Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-28

MIR. MORRILL'S CHARACTERISED
tees will be announced later Eleven sena-
tors and fifteen representatives probably
will be named, a number rather in excess
of that usually designated, owing to the
lifelong public service of the deceased and
the desire to have many old associates
represented in the last testimony of re-
spect. 1t is expected also that Mr.. Hobart
and Speaker Reed will return for the SER
vice if their engagements will permit.
The ceremony in the Senate chamber will
be marked by those charac teristics of SOL
emn dignity usual on such occasions The
casket will be first borne to the marble
room, and then, Immediately before the
ceremony, the active pallbearers will bear
l. TO the Senate chamber, where it will rest
Immediately in front of the presiding Off
GERS desk. The seats in the front circle of
the chamber will be reserved for the Presi-
dent and members of the cabinet Back of
them, on either side, the honorary commit
tees from the two houses, wearing large
white Grape bands about the arm will be
seated. Back of them will be the members
or the Senate and of the House. The
funeral cortegc enters and leaves the Capi-
tol from the main entrance on the east
front.
His Long Public Service
In the death of Senator Morrill, the Sem
ate lost its senior member in point of sery-
T..
continuously in the Senate for more than
thirty-one years, and he was eighty-eight
years old on the : 18th 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 III that his congressional service had
been continuous, covering in the Senate
and House combined almost fortv-four
years.
Mir. Morrill, was native of Vermont. He
was hrst elected member of the House
from that state a member of the Thirty
fourth Congress, taking his seat at the
first assembling of that body after the 18th
OF March, 1880. He was reelected to the
Thlrty-ffth, Thirty sixth, Thirty seventh
Thirty-eighth and Thirty-ninth Congresses
and was III 1867 elected to the Senate to
succeed Luke p. Poland. He held his seat
In the Senate since that date without in
terruption, having been elected six times
successfully. His present term, to which
he was chosen in 1896, would not have eX-
pired until 1893.
Previous to entering Congress Mr.. Nor
rill had been engaged in mercantile and
agricultural pursuits, and much of his pub
lie life has been devoted to the uplifting
OF interests dependent upon these lines of
business. He had received in his youth an
academic education and was from his early
days close reader and careful analyst of
public affairs.
1t was at the beginning of the war that
Mr.. Morrlll's practical business training
first brought him forward as man of
national reputation. He was the author of
the Morrill, tariff act of 1861, which was
the basis of all the tariff legislation Of war
times. In 1864 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.
After entering the Senate Mr.. Morrill,
t,,tr n1 c,{,y ito
financial and commercial questions, and
during the greater part of his term of serv
ice he was identified as a member of the
committee on finance which committee
deals especially with these subjects. He
first became chairman of this committee
in 1877, succeeding Senator Sherman when
the latter entered the cabinet of President
Hayes, and he held this position continu-
ously after that date, except during the
Forty-sixth and Fifty-third Congresses,
when the democratic party controlled the
Senate, and during those intervals he con-
tinued at the head of the republican rep
resentation on the committee. In recent
years he delegated the greater share of the
details of the committee work to the young
er members of the committee, but there
had been but few times when he was not
regular attendant upon the committee
meetings, and many instances are related
of his surprising activity in directing the
affairs of the committee up to the last. He
had at his fingers end a wealth of informa-
ton concerning the tariff and financial
questions which were always useful in the
eiucidation of problems then under consid-
Grafton
During his long career Mr.. Morrill, gave
his attention to many questions, and no
man in public life was more given than he
to think up subject and holding on to
1t for years until contaminated. He was
the real father for the scheme for the con-
struction of a building for the Congress
sOnal Library, and TO him and Senator
Voorhees,, who early joined him in press
ing this question upon Congress, is the
splendid library building a monument.
Very near to his heart also was the plan
for the erection of sister building for the
United States Supreme Court He had been
pressing measure looking to the con-
struction of such building for many years,
and had on three different occasions pre-
vailed upon the Senate to pass his bill for
this purpose. His last appearance In the
Senate was on the 10Th instant, when he
made a speech of half an hours duration
in advocacy of the Supreme Court building
bill. He at the same time prevailed upon
the Senate to pass the bill in the face of
some opposition.
To Senator Morrill, probably more than
any one else was the present splendid en-
dowment of most of the state agricultural
colleges due. He was the author of the
original bill giving aid to these colleges
from the proceeds of the sales of the pub
lie lands, and he had never refused them
the announcement of his assistance. He
opposed the annexation of the Hawaiian
Islands to the last, and he was understood
to be averse to the exercise of any sort CT
American sovereignty over the Philippines.
Mr.. Morrill, was an interchangeable worker,
and while not an orator, he spoke grace
fully and forcibly. and was always listened
to attentively. His great age and high po-
siion caused him to be universally est= emed
by the other members of the Senate.
Senate Committee Changes Likely.
The death of Senator Morrill, will cause
r-to,,
the Senate. His position as chairman of
the committee on finance is one that has
always been regarded as belonging to the
senior member of the Senate of the party
In power. Mr.. Allison not only has that
distinction now, but he is also the ranking
republican member of the committee The
two members of the Senate who have been
longest in their nreSent nlacns ara NJ ~