The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-13
fhoroughness OF his preparation for his
career and the wide range Of requirements
DAyIS'S SUCCESSOR

tb~oroughness OF his preparation for his
career and the wide range of requirements
DAvIs's SUCCESSOR
To Mr.. Towne. who. by appointment, fills
the seat in the Senate occupied by Mr..
Davis, was assigned the duty OF closing
the services. His address was the first made
BY Mr.. Towne in the Sena-e and 1t had
been prepared with care. Mr.. Towne was
unstinted In his praise OF his predecessor,
OF whom he said that While his viz tues
were known and appreciated in Minnesota.
he had hardly reached the full r~ecoxri-
ton due him when he died, Mr. Towne
said: Death found Cushman X. Davis at
the zenith OF his powers and at the sum-
NIT of his opportunities. He stood at the
head OF the committee which, at the pres
ent critical j%uncture In our history, is the
most prominent committee OF the highest
governmental body in the world. IF the
policy on which his party has entered Is
to be pursued. the u~ncxpired portion of
his current term comprising the next four
years. must be all-important In the shap-
ing and adjustment of that policy az ie-
lated 10 numerous and complicated Infer
national interests. This was n situation
calculated to appeal to his highest amhi-
ton. 10 stimulate his greatest p~otsncics.
to spread before his mental vision the most
satisfying prospect OF worthy ard eudCripg
fame. Yet here, on the threshold OF the
AOAE ~ VI Ills &alELAs a. lA( WIZ ~
trance TO that fair field for whose delights
and glories all hts past seemed &c have
been a designed preparation, inscruIabie
fate had ordained that he should pause. No
one realized the tragic pathos of the catas-
trophe more fully than he did. yet he bore
the sorrow of it with a herOism equa to
the physical courage which he opposed to
the Stoutest assaults of pain. He might
vince but he would not cry out; he could
express regret, but he did not complain
Mr.. Towne also referred to Senator Da-
vls's religious convictions. saying: And
when his feet touched the water or the
river beyond which lies that undiscovered
country the glance that sought inquir-
1ngly the farther shore was a glance that
felt no shade of fear. AS a young man
he had for a time yielded TO the influence
OF that irreligious skepticism which was
often the too-hasty refuge of minds strong
~ impressed by the wonderful development
or the physical science shortly after the
middle OF the nineteenth century But as
he grew older, and as his reading broad
ened and his habits of i~ntrospection
strengthened, the thought that all the
preparation OF the centuries is purposeless,
and that the end Of innumerable universes
Is mere nothingness, gave no comfort to
his soul and found no justification in his
reason. Familiar with the ancient philoso-
phies and with the general principles OF
recent science, he found in both of them
that which, while it yielded no exclusive
basis for a particular creed, yet gave ample
support TO the sweet assurances of the
Christian religion respecting the future
life"
He quoted Senator Davis as saying, not
long before his DEATH: II know human
history, and 1 know that in the first CEN
fury something happened that destroyed
the old world and gave birth to the new.
The resurrection of Jesus would account
for that change, and l do not know of any
other adequate solution that has ever been
proposed"
Thus il seems to me the conclusions of
philosophy, the rationale of science and
the teachings of revealed religion" said
Mr.. Towne, point unerringly to immor-
tality." In this supreme conviction, he
said, he knew that Mr.. Davis was firmly
grounded.
At the conclusion of Mr. Towne's remarks
he moved the adoption of the resolutions
proposed by his colleague, Senator Nelson.
which, being carried, the Senate, at 3:f5
.. m, adjourned.