The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-25

Joseph c. Cannon. Illinois ...........-. 28 Samuel J. Randall, Pennsylvania ..... 27 Alfred c. Harmer Pennsylvania ...... 27 Samuel S. Cox. Ohio and New York. 26 John Reed, Massachusetts ............- 24 Charles F. Mercer. Virginia ............ 24 Nathaniel Macon, North Caroiina..... 24 Henry H. Bingham. Pennsylvania. 24 Richard Bland, Missouri ............... 23 John Randolph, Virginia ................ 23 Alex II. Stephens, Georgia ............. 23 William Findlay, Pennsylvania ....... p 5oshua R. Giddings, Ohio .............. % Ihomas B. Reed, Maine .............. 22 DaVld R. culberson, Texas ........... 23 John W. Taylor, New York ........ 20 hlcnard M Johnson, Kentucky .... 20 Natnaniel F. Banks. Massachusetts .. 20 William M Springer, Illinois .......... % Ihomas J. Henderson, Illinois - 20 James H. Blount, Georgia ..... 20 Benton McMillin. Tennessee ....... 2o David B. Henderson. Iowa ...,..... 20 Robert R. Hit Illinois ............ 20
 In computing the tenure of Messrs. Ketcham, Cannon, Bingham, Henderson and Hit the full term of the present con- gress is credited to each, although 1t does not expire until March next.
 Both Ketcham and Cannon outranlx him in aggregate service, nevertheless Gen- eral Bingham has served longer continu- n. has been no break in his house career. which began in 1879, fourteen years after Ketcham had set foot in the house and six after Cannon's entry
 Only nine of these twenty-eight long. termers are still living. Five of them. are still in harness, four of whom. Ketcham, Cannon, Bingham and Hitt-~ are reelected to the new congress.
 In the long list from Muhenburg, the, first, to Henderson, the last, Henry clay held the speakership longest Clay's na- tional political career was curious one. He was first senator for a piece of A term, and was then elected to the Ken- lucky house of which he was immedi. ately chosen speaker then he was again sent to the senate for another piece of term, after which his house career began. This was about as irregular, there being two intervals In his speakership 1ncumbency, one of nearly two years. and a second of nearly four. His aggre- gate tenure was approximately ten years.
 Theodore M. Pomeroy of New York was speaker one day, elected on the Srd of March, 1868, after Schuyler Colfax re- signed to enter upon the vice presidency the next day. This is the shortest term on record. Few remember the circum- stance, and Pomeroy is not carried In reference books at all as a speaker of the house.
 But for that day Pomeroy was just as regularly speaker as was Langdon Cheves Of South Carolina, who was chosen on January 19, 1874 to fill the vacancy caused by MT. Clays resignation Cheves served about year. John Bell of Tennessee hiled the Stevenson vacancy June ?, 1884, and served only nine months. the next shortest period to that of Pomeroy.
 Andrew Stevenson democrat of Vfr- ginia. was speker Of four successive houses but resigned before the close of his term. He comes next to Clay in length of tenure. Macon. Colfax, Blaine, Car lisle and Reed were each six years speak er Including the Kerr fraction, Randall served about five years Seven have served two full terms each, Viz: F. A. Muhlenburg of Pennsylvania, speaker of the first house, Jonathan Dayton of New Jersey, Joseph B. yarnum of Massachus-
 
 Boyd of Kentucky. Charles F. Crisp of Georgia, and David B. Henderson of Iowa. John w. Taylor of New York was elected to the Clay vacancy November 15 1920. and served four months, and af- forwards one full term All the others were one-termers. As in the case of Clay there were interims in the terms of Muh- lenburg, Taylor and Reed-one congress in that of Muhlenburg, and two in those of both Taylor and Reed
 Notwithstanding its large membership of the house, Taylor is the only New Yorker who ever became speaker, putting aside the one day of Pomeroy. Pennsyl- vania has furnished three-Muhlenburg Grow and Randall; Virginia four-Bar- bour, Stevenson, Hunter and Jones; Mas sachusetts four-Sedgwick, Varnum, Win throp and Banks; Kentucky four--Clay, White, Boyd and Carlisle; Indiana three Davis. Colfax and Kerr; South Carolina two-Cheves and Orr; Maine two-Blaine and Reed; Tennessee two-Bell and Polk; New Jersey two-Dayton and Pennington, and Georgia two-Cobb and Crisp.
 Kentucky has held the speakership longest-twenty-five years approximately. Virginia yielded 1t for thirteen years, Maine twelve, Pennsylvania eleven and Massachusetts ten, Ohio has had two years of it only, in the person of Joseph Warren Keller. Fifteen states only have secured the price. If Mir Cannon wins in the Fifty-eighth congress he will be the first nlinoisian to reach the speaker ship.
 The great speakers have been Henry Clay. Andrew Stevenson, Schuyler Col fax, James G. Blaine Samuel J. Ran dall John G. Carlisle and Thomas B. Reed. By reason of his persuasive char acteristics as well as parliamentary abili- ty, perhaps the most successful speaker of them all was MT. Colfax. Colfax was by no means a great man, although in some respects he was very remarkable one.
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