The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-12-30

his senatorial duties faithfully and
regularly went to the capitol. About
ten days ago the weather here was
cold, raw and foggy and his physician
thinks that exposure to its rigors
brought on an attack of grip. The
day before congress adjourned for the
Christmas holidays the senator was
unable to leave his residence. He
grew no better as the days went on,
his low vitality, due to advancing age,
being unable to resist the disease. On
Christmas night it developed into
pneumonia and from that time until
the end he sank rapidlv.
SALIENT FEATURES OF MS RECORD
In the death OF Justin Smith Morrill, the SEN
ate has lost its senior member In point OF serv-
ice and its oldest in age, He had served con-
tlnuously in the senate for more than 81 years
and he was Ss years OF age on the lith OF April
last with the single exception OF Galusha
Grow, of the house OF representatives, he was
the only man In congress whose congressional
career began prior to the beginning OF the civil
war. and he had the honor over Mr. Grow In
that his congressional service had been con-
tinuous, covering, In the senate and house COM
bined, almost "a years
Mr.. Morrill, was native OF Vermont He
was first elected o member OF the house from
that state as q member OF the Thirty fourth
congress, taking his seat at the first assem-
bling OF that body after the 4th OF March. 1875.
He was reelected to the Thirty fifth Thirty
sixth. Thirty seventh. Thirty and Thlr-
ty- ninth congresses and was in 1867 elected TO
the senate to succeed Hon. Luke II. Poland
He held his seat In the senate since that date
without interruption. having been elected six
terms SUCCESSFULLY His present term, to which
he was chosen in 1895, would not have expired
until 1903
Previous to entering congress Mr. Morrill,
had been engaged in mercantile and agricu
tural pursuits and much OF his public life had
been devoted to the uplifting OF interests de-
pendent upon these lines Of business He had
received in his youth an academic education,
and was. from his early davs q closa reader
ana careful analyst OF public questions II
was at the beginning OF the war that Mr. Nor
rill's practical business training brought him
forward rs man OF national reputation He
was the author OF the Morrill, tarir act OF 1851.
which was the basis OF all the tarir legisl alton
OF war times In 1854 he became chairman Of
the committee on ways and means, the princi-
pal committee OF the house and at that critical
time Of especial Importance.
During his long career Mr.. Morrill, gave his
attention to many questions and no man In
public life was more given than he to taking
up subject and holding on TO IL through years
and years, until consummated. He was the
real father OF the scheme for the construction
of a building for the congressional liabrary and
TO him and Senator Voorhees, who early Joined
him In pressing this question upon congress, is
the splendid library building a monument
Very near to his heart also was the plan for the
erection OF a sister building for the supreme
court
To Senator Morrill, probably more than any
one else was the present splendid endowment
OF most OF the state agricultural colleges duo
He was the author of the original bill giving
aid TO these colleges from the proceeds OF the
sales OF the public lands. and he had never re-
fused them the encouragement OF his assist
anoe He opposed the annexation OF the Ha-
waiian islands to the last and he was under
stood to be averse to the exercise OF any sort
OF an American sovereignty over the Philip
pines
The death OF Senator Morrill, leaves the sem
ate without father or, rather with a dual
male parent, represented by Senators Allison,
OF Iowa and jones' OF Nevada Each entered
the senate March 4, 1873 Possibly the one who
added his name to the oath OF ofice first viii,
be called the father" OF the senate although
each has served continuously the same time