The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-03-01
ALLISON NOW
 HOLDS RECORD Iowa Senator Has Been in Ser
 vice Thirty Years SENATOR CLOSE SECOND w. R. King, an sAlabamlan, Once Served About the Same Time, But
 His Service Was Not
 Continuous.
SENATOR JONES CLOSE SECOND
BY PATTERSON sTEALEY.


 Washington, February 2S-(speciai.)- When Senator Allison of Iowa serves out the term for which he was recently elected, he will have broken all records in point of service in the United States senate. He and Senator Jones of Nevada, who will retire from the senate next week after a service of thirty years which would have been extended at least six years longer if he had consented to serve, have now equalled the record of Senator Benton. The latter was not ap- preached until comparatively recent times, except that w. R. King of Ala bama, who was elected vice-president on the Pierce ticket in 1852, and who died early in 1853, served approximately thir- ty years in the senate, although his service was broken by several years of retirement.
 Senator Allison was born at Perry, O., March 2 1929. He served as a representa- tive in the Thirty eighth Thirty ninth, Fortieth and Forty-first congresses, and was elected to the senate to succeed James Harlan in 1872. He took his seat on March 1, 1873, and was reelected in 1S7s 1884, 1890, 1896, and 1903.
 Senator CockrelI's Record.
 Senator Cockrell of Missouri will have finished thirty years in the senate if he survives until the end of his term in 1905 Senator Cockrell was born in October 1884 Prior to his election to congress he neves held public office. He was elected to the senate to succeed Carl Schurz, independ- ent republican and took his seat in 1857. He has been reelected four times.
 Senator Cockrelrs colleague, Senator Vest, has also had a long and distin- guished career in the senate. He Is also one of the statesmen who will leave pub lie life next week with regret. Senator Vest was born at Frankfort, Ky in De- cember, 1880. He was a member of the Missouri house and was elected to the United States senate to succeed Gen. James Shelds, and took his seat in 1879. He was reelected in 1885, 1890 and 1897. and has just declined a reelection.
 Sherman and Morrill,.
 Thus far the record for long service in the senate has been held by Sherman of Ohio and Morrill, of Vermont. Each served in the senate almost thirty-two years, and thus broke all the records up to date. It Is exceedingly probable that this mark will be surpassed by Senator Allison of Iowa if he lives little over two years longer. Had it not been for the populist cyclone J. J. Ingalls of Kan sas would have .equaled the Benton rec ord for both his friends and enemies ad- init that Kansas would have kept him In the senate. MT. Ingalls, once stated that the office of United States senator was the most attractive post under the gov ernment-the supreme prize of American politicsAthe presidency not excepted. MT. Ingalls, was not the only man who held that opinion. In the cloak room of the senate Ia few days ago the reasons why the office of senator was such desirable position were the subject of an animated discussion between group of senator's
 Reason for the Charm.
 .'One of the reasons that the office is SO much sought after, said western sen ator, Ifs that it's comparative fixity of tenure gives service in the upper branch of congress a powerful charm for men of ambition. Its desirability may be in- ferred from the action of many of the legislatures in the past few months which have had senators to elect. Within the past few weeks MT. Platt of New York. Mir Fairbanks of Indiana, Mir. Spooner of Wisconsin, MT. Teller of Colorado, MT. Platt of Connecticut, and MT. Allison of Iowa were reelected for the term begin ming this year. The former was elected in 1881, and resigned with his colleague Roscoe Conklin, the same year. Mir. Platt Is still on the sunny side of the 70-year mark, and thinks the office of United States senator is the most desirable and fascinating any man can aspire to-
 The only instance known of a man re- signing his seat in the senate to enter