The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1904-08-11
SENATOR VEST IS DEAD
The Veteran Missouri Senator Died
tuesday at His Home at Sweet
Springs, Missouri.


away at Sweet Springs, Mo-, on Tuesday
morning at o'clock, after an illness of
several weeks and his remains were
taken to ST. Louis in the private car of
General Manager A. A. Allen, of the
Missouri, Kansas & Texas railway, for
interment today.
The passing of former Uuited States
Senator George Graham Vest diminishes
by one the small coterie of famous,
courteous, old-time statesmen, all giants
of intellect.
The term "old-time southern gentle
man" is SO abused these days that one
hesitates to use it. Still, it ever fitted
the "Little Giant"
He was born at Frankfort, KY, Dec. 6,
1880, and graduated from Center college
Kentucky, in 1S4S. He completed his
law course at the Pennsylvania Univer-
sity in 1858 and moved to Missouri the
same year. He was in the Missouri SEN
ate when the war broke out. He went
with the South and became confeder-
ate soldier.
He was elected to the United States
senate in 1879, and served until Decem-
Der, 1908, when, on account of falling
health, he retired to his daughters home
at ST. Louis. He made the same gallant
fight for life that always marked his
battles in public, but the odds We're
against him.
Vest was small in stature, slow and
deliberate in movement, and never lost
his temper. In the senate he was re-
garded with veneration, and whenever
he arose to speak, every member hur-
ried to his place to listen. He had as
many republican friends as democrats,
for all recognized that Vest was the
type Of statesman who would rather die
than do dishonorable act.
Vest was old fashioned in his ideas
and dress. He lived simply and died
poor man. He was addicted to the old
style frock coats, broad slouch hats and
long ties. His linen was aggressively
immaculate and his ties invariably
black.
During the last year he had been sink
ing rapiding. All day long he sat in his
great leathern chair, his paid face on
his breast, his ashen hands folded in his
lap. Once in while his great mind
once titanic in it's power--fashed up
again for moment, only to fade again.
A few months ago representative of
the Newspaper Enterprise Association
called upon him.
II should like to grant you an inter-
view," he said, "but I'm too i'll. l al
ways trusted newspaper men and l
never was betrayed. will trust you to
write an interview for me, but do not
make me talk politics. am an old man
out of politics nearly out of the
world" 7''t
Then the aged senator's eyes closed,
his head dropped and he dozed a
minute. ALI at once he started nervous
ly and exclaimed:
"Eh? What? Yes, I'm very, very
tired.
In Washington, as in his home state,
he will always be remembered as the
"Little Giant" a term given him by low
ing friends who admired his prowess
when, in the heyday of health and
strength, he made campaign speeches
all over Missouri.
To the old-time southern element in
Missouri, to which Vest always looked
for support, he is as dear as ever. The
ties that bound them together when
they suffered for the "lost cause" have
never been broken. During the past
twenty years he had been so much away
from his state that he was out of touch
with the element now dominating the
state. He belonged to the old-timers,
he cared but little for the others and he
viewed with complacency the angry
battles fought by unworthy men anxious
to succeed him.
Regarding the recent funeral of one
of his friends in st. Louis, Vest wrote
these pitiful words while lying helpless
on what was thought to be his death-bed
For twenty years have watched as
my old friends, one by one, paid the
debt Of nature. The years have robbed
me of health and strength, until real
ize my turn to go is not far hence. And
most of mans dear associates are on
the other side, and when time has rob-
bed him of all his appetites and passions
life holds but few charms to claim his
thoughts and death possesses few ter
rors. 1t promises rest and reunion"
Vest was the most brilliant member
of the famous "Big Four" that has been
such powerful political factor in Mis-
souri, for over thirty years. The others
are Senator f. M. Cockrell, United
States District Judge John r. Philips
and Ex-Governor Thos. 7. Crittenden.
Vest and Cockrell were confederates,
Philips and Crittenden federal officers
during the war. When the war was
over, the famous Drake constitution Of
Missouri disfranchised confederates and
Vest and Cockrell, both being lawyers
were unable to practice.
Cockrell became silent" partner
with Crittenden at Warrensburg, Vest
took .'silent" place in Philips Office at
Endalia and thav 90 aruad q 1iv;pnr until