The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1896-11-05
NESTORS OF THE SENATE.
Members Of Congress- Who Have
Served Long Terms.
Statesmen Who Have Spent Over Quar-
ter of Century In the Legis-
iative Halls of the
Nation.


While the celebration of the eighty
fourth birthday of Senator Justin s.
Morrill,, who has been aptly called the
father of congress-" is fresh in mind,
1t may be Of especial interest to recall
the terms of a few other men who have
nearly or quite equaled him In the
length of their public career at Wash
ington, says the Washington Star.
Senator Morrill,, even, cannot sur
pass the senate record of Thomas II.
Benton, the member from Missouri to
the first congress which convened after
that state was admitted to the union,
and who served from October 2, 1920, to
March A., 1851. He was afterward a
member of the house for two years.
Senator Morrill, has been in congress,
however, for thirty-nine years, and in
the senate for twenty-seven. William
Rufus King, who was vice president
under Franklin Pierce, served In the
senate for twenty-nine years, but his
service was not continuous He began
his first term in 1910 and ended his last
In 1853. Henry B, Anthony, of Rhode
Island, had he lived to see the end of
his last term, would have equaled the
record Of Mr.. Morrill,. He was elected
five times, but only served q year and
half of his last term. He died In
1884. Hannibal Hamlin, of Maine,
comes next in point of length of serv-
ice. Practically he was In the senate
continuously from 1s4S to 1865. Four
years Of this time was as vice president
under Lincoln, when he was presiding
officer Mr.. Hamlin was elected to the
upper house In 1860 again, 30 that his
service In that body was twenty-eight
years and six months, and he had been
six years in the house before his first
senatorial election II Is true he re-
signed from the senate In 1857 to be-
come governor of Maine, but he re-
turned In less than three months to his
seat In congress.
q Among the Massachusetts, senator's
Charles Sumner has first place for
length of continuous service. In March,
1851, he took his seat, and was there
when he died, in 1874; Senator Sherman
has the congressional record next
best to 0iMr. Morrill's. Had 1t
/ not been for the break In his
term, when he was secretary Of the
treasury under President Hayes, he
would have been in con tinuous service
exactly the same length Of time as the
senator from Vermont. Senator Nor
rill, 1t win be remembered, refused a
cabinet position under the Hayes ad-
ministrations Mr.. Sherman has served
twenty-nine years In the senate, Mr..
Allison, of Iowa, has been in congress
thirty-one years, of which time TWEEN
ty-one have been in the upper chamber;
Mr.. Allison is six years the junior of
Senator Sherman and eighteen years
younger than Yermont's veteran. Mr..
Harris, of Tennessee, was In con-
gress six years before Senator Morrill,,
but his terms have not been continu-
gus, and in point Of congressional ex-
perience he stands but number ten to-
day. There ara two other senator's
who have served continuously for more
| than twenty years They are John
1 Gaillard, Of South Carolina, whose term
began in 1904 and ended in 1926, and N.
\. Knight, Of Rhode Island, who served
from 1891 to 1871. ~HA
i It Is a remarkable fact that no man
ever served thirty years In the house OF
representatives. Judge Kelley, Of Penn
| aylvania, was In his thirtieth year there
i when he died. When Mr.. O'Neil, OF
! Pennsylvania, died he had served al
most twenty-nine years He was once
told by Mr. Holman that he was SC
! strong he would beat his record and
serve his thirty years, but he did not.
II Mr., Holman serves out his present
term, however, he will have beaten the
record. He has met with the house foE
twenty-nine years. -