The age-herald., 1898-09-16
LENGTH CF CON-
 GRESSIONAL SERVICE

| on Tuesday as their representative, has but | one living rival. This is Alfred c. Harmer,
 now sitting for the Fifth Pennsylvania, one
 of the Philadelphia districts. When the em-
 inent Maine leader first entered the house
 in the Forty-ifth congress he found MT.
 Harmer as one of his colleagues, and at
 every biennial election since then each has
 been returned. At the end of the present,
 or fifty-ffth, congress each will therefore
 have served eleven consecutive terms. In
 total years of service however, MT. Harmer
 has an advantage of four years over the
 speaker, having been a member of the for
 ty-second and fortythird congresses, l though not of the forty fourth
 l
 l Illinois has one representa- tive whose to- l tai years of service in the house foot up 1 two years more than do MT. Reeds This
 is Joseph G. Cannon of Danville, who began
 his legislative duties at Washington in the forty-th third congress, two years later than
 did Mr. Harmer. His record on eonsecu-
 tveness was broken, though, when the
 democratic landslide barred his entrance
 into the ffty-seeond congress, Samuel T.
 Busey capturing his seat for one term by
 a narrow majority. "Silver Dick" Bland of | N0'-
 of service, but his record for consecutive l service also suffered from landslide, in ms
 case it being in favor of the republicans I when the fifty-fourth congress was chosen.
 These three are the only ones in the pres | ent congress whose length of service can
 be compared with Mr. Reeds.
 
 An interesting study is presented when | one glances over the membership of the present house and notes how few of the 1 national legislators have served a notable
 length of time and how these few have l been honored. Taken in alphabetical or
 der, Alabama comes first with "Fighting
 Joe" Wheeler who has eight terms to point
 to and another in sight by unanimous vote l During the heated debates on Cuba his
 was a potent voice, and invariably raised | in support of the government. Arkansas
 presents Thomas c. McRae, with seven | terms. California has Eugene F. Loud or
 postal bill fame, with four terms. Colorado
 points to John c. Bell with three terms.
 Connecticut has Charles A. Russell of the ways and means committee, with six terms. | Delaware has a new man in Levin l. Han dy Florida only boast of stephen J. Sparkman, with but four years of serVlce. Georgia has given five terms to Rufus E. | Lester of the First district. Idaho has | James Gum for his first term. Illinois, be- sides Congressman Cannon and Hit, with | pride points to Albert J. Hopkins, power
 on the ways and means committee and gubernatorial possibility.
 Major George w Steele, with six terms
 and a renominaton, holds the record for ! 1Ol-
 man, and prominence on the ways and l means committee is of his rewards. l Iowa halls the veteran David B. Hender- | son, with sixteen years of service and the
 chairmanshp of the judiciary committee. l Kansas has given four consecutive terms to 1 Case Broderick Louisiana has done two 1 better for Samuel M. Robertson. Besides Speaker Reed and Chairman Dingley Maine
 can boast of Charles A. Boutelle, with 1 seven terms and the chairmanship Of the committee on naval affairs. Maryland pre- | sents only Sydney E. Mudd, with three terms Massachusetts has a man of great present power in Joseph H. Walker, who with ten years of consecutive member l ship at his back, has opportunity for yeo- man service to the nation as chairman or the committee of banking and currency.
 Michigan has a collection of six men with only two terms each-George Sralding, John B. Corliss, William A. Smith, Horace G. Shower, Roswell P Bishop and Rous- seau O. Crump. Minnesota presents James l A. Tawney James T. McCleary, and Loren Fletcher each with only three terms, but l each, nevertheless, of great power in de- 1 bate and in committee work. Mississippi 1 has Private" John M. Allen, the wit Of the 1 house. and the valuable debater Thomas C. Catchings, each with fourteen years of ser | vice. Montana has voted three terms to l Charles s. Hartman. Nebraska has done
 the same for David H. Mercer. Nevada has
 followed suit with Francis G. Newlands, l one of the prominent free silver advocates. l New Hampshire can point to only Cyrus A. l Subway, with two terms; while New Jer- l sey has given three each to Henry c. l Loudenslager and John J. Gardner.
 
 One would think that the great empire 1 state would play leading part in the na- | tional legislative halls. but her voters do 1 not seem to have learned the lesson of | keeping good men in congress. John Il. i Ketcham holds the present record for New 1 York with nine terms, and he has attained l little prominence. North Carolina has Har- l " Skinner, William F. Strowd, Charles H. | Martin. Alonzo c. Shuford, Romulus c. l Iinney and Richmond Pearson, each with 1 only two terms North Dakota has given 1 Martin N. Johnson twice that number. Ohio's record holder is General Charles H. ! Grosvenor the Mckinley statistician, with | twelve years of service. Oregon has retain l ed William R. Ellis for three terms. Aside l from MT. farmer. Pennsylvania has cause /! for pride in the late Samuel J. Randall and | "Pig-Iron'' Kelley also departed Melville | Bull has secured two terms thus far in l Rhode Island. but John L. McLaurin has | doubled this in South Carolina. South Da-
 kota has two new men in Freeman Knowles l and John F, Kelley. Tennessee has placed | trust for twenty years in Benton McMillin, whom many deem the present legitimate
 leader of the minority, despite the selection | by his party of Young MT Bailey" Utah | is trying William H. King for the first | time. Vermont has voted eight years to | William w Grout. who has a very active
 finger in the apportioning of appropriations. | William A. Jones has represented Virginia's | Firt district for eight years. James H. 1 Lewis and William c. Jones represent | Washington for the first time. Blackburn | R. Dovener, Aston c. Dayton and Warren | Miller have each had two terms from West 1 Virginia Wisconsin has done only one bet l fer for Henry A Cooner. General Michael