The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-14
Half a Dozen Well Known
Men to Leave Senate.
The Tall Sycamore of the
Wabash is Among Them.
Senator Bruce Will BE Regretted
and Hill Will Be Missed.

n dozen famous men are 20 retire from the
United States senate in a few weeks. They
are Voorhees, Of Indiana, Hill Of New York,
Brioe of Ohio, Villas of Wisconsin, Gamer
on of Pennsylvania and Gordon of Georgia.
The most famous of these as senator
without doubt Is Mr.. Voorhees,, the Tall
Sycamore of the Wabash. Senator voorhees,
will be missed from the senate chamber,
where ho has so long been conspicuous
figure. In al the great debates his mag
niicent voice has been heard. As debater
he has had few equals in congress. He Is
natural orator and has an extraordinary
command of language. Just now Senator
voorhees, appears TO be recovering his
health He has decided 60 take to the lee
ture platform after leaving the senate, and
10 Is predicted he will make success In
that role. His topics, understand, are to
relate indirectly to his Washington expert
enoes, and no man can talk on this subject
moro entertainingly or more knowingly
than he.
A Senatorial Veteran.
Mr.. VOORHEES, is now one of the veterans
Of the senate. III be were TO serve till next
Noyem ber, he would complete his twentieth
year in that body. Only n half dozen or
so senators have served longer than he has
continuously. Since the beginning Of the
present session Senator Voorhees, mas lived
on Capitol hill, near the senate chamber.
His health has gained so much In that timo
that he has become an enthusiast as to the
advantages Of Capitol hill as n place Of resi-
dence He says II he had moved up on the
hill years ago he would now he stronger
man. 1t Is rather remarkable that there
is less illness among the people who live on
tho hill than among those who dwell In
other parts Of the city. The drainage Is
better, and the air is purer.
The founders Of the capital supposed the
fashionable residence part Of the city would
be on this hill. For this reason they faced
-the capitol building toward the high pla-
team. But real estate speculation in the
early days turned the tide in the other di-
rection, and the fashionable quarter is In
the northwest, from mile to two miles
behind tho capitol as it stands.
Brice's Reputation.
Senator Brico will take up his residence
in New York and Newport. Mr.. Brice has
not made much Of a reputation as public
speaker during his six years in the senate,
but he leaves behind him reputation Of
another and perhaps q better sort. re-
member hearing Ed Wolcott, the brilliant
senator from Colorado, who is now abroad
on a bimetallio mission for the Republican
party, pay the following tribute to MIR.
Brics. 1.-The senator from Ohio" said he,
will leave us with the proud conscious
ness, If he ever thinks about those matters
at all, of having host Of friends behind
him. There is scarcely man In the senate
who has not at some time or other had
favor or kindness from Mr. Brice. That
is precious sort Of memory TO leave be-
hind one. 1t is, In fact, about all there Is
In public life. / suppose Brice is as cold
blooded duck us there Is on the face OF
the earth when 1t comes To money max
ing deal, but in his personal relations to
senator's he has been found one Of the most
lovable of men,"
Inasmuch as there Is an ancient and
highly respected saying about the difficulty
which "a rich man encounters in gaining
entrance to the pearly gates, am willing
TO put Mr.. Wolcott's opinion of Mr.. Brice
on record, for the Ohio senator certainly
has enough else to answer for.
There Is another record that Brice will
leave behind him. 1t is that Of being about
the keenest man in his Judgment of human
nature we have ever had in the senate.
heard an old senator describe Brices won
derful faculty. "Brice sees through us
ALL he said. "IIe hasn't much to say,
except when his opinion is asked. He just
keeps his eyes open and seems To know
what Is going on In all our minds. He
knows every senator's weak spot and just
how to touch IL. IL it is n bit of senti-
ment, prejudice, friendship, hatred, q
superstition, 10 matter what IL Is, Brice
knows IL and can put his finger on it. l
believe that Is the secret of his success in
his life. While other men have been read
ing books he has been reading men"
Kill and the Camerons.
Senator Htii has made n unique reputa.
tion during his six years In the senate. He
has grown all tho time. Ostracized lit
tie at first, not taken into the inner coun-
Gil, given more or less of the cold shoulder,
he has nevertheless forced his way to the
front. He has made himself one of the
strongest dobators In the senate a pecul-
iarity about Hill is that one can rarely
tell where he Is going To appear. First he
Is against the administration, and then he
Is for It. He loves To do extraordinary
things and TO do them In bis own odd way.
There is nothing dull or stupid about Hill.
He is nervous, restless, active, interesting.
We shall miss him from the senate cham
Der.
Senator Villas has been one of the stron-
gest senators on the Democratic side. He
is man OF grcnt force OF character and OF
true senatorial dignity When he speaks,
It is to some purpose, and he always has
an audience Villas has been somewhat
handicapped 10y bis known friendship for
President Cleveland. In the first place, he
has had 10 hc careful what he said, for he
was supposed TO be inspired, whether he
was or not. In the second place, the pres
ident has not boon popular on tho Dem
ooratic side of the chamber, and all his
special friends .shye had TO suffer them
selves To bo classod as "cuckoos" and be
driven into corner by themselves, as IL
were. Notwithstanding all these disad-
vantagos, Mr.. Villas has been an in0uen-
tial and rather popular senator.
March 4 next Don Cameron will com
plote nearly 40 years of senatorial service
for the two Camerons, father and son.
simon Cameron served lS yonrs In tho SON
ate at three different times, and Don Is
just finishing a 90 year term For 30