Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-04
RETIREs FROM SENATE
THE TERMS OF THIRTY MEMBERS
Rv4Hxp1RHD.
Thirteen Faiied r Secure Reelection
Eminent Men Who VIII
tNot Return.


ings on the floor OF the chamber, incident to
the last day Of a Congress. but by many
occurrences which were purely social In
their character, due to the fact that the day
marked the close Of many careers In the
Senate. or the thirty senators whose terms
expired when the presiding officers gavel
fell at noon. thirteen failed to secure re-
election either through defeat or through
their own refusal to enter the contests in
their various states. Included In the num-
Der whose official presence In the chamber
VIII no longer-be noted are six republicans
and seven democrats, but Of the republicans
two. Senator Jones of Nevada and Senator
Wellington Of Maryland, have In recent
years each supported for time the ma
tional candidate Of the opposing party.
TWO other senators. Deboe OF Kentucky
and Pritchard Of North Carolina, are south
ern republicans. and both are succeeded by
democrats. The remaining two republicans
are Senators Mason Of Illinois and Simon OF
Oregon. OF the seven retiring democrats:
Senators Harris OF Kansas, Turner OF
Washington and Heitfeld of Idaho. were
elected as populists and all are succeeded
by republicans. Senator McLaurfn OF South
Carolina was elected as a democrat. and
while still classed as such has acted In
dependently during the greater part OF MS
term. The other three. Senators Vest, Jones
of Arkansas and Rawlins have from first
to last been in the democratic ranks and
Jones and Vest have risen to places OF con-
spicuous leadership in their party.
Senator Jones Of Nevada.
In Senator Jones Of Nevada the Senate
loses one of the 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 popu-
lar. as well as one OF its most unique men,
bers. He has not made speech since the
days of the silver debate in 1893. and he
has not during his entire thirty years serv-
Ice introduced to exceed half 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 per-
sonnet of the Senate has changed many
times over. When MIR. Jones entered the
body Simon Cameron and Hannibal Ham
lin were still prominent characters there
James G. Blaine had not yet entered the
Senate. Carl Schurz, Allen G. Thurman.
Oliver P. Morton, Thos. F. Bayard and
John J. ingalls, were leading figures. Sena-
as an authority on finance, and his vast
store of Information has ever been at the
command Of his colleagues
Senator Vest of Missouri.
Senator Vest belongs to the next genera
ton Of senator's. He entered the body in
1879, and has served for twenty-four years.
winning a reputation for brilliancy Of
speech. classic learning and sharp repartee
seldom excelled in the Senate. He has been
in poor health for several years past. but
Notwithstanding he has been almost blind
and has needed constant assistance In going
into and out Of the Senate chamber he has
continued to maintain his interest in the
proceedings ard his prestige as 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 VIII
n-Gorman tariff bill 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 democratic
conference since the retirement OF Senator
Turpie, 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.
The retirement of Vest and the two
Joneses will make three vacancies on the
finance committee, and also cause vacan-
cies on many other important committees.
Senator Mason Is chairman of the COM
mittee on post offices and also member
OF the committee on commerce. Senator
Pritchard gives up the Craftsmanship of the
committee on patents and also membership
on a number of other important commit
tees. Senator Rawlins' retirement will
cause a democratic vacancy in the commit
tee on foreign relations and also In the COM
mittee on the Philippines. Senator Turner
retires from the judiciary committee and
the committee on commerce.
OF the seven democratic senator's who re-
tire four are succeeded by republicans, and
Of the six republicans who go out. four are
succeeded by democrats. All the changes
in favor Of republicans are in the north
west, and three Of those in favor Of the
democrats are in the southern or border
of