The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-08
IN CONGRESS-
Change in Careers Of Men
at Washington.

The recent death of Senator Morrill, has
naturally occasioned considerable discus
sion on the length of congressional terms,
says the Washington correspondent of the
Boston Evening Transcript. 1t often
seems as if public men are but a very
short time on the stage, and that politi-
cal generations are among the briefest of
all In washington a man does not usu-
ally acquire real prominence until he is
well along in years, and other things be-
ing equal, his prominence increases with
his age.
1t thus happens that about the time a
great statesman becomes we'll known to
the country he is we'll along in years,
and in the ordinary expectation of life
cannot expect to remain prominent long.
Until the obituary notices are published
we fail to realize how fast our public men
are growing old. 1t seems hardly posi-
BILE that Gen John NJ Palmer, who so re-
senate, is 81 years old; Justice Gray of
the supreme court and Sir Julian Paunce-
fote are 20; that Senators Cullom and AL
lison are g.; Gen Schotield and Senator
Frye 81 Andrew d. White, Justice Shi-
ras and Senator Quay 66, and that Chief
Justice Fuller, Justice Harlan and eX-
President Harrison are s..
The senate, the supreme court and the
army and the navy are the places under
our government where long public ca
reer is possible. The house of representa-
the piltng up of long terms of service. and
its oldest members are usually men who
like ex-Speaker Grow of Pennsylvania
and the late n P. Banks of Massachu-
sets, state or district sees fit to send
back TO congress for a few years as a
matter of sentiment. In the regular or
house after they have become aged. Too
many young men are always 'hustling'
for their places. and then there is an
amount OF necessary errand work con-
w a in Of
sentatives which is not congenial to men
who have reached the time of life when
they feel like resting. The result is that
the house is filed up with young men and
middle-aged men.
This is well Illustrated by the career of
Charles H. Allen, the assistant secretary
looks younger than he is. and vet he re-
tired from congress on March d. 1889 just
~ years ago and there is not a man in
the Massachusetts delegation today who
was IN the house with him at that time.
Mr.. Walker, who retires from this con-
gress, has long been the dean of the del
egation, and yet his service began when
Mr.. Aliens ended. One does not have to
remain in Washington very long to see
great changes in the cast of characters
on the political stage. Men are defeated
Tor reorganization; they are defeated at
the polls their party falls out of power
IN state legislature or in the district
which they represent; and then the ratio
of deaths is very large. More southern
harness than northern men, This is due
to the fact that they have but one party
there and so the CAUSE of a good share
is removed.
AS illustrative of the change in Wash
lngton life, Mr.. German, after a long
career or Office holding, including three
terms IN the senate. retires to private life
with this session of congress. Mr.. Hill of
New York, whose career at one time
startled the country with its brilliant sue
~ anti a1rV .
ington, and as much out of the rennem-
brance as member of James K Folks
cabinet. Secretary Carlisle is man who
Sigg 70 nave ended his days in public
nave supposed that he certainly would
He was much beloved speaker of the
mouse OF representatives, and was dem
ocrat in a democratic state He later
went to the United States senate. This
pace ne resigned to become secretary of
me the treasury under Mr.. Cleveland, and
the rise of the free silver issue separated
him hopelessly from his party. So one
after another of the prominent public men
OF few years ago have passed or are
passing off the scenes
The long careers like those of Mr. Nor
rlll and Mr. Sherman, are very great
exception, and deserve attention because
~ thelr rarity It probably is not true
old times than now because the record
breakers, are in this generation. Mr..
Field who is now retired, served on the
N the history of the country. and Mr..
Morrill, and Mr.. Sherman have no eonai
IN the senate history. The one depart
mel Iilent o. puplc life in which the custom
mas changed in the direction of shorter
terms is the cabinet. Albert Gallatin was
SSEecretary OF the treasury for IS years.
NOW no cabinet officer survives the term
OF the president who appoints him and a
great many serve a much shorter time
rms Is to be regretted II there is any
pace IN N tne world where experience is of
value u is at the head of one of the great
executive departments. One large reason
Tor the snort terms in cabinet Offices has
come to be the. relative undesrability of
tllo tb oIiIces. Men leave the cabinet to go
70 the senate, or to become governors of
states, or for almost anything else.
There are three men in the history of
ttle senate, the length of whose terms of
office is very much alike. If Mr. Morrill,
mad lived till March A he would have
! served continuously in the senate for 20
years. MI shermans two terms Of of
cabinet and the other after. aggregafed
lust ~ years. He served from March.
Iool, TO March, 1877; and from March. 1881,
come cabinet minister. The third man
IS Thomas II Benton, the first senator
IRON Missouri: and the author 81 the
senate y ON e 9ct yi fsSG He came into the
1871. His career was thus bounded by the
/ Missouri compromise and the comnr0nnise
Of 1850. Benton was a member of the
after his term in the senate expired
! Another senator who served all told for
nearly ~ years was William Rufus King.
who was vice president Of the United
States with Franklin Pierce He was a
member of the senate from 1873 TO TS4f
and again y from 1873 to 1853. He had also
sentatves. His namesake Ruins King
of New York was in the senate for nearlV
4 20 years but not continuously.
| Henry r. Anthony of Rhode ISLAND wa 6
in the senate a little over Is years. and
have given him 80 years of continnoIIs
| service. lie was never In the house of
| representatives,. He died Sept 2. 1884
! Hannibal Hamlin. who was vice president
! of the United States with Lincoln. was n
member of the senate both before and
elected to the senate in 1913. but resigned
/ in 1851 to become governor OF Maine: less
| than a month later he resigned the gov
ernorship to return to the senate, where
| he took his seat March T. 1857 lie re-
manned there until 1861, when he RESIGNED
after his retirement from that office he
was again elected to the senate, and
| served for u years. Counting the four
years when he was presiding officer of the
senate, he was 70" % years and 6 months
In that body. He also served four years
became senator. Samuel Smith of
| Maryland Is another man with long
senate record but 1t was so early I'm the
century that most OF his work has been
| forgotten. Charles Sumner of Massachu-
+, sets was enrolled as senator for %
| March II, 1874. He was IN the senate
/ when he died. There is quite a list of
senators who have served for 20 years
but Daniel Webster and Zach Chandler