Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-07

Adjournment of the House.
The death of Representative Harmer of
pennsylvania, the father of the House."
cast deep gloom over the House of Repre-
sentatives today. Although he was known
to be in feeble health, his death came as a
shock to his colleagues, by whom he was
universally loved. Mr.. Harmer was the
Oldest member of the House, both in length
of service and in continuous service and
was therefore entitled to the distinction of
the father of the House AS such it was
his duty to swear in the incoming Speaker
at the opening of each Congress- and this
was the occasion of his only appearance in
the House this session. He mada a special
trip from Philadelphia at the opening of
the session in December to administer the
oath TO Speaker Henderson. He was then
In feeble condition, and his eyesight was
so poor that John T. Chauncey, one of the
Oldest employees of the House. was obliged
to prompt him while he read the oath to
Gen. Henderson. Mr. Harmer seldom ad-
dressed the House during his long term of
service, but he was an active committee
worker, popular personally, and he exer-
cised much influence in a quiet way. His
Death makes Gen: Henry Bingham Of
Pennsylvania the father of the House"
He began his service in the Forty-sixth
Congress. and has served continuously for
twenty years. Both in length and priority
OF service Mr.. Bingham is exceeded by Mr.
Cannon of Illinois, chairman of the appro-
priations committee, who was first elected
to the Fortythird Congress, and who is
serving his thirteenth term. but his term
was not continuous, he having failed Of re-
election in the Fifty-second Congress.
In point of priority of service Mr.. Grow
of Pennsylvania. the venerable ex-Speaker,
Is the Oldest member He first came to
Congress in 1851. but there was a long
hiatus in his service from 1868 to 1895. The
distinction Of father of the House" be-
longs to him who has served longest in
continuous service.
Mr.. Harmer's desk was draped in black
and covered with flowers.
The blind chaplain in his Invocation 70
ferred feelilgy to the death Of Mr. Har-
mer and the loss the House and the coun-
try had sustained. Upon the request of
Mr.. Mann md. in charge of the Aldrch-
Robbins contested election case which was
to have been voted upon at go p m. to-
day, the vote was postponed until tomorrow
to allow the House to adjourn out of re-
spect to Mr.. Harmer's memory
Mr.. Bingham Pa) announced the death
of MIR. Harmer. at Is more than sad"
said he; lit is certainly most painful to me
personally to announce the death of my
esteemed and beloved colleague, Mr.. Alfred
c. Harmer of Pennsylvania He was of
right recognized as the father of thu
House But he was more than that He
was the father of the House In the affec-
ton and high regard in which he was held
by the members of this body
1T is not my purpose at this time to
make any extended remarks concerning nv
dead colleague, but l should feel that / did
less than my duty did | not call attention
to his remarkable career Mr.. Harmer was
born in 1925. in Germantown now A mart
Of Philadelphia. At his twenty-frst year
ne commenced his public services as rep
resentative of his people, and until the
day of his death, with but few years of
interm1ssion, he continued their representa-
tive. either In the councils of the city in
o1f1ces OF trust, or as representative in
Congress. He died in the same community
fha
pie who, for more than half a century.
loved and honOred him personally and heId
him in such high esteem and confidence
that only death could sever their close re-
lations.
He was one of a marked group of four
men whom the city of Philadelphia sent to
the American Congressman most excep-
uonal in their usefulness and years of SER
vice to the people of their own home con-
stituencies as well as to their state and
nation. l desire. before Offering the resolu-
tons which [ shall send to the clerks desk,
to group together the names of those four
members whose record today belongs to the
whole country and for whose memory the
people of Philadelphia have especial affec-
uon-Judge w. ID. Kelley, who was elected
to fifteen Congresses and who served
was elected to fifteen Congresses, and who
served Twenty-Five years; Mr.. Samuel J.
Randall, who was elected to fourteen Con-
crosses. and who served twenty-seyen
> r.
Harmer, who likewise was elected to four
teen Congresses and served twenty-seven
years-in all 112 years of service given by
these four distinguished dead-a record un-
paralleled in the history of the country
To Attend the Funeral
At the conclusion of his remarks, Mr.,
Bingham offered the customary resolutions
CT regret and for the appointment Of a COM
r1'ttee OF fifteen to attend the funeral. The
cd fha Foil
tee: Messrs Bingham. Adams, McAleer.
Dalzell Brosius. Wanger and Butler of
Pennsylvania, ketcham On. W. McCleary
tMinnl, Babcock tWis.), Richardson
fTenn:}. Catchings tMiss), Terry tArk J
and Fitzgerald (Mass)
Ihen, at 12:25 pm, further mark
OF respect, the House adjourned
The congressional party to attend the
Earmer funeral will ieave here at 7:55 a. m.
Friday morning in two parlors over the
Pennsylvania railroad, and proceed to Phil
adelphia where the funeral will be held at
y o'clock. The party will be in charge of
Col Casson. the sergeant-at-arms Of the
House, in person, and will return Friday
night.