The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-08-15

A Leader Gone.
One of the strong men of the United
States senate has gone. The death of
Senator Mcmillan on Sunday morning
meant far more than the loss of leader
In Michigan. II meant far more than
the taking away of man who was in
terested in the management of more
than forty of the greatest commercial
enterprises in Detroit. 1t meant the
loss of one of the group of senate giants
who did things in the congress and in
the government of the United States.
1t means the removal of power from
the nations councils.
Of no such appearance and character
Michigan statesmen with whose names
his is now associated, Lewis Cass and
Zachariah Chandler, Senator James Nc
MILAN now stands out in a light of his
own but light quite as radiant as theirs.
He was not man who was an idol of
tho people, although no man perhaps
served them better. There was no clap
trap in the manner in which he kept his
hold on affairs in such a way that he
was twice honored with a reelection to
the United States senate, once by a
unanimous vote. He had quiet way
Of doing things and doing them in such
common sense matter of fact way,
that morbid curiosity found little to in
terest it in the manner of their doing.
But there was sense of the power which
was in him which made itself felt unob-
trusively by every associate and every
one connected with him in an official, a
business, or political capacity. This
same power it has been noted often made
itself felt in such way that matters
would be done in harmony with the
purposes and plans of the leader, al
though the plans themselves had never
been discussed with him or his, wishes
stated in words. He was man of whom
the people who thought of him at all had
become accustomed to expect the right
thing done at the right time and the inter
ests of Michigan safeguarded at all times.
And he went on his course doing what
seemed best to him to do with no fear
of popular clamor against his course.
Nor did the clamor come except from
his political opponents, when it fell as
harmless as though never sent Yet it
could not be said that there was aught
of defiance of the public in this attitude
of his. Rather it was the quiet, digni
fed course of the leader who felt that
his position was right and knew that it
was secure.
In Michigan politics his influence was
supreme, though his leadership was in.
conspicuous and his hand was seldom
shown-certainly never in conspicuous
fashion. In national affairs it was the
same way. There was no law making
half dozen senators the power in con-
gress There was no list of committee
appointments which would have indi-
Gated that Senator Mcmillan was one of
those few whose recommendation made
things go, but he was one of those whose
sayings became others doings whose
words were transformed into acts by
others.
Interested in all the great national
problems of the day and letting his in
nuence be felt in the party leadership in
oil of them, perhaps the work in which
he took the most personal pride
of all his senatorial duties, the work
most nearly approaching relaxation for
him, was the self imposed task of beauti-
flying the City of Washington Under
his direction plans for the identifying
OF the city on scale suitable to its posi-
ton as the capitol city of the greatest
nation on earth have been well put for
ward. 1t was one of his hobbies, one of
his pastimes, and one of the things which
Washington residents will always re-
member of him, although his powers
and duties in the city, in some ways al
most making him the mayor of Wash
lngton, were but the trifiing part of the
power which he always showed in his
work as one of the silent forces, but one
Of the strong forces, among the states
men of today who have done things.
Congressman Youmans gives it
as his opinion that S. E. Parkill will be
the democratic nominee. for congress |
yuau in this district