Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-05
THIRTEEN SENATOR'S RETIRE
Seven Of Them Are Democrats, While Six
Are Republicans,
JONES OF NEVADA UNIQUE MEMBER
Thirty Years Introduces Less Than
Dozen Bills, but Has wide In
huence in the senate
Chamber.

WASHINGTON, March 4.-The session Of
the senate today was made interesting not
alone by the official proceedings on the
floor of the chamber incident to the last
day of a congress, but by many occurrences
which we're purely social in their character,
owing to the fact that the day marked the
close Of many careers in the senate. OF
the senators whose terms expired when
the presiding officers gavel came down at
noon, thirteen failed to secure reelection
either through defeat or through their
refusal to enter the contests in their va
rious states.
Included in the number whose official
presence in the chamber will no longer
be noted are six republicans and seven
democrats, but Of the republicans two,
Senator Jones Of Nevada and Senator We'll
lington OF Maryland, have in recent years
each supported for a time the national
candidates Of the opposing party. Two
other senator's, Deboe OF Kentucky and
Pritchard of North Carolina. are southern
republicans, and both are succeeded by
democrats.
The remaining two republicans are Sena-
tors Mason OF Illinois and Simon Of Ore
gon. OF the seven retiring democrats,
Senators Harris OF Kansas, Turner OF Wash
ington and Heitfeld Of Idaho were elected
as populists and are succeeded by repub-
licans. Senator McLaurin Of South Caro-
lima was elected as a democrat and, while
still classed as such, has acted inde-
pendently during the greater part OF his
term. The other three senators, Vest OF
Missouri, Jones Of Arkansas and Rawlins
Of Utah, have from FIRST to last been
in the democratic ranks, and Jones and
Vest have risen to places of conspicuous
leadership In their party.
Loses II Unique Member.
In Senator Jones of Nevada the senate
loses one of two men who have served
in that body for thirty consecutive years,
the other being Senator Allison. In Mr..
Jones the senate loses one Of its most
popular as we'll as one of its most unique
members. He has not made a speech
since the days of the silver debate in 1898
and he has not during his entire thirty
years service introduced to exceed half
a dozen bills, yet his influence in shaping
legislation has been exceeded by that OF
few senators and, his great ability has
been recognized from the beginning Of his
national career.
with a few exceptions during his term
the personnel Of the senate has changed
many times over. When Mr.. Jones en-
tered the body Simon Cameron and Hanni-
bal Hamlin were still prominent charac-
tiers there. Roscoe Conkling was at his
best and James G. Blaine had not yet en-
tered the senate. General Logan, Carl
Schurz, Allen G. Thurman, Oliver P. Nor
ton, Thomas +. Bayard and John ]. In
gals were leading figures. Senator Jones
- R..-. A. H., Inan rnoA4pt1nI nc ~
authority on finance and his Yast store OF
information has ever been at the COM
mand Of his colleagues.
Career of senate Vest.
Senator Vest belongs to the next gener-
alton of senators. He entered the. body
in 1879 and has served for twenty-four
years, winning a reputation for brilliancy
Of speech, classic learning and sharp rep
artee seldom excelled in the senate. He
has been in poor health for several years,
but Notwithstanding he has been almost
blind and has needed constant assistance
in going into and out Of the senate cham
Der, he has continued to maintain his
interest in the proceedings and his pres
tige as an orator. He has made several
speeches on current topics during the past
session and each time that he has taken
the floor he has been given the closest
attention by both senators and occupants
OF the galleries.
Senator Jones of Arkansas came to the
front during the consideration of the Will
son-Gorman tariff on account of his
knowledge OF business details and his tact
in dealing with men and he has easily
held his place as a party leader since that
time. He has been chairman Of the demo
cratic conference, and on this account and
because Of the fact that he is chairman
Of the democratic national committee has
been regarded much Of the time as the
official head of the party in the senate and
in the country at large.
Vacancies i'm Finance Committee.
The retirement Of Vest and the two
Joneses will make three vacancies in the
| finance committee and also cause vacan-
cies on many other important committees.
Senator Mason is chairman of the COM
mittee on postofices and also a member
of the committee on commerce.
Senator Pritchard gives up the chair,
manship of the committee on patents and
also a membership in a number of other
important committees.
Senator awlins retirement will cause
a democratic vacancy in the committee on
foreign relations and also in the commit
tee on the Philippines.
Senator Turner retires from the Judi
ciary committee and the committee on
commerce.
OF the seven democratic senators who
retire, four are succeeded by republicans
and Of the six republicans who 60 oul
four are succeeded by democrats. All
the changes in favor OF republicans are all
in the northwest and three of those In
favor of the democrats are in the southern
or border states.