The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-03-08
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~. ARLINGTON. D. G., March 7.-The
u. ~ ~ .y3snrsSentative Fiarnet Of
~ Z ..,,s.i,,,, - ~.
fsiiil IAsliiiss me
House, cast deep gloom over pro-
c5adine1 to-day. Although be was
,,,...., Il, <. i, s,..I,is J,.oIih bls al
>l' ~ = y =. ,.5'ss- -,
came q q atloeiA % tis l9iis ~ ~
whom he was universally beloved, re
"a the oldest member Of TIE house.
I. -. 4. ,s.s...,5. ~ sa.,.i,-. 49, &, e6r-
pptn "a tsnstAt u esA ~, - W.
tinuous service N steh II was ms
duty to swear IN the incoming speaker
! - !, ,,o,it, ~ esrb f,onrrasa. HIS
y. .,.,.,..
only ~ Ailee IA llAls lvH-e, eliis ~.
sion was when he made Q special trip
from phDadeinhia. at the opening of
K. ,s,.,. q, I,-,.-.i,.,. u s6,nintster
tls ssl'll ~ :. sl,l,s y
the g.5tn g spe.,llst !i1,l.i Ne
was then In feeble conaiuon, ana Nh y,
eyesight WAS SO poor tnat donn ".
Chaunceys one, OF the Oldest employees
OF the house, was Obliged 20 prompt him
while he read the oath % 9enereA
HenderRor. ar. dafmet seldom aQ-
DRESSED the house during MIS- long Term
Of service but ne was an ectlye com.
mittee worker, popular pereonally, ana
exercised much influence IN quiet
way. HIS death makes General Henry
Bingham. OF Pennsyl vania. the ~ atner
Of the House" he began his service N
the Fofty-GiXth Congress, and mas serY-
ed continuously for twenty years. B SIl
IN length and priority Of service, hlI'
Bingham 70 exceeded by Mr. cannon,
Of Illinois, chairman OF the appropr7
ationB committee, who was first elect
ed to the Forty-third Congress, ana
who Is serving his thirteenth term. put
his term was not continuous, ne nav
failed Of reelection IN the bifty-secona
Congress,
Mr.. Grow, Of PenlsylVanla, the ven
cradle eX-Gpeaker, ig the Oldest menu
heF,. He tifst came to Congress IN 1901,
but there was q long hiatus IN his SER
vice from 1853 TO 1895. The distinction
OF Father Of the House" belongs 70
him who has served longest IN contin-
uous service.
Mr.. Harmer's desk to-day was drap-
ed In black and covered with flowers.
The blind chaplain, IN hlH invocation
referred feelingly to the loss the house
and the country had sustained. Upon
the request Of Mr.. Mann. Qllinois), in
charge OF the Aldrich- Robbins contest
ed election case, which was to have
been voted upon at $3.50 p. M, to-day,
the vote was postponed until to-mor-
row. to allow the house to adjourn out
OF respect to Mr.. Hammers memory.
Mr. 0verstreet. (Indlana), in charge
Of the conference report upon the imam
clai BILL. presented the report to the
house and said he would call up the
report at the earliest possible moment.
Mr.. Bingham, (Pennsylvania), then
announced the death OF Mr.. Harmer.
Els beloved colleague, he said, was OF
right recognized as the Father OF the
House,n but he was more than that.
He was the father OF the house in the
affection and high regard In which he
was held by the members Of the body.
He died In the same community ip
which he was born, and among the
people who, for more than half a Gem
fury, loved and honored him personally
and held him In such high esteem and
confidence that only death could sever
their close relations. He was one Of
marked group Of four men whom the
city OF Philadelphia sent to the Ameri-
can Congressman most exceptional
IN their usefulness and years Of service
TO the people Of their home constituent
cies, as well as their state and nation.