threats
made by younger members that they intend to rebel
against the old traditions and precoRnts override
the courtesy OF the Senate"-that unwritten rule
which has heretofore been superior TO all the writ
ten rules-and ignore the custom of giving leading
committee chairmanships 10 the older members be-
cause OF Senatorial courtesy and seniority of service
Gradual changes In the composition of the Senate
bv the infusion OF younger blood" have. Of course.
occurred during the last few years. but. strangely
enough. the changes do not appear TO he as extern
slye as seems have been supposed nor have they
materially altered the character of the Senate as
whole Compared with the average ege of Senato
in the preceding LITId Congress. 1895, the differ
ence in favor Of the new Senate which Is soon 70
convene Is only about years, the average age OF
tho members of the new Senate being fifty-sx and
onet bird years against ffy-eigh years In the Sen
ate AT the close OF the session last March But COM
parcd with the average age or me members or the
Senate shortly after the close of the war. twenty
five years ago and also twenty years ago and ten
years ago. the average age Of the members OF the
present Senate is higher than at either of those pc
rio1s The only time when the average age was
hohor than now was in the Senate az ii existed al
tho close Of the last session. in March 1895. al
though al that time 1t included some of the young
er blood"
A very material alteration. however was caused
bv the single change in the North Carolina Senator
Taff
wears OF age 10 Marion Butler. thrty-two years OF
aee-and there has been seven other noteworthy
changes I'm which the differences between the ages OF
the OUTGOING and the incoming members ranged
from twentyfour years TO eleven years, all IN faVo'
Of the new senate Mr. Chiffon, forty-two years
oIl succeeds Mr. Coke. siXty-siX years Oh; Mac
Pride fortv-one succeeds Dolph. ffty-nine Carter
fortr-onc. succeeds Power lfty-six; Nelson, ffty-
two succeeds Washburn. siXty-four; Elkins, fifty
four succeeds Camden. sxty-seven: Tillman, forty
eight succeeds Butler fftynine. and Lucien Baker.
ffty succeeds Martin Of Kansas sixty-one
In the Senate twenty five years ago-the Senate
of the XIth Congress. 1S67-'69-,he average age Of
members was fifty and one-third years; the Senate
membership being then slXty-six In the Senate
twenty years ago-the XLIIId Congress. 1873 10
the average age about hfty-three years. ana the
membership was then seventy-four. In the senate
of the XINIIIth Congress, 1SN'-S5. with to'ai
membership of seventy-sx. the average age Of Sen
the Senate Of the last Congress. the LID. at the
time near the close Of the session. March, $780, when
the membership full at lightweight, the aver
age age was Il fraction over ffty-e.ght years. the
present Senate-of the LINth Congress-which dates
It's existence from last March, shows an average age
Of ffty-sx and about one-thrd years. counting the
Senate full with Colonel Dupont. OF Delaware
There Is in the Senate one member who Is
only thirty-two years of age One other member Is
thirtv-eight or members forty years old ana less
than fifty there a-c Twenty-Five of hfty years and
loss than sixty years there are thirty members OF
sixty years and less than seventy years there are
twenty-seven members. OF seventy and less than
eighty years there six members and one mem
Der. Mr.. Morrill, is eighiy-ive years OLD. covering
the quarter Of a century, the following table pre-
SCENTS (approxmately) the ages of Senator'S In each
Of five different Congresses, the ages OF the mem
hers dating generally from their last or nearest
birthday anniversaries and representing their ages
AZ about the close OF the respective congresses