The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-21
ABOUT OUR SENATORS
SOME FACTS AND STATISTICS ABOUT
ELECTIONS TO THAT BODY.
Records Show that More than Two
ored with Two or More Terms,
Washington Post

SHoWi 70 ne 10 re-elect ana keep In con-
tinuous service their Senator'S in Congress.
Exception is to be noted in few States
where there have occurred sudden or vio-
lent political upheavals such as occurred
stately in Kansas and Nebraska. Yet those
two States have made a record in the gen.
eral direction of re-electing their Senators
for continuous service. In Kansas. during
the time since its admission into the Union
the State has given ten of its fifteen sena-
torial elections to four men, and of the re-
naming five who had received but single
election, only Mr.. PETER was elected for a
fuL six-year term. The other four were
elected at irregular times to fill unexpired
terms of three Senators who had died and
one who had resigned. Nebraska reelected
three of her Senators, giving them six of
her total of eleven senatorial elections.
The practice of re-electing United States
Senators appears to have prevailed to even
greater extent lately than in olden times.
1t seems that the States more fully reailze
the value of men who, as their strength
and influence increase, and their relations
and situations are improved by reason or
length of their services, have become pet
ter able to do creditable ana eHectlve work
for the States and constituencies. Ihls
fact holds good as to both houses of Con-
gress, but more especially as to continuous
membership in the Senate O1 course, I'M
der the rules. new man mas equal rights
with the veteran in the Senate lie IS on
equal footing with all others in the right 10
participate in the proceedings OF the sen
ate But even here the ne new man n Of Z knowi
edge of many of the practices peculiar 10
the Senate which, although they are nol
embodied in the rules are as strongly nNeu
and as strictly obeyed as if they were
written rules. ,,a;x,. eve
Only eleven of the states sn neu tn Wa nHe
ington a majority of single-term senators.
These eleven were California, Coiorau 90
Pennsyivania. and the five new States of
Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, south a,l Ia
kota and Wyoming. California gave seven seven
tee, Of her twenty-one elections to single
term Senators, but gave two eiectl0nS 70
Wam Swim s sna five of her nne
elections to single-term senators, put el e
ed one of her Senators Ont; IeileT1 four fo,,I.
Of her forty-seyen elections to single-term
Senator'S yet the Granite state electeu. one
of its Senator'S John +, rae 4Irn tines New
York gave twenty-six. OF her nlty-one eis e.
tons to single-term senator's ei tbree ofhN
ers three times and one other four times.
Oregon has given ten of her nit I elet-
tons to single-term Senators, put mas erect ar
ed one of her Senators two times ana an
other three times and Pennsyivahlia mas
g1Vsh rMen1y Senators, yet the Keystone
State has given two elections to nVe OF us
Senators, three elections TO one osnsr ta anu
io The other thirty-three States have all
shown disposition to keep their senator's e
two or more terms Alabama has had
"a senatorial elections and only one
atoriai elections and only one-term Sem
ators; Connecticut 40 elections ana a
IS a eIectens Florida
term Senators in II elections; Georgia, Is
no is I in s. 1n nc a. Kent in 81
% in 50: Louisiana, IL in Al; Maine, IN
IS; Maryland, II in 81; Massachusetts, i l
Is: mississippi 10 in 80; Missouri Il in 80;
NebraskaS in II Meva 9 iina IN x * IN Ne as
Ohio. Is in 40; Rhode Island. 81 in 81;
South Carolina, IA in "a; tennessee. 10 IN
Texas in 70 ysrment IN in a a. vest NiT
Virginia, in IA, and Wisconsin, in 49,
OLDER SENATOR'S ADVANTAGES.
All other qualities of ability and bust
ness capacity being equal, the Senator
kept in continuous service has decided
advantages over a new man. not only be-
cause of acquaintance with his continuing
colleagues and with measures OF legisla-
ton past, present and likely to come,
but because long, continuous service in
sures greater efficiency and great capa-
biity to do effective work and to accom-
piish results beneficial to the State he
represents and to the nation at large
tinuous service is stronger and able to
accomplish more. than a new member. is
that the former is, by reason, of seniority,
more advantageously situated and placed
for committee duty. Although the rule
| of the Senate requires, the choice of the
customary to suspend that rule and ap-
RESOLUTION having been been drawn by by steer
ing committee" by whom the presidents
Of seniority are carefully observed. And
| that when complications arise in the
work of arranging the committee lists,
"a Sn1l tor nnT1C1 tod
| the purpose of ascertaining their wishes
| as to which of certain committees they
| in the committee list in the order of his
| seniority of service. Even when the cour-
Senator 3here IS left sery little 20 that IS
| desirable for MN to choose from. The
most important committees have already
| been filled and such places as are left
| for the new man at the bottom of the
| list, and upon eomm...ees Of least i'm
| a part of the unwritten law of the Senate
as in the courtesy of the Senate" Semi
| GRITTY in service is to the Senate in the
| makeup of committees what seniority in
rank is to the military officer in the line
of promotion or in assignment to i'm
| In the Senate to-day, with a membership
| OF elgthy-five, there are forty-nine Sem
more continuous terms and eight Of whom
| We're reelected after having once ceased
nine in all, practically five-eighths of
| the present members, have been elected
| more imam once. one OF them has been
elected six times, and one has been elected
five times; nine have been elected four
| times, eighteen have been elected three
| times, twenty have been elected two times,
| thirty-three have been elected one time,
| and three are holding seats under appoint
| ments by Governors to fill vacancies caused
| by deaths. These include the representa-
| ton of six new States-States not as cd
| in the Union as one senatorial term-with
| nine members, only one of whom has been
twice elected
| John Sherman, of Ohio, has been elected
| six times, and Justice S. Morrill,, of Yer
| mont, has been elected five times.
| There are now in the Senate nine members
| who have been elected four times, as fol-
| lows: John 7. Morgan, Democrat, of Ala
| bama; Henry M. Teller, Republican, of
| Colorado; Daniel w. Voorhees,. Democrat,
of Indiana; William B. Allison, Republican,
| of Iowa; Francis M. Cockrell, Democrat,
| of Missouri; William M. Stewart, Populist,
| of Nevada; John P. Jones, Populist. of Ne
| vada; Matt w. Ransom, Democrat, OF
| North Carolina, and j. Donald Cameron
| Republican. of Pennsylvania.
Now in the Senate eighteen members
! who have been three times elected: James
L Pugh, Democrat. Alabama; Joseph R.
| Hawley, Republican, Connecticut; Orville
| ii. Platt, Republican, Connecticut; Wilkin-
| son Call, Democrat, Florida; John B. Cor
| don Democrat Georgia; David Turpie
| Democrat Indiana; Eugene Hale, Repub-
| lican, Maine; William p Frye, Republican
| Maine; Arthur p. German, Democrat, Ma