Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-12-31
CAPITOL'S OOINCS.
Senator MorriIrs Death Leaves
Big Gap 10 FIJI.
ALLISON PROBABLY SUCCESSOR,
The Latter and Jones Now Oldest
Members Of The Senate-Vermont
Statesman to he Buried Among Ms
Own Green nHilIs-Gleanings.

Washington, Dec. Ex-senator Nor
rill's death makes vacant the chairman
ship Of the senate committee on finance.
This Is the most important committee
Of that body, and corresponds to both
the ways and means and the coinage,
weights and measures Of the house.
The ranking member Of that committee
Is now Mr.. Allison of Iowa, with lr.
Aldrlch OF Rhode Island next. Mr..
Allison is chairman Of the committee on
appropriations. and should he retire
from that to become head Of the finance
committee, Mr.. Hale OF Maine would be
left at the head Of the appropriations.
The finance committee Will undergo
considerable change after the 4th Of
March. Two Of its members, White and
Turpie, will be succeeded in the senate
by Republicans. Since the committee
was last organized, Mr.. Walthall of Mis-
sissippi has died. This makes three va
cancles to be filled, besides that caused
by the death Of Mr.. Morrill,. All four will
probably go to Republicans, as the pres
ent committee stands nine to five in favor
of free silver That is an extraordinary
arrangement for even the present sem
ate, and 1t would be much more so for
the next one, where the gold forces will
have majority Of IS.
If these three places are taken away
from the silver Democracy and given to
gold Republicans, the committee would
stand eight to six for the gold standard,
and even that would be smaller ratio
than the proportions of the chamber
justify. The composition Of this cotn-
To-, l., ,.,A ell. 10
for much of the legislation Of the senate
during its period of free silver control.
Before the campaign of 1896 resulted in
the division of the two parties wholly on
the financial issue, this committee was
made up OF seven Republicans and seven
Democrats. These seven Democrats, in
the present congress, have all been free
silver men, while two of those classed as
Republicans, Jones Of Nevada and VOL
cOtt of Colorado, have been on the same
side. This has left only Morrill, Allison
Aldrich, Platt and Burrows to represent
the gold standard.
There. will be considerable interest
taken in the selection of successor to
Senator Morrill,. The governor of Ver-
mont, upon whom the duty will doubt
less fall. has it in his power to make a
vote either for or against the peace
vote would turn the scale for this ses-
sion although the administration pro-
fesses complete confidence in it's ability
to secure two-thirds vote at short order.
Without doubt, Mr. Morrill, would have
voted against the treaty. He held out
against Hawaiian annexation. and his
on this question.
Senator Chandler will succeed to Sen
ator Morrills desk in the senate. 1t
Is in the front row, and the position is
quite advantageous.
The death of Senator Morrill, leaves
Allison of Iowa and Jones of Nevada
the oldest members of the senate in point
of continuous service. They became
members of that body in 1878, and took
their oath of office at the special session
called to confirm the nominations made
by President Grant at the opening Of his
second term. Mr.. Cockrell of Missouri
is the only man left Of those who came
in in 1875. George F. Hoar of Massachu-
setts and John T. Morgan Of Alabama
became senators in 1877, with the begin
ming of the Hayes administration. Platt
of Connecticut and Vest of Missouri en-
tered the senate in 1879. These seven
men are the only ones of the 80 who have
continuously served in the senate since
a date prior to 1880. Stewart Of Nevada.
Turpie of Indiana and Teller of Colorado
go back to years before the eighties, but
their service has been interrupted. Mr.
Stewart became a member of the SEN
ate in 1854, when Nevada was admitted
to statehood, but has served continuous
ly only since 1887. Mr.. Turpie was elect
ed to the senate to fill the unexpired
term of Jesse d. Bright. in 1863 but his
continuous service dates, like that of
Mr. Stewart, from 1887. Mr.. Teller came
to the senate when his state was ad-
mitted to the Union In 1875. He left that
body. however. to become secretary of
the interior under President Arthur.
Considering the reputation which the
senate has as land Of steady habits, it
Is rather remarkable that SO few men
have a history in that body extending
over 20 years.
Washington, Dec. 28.-Thele is much
speculation as TO what senator will sue
ceed Senator Morrill, as chairman of
thn couu,iftaa m finance The COM