The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-11

| tagging industry, never scars into
empyrian heights, but walks sure
footed upon a solid foundation. Each
supplemented the othdr admirably
and gave Missouri representation nm
surpassed by any State in the Union
West has gone to the forum of the
skies; Cockrell is to be reelected
without opposition in JanuHy to an
other term in the Senate where he
will remain for life.
Mr. Vest was deeply versed in CON
stitutional law and was an antagonist
to be feared. He had claws and could
scratch In late years he was much
given to moods, caused by i'll health.
but up to his last days of Senatorial
}service, when he could no longer walk
he was carried to his seat in the Sem
ate. His mind was as bright as ever
and he followed every movement of
the Senate. His last public service
was to force the repeal of the duty on
coal.
Mr. Vest believed firmly in the old
fashioned Democratic doctrine on the
tariff. At the session of 1894. when
the Senate was cutting the Wilson bill
into tatters. Mr. Vest led the fight
against emasculating the best features
of that bill, and it was a sore dis
appointment to him when he was
forced to vote for the bill in the form
in which it was finally placed upon
the statute books.
The best illustration of how SEN
ator Vest was always true to his con-
victions of duty is afforded by his
vote on the admission of Quay to the
Senate. For dozen years the init
macy between Quay and Vest had
been such las to cause them to be
known in Senate circles as Damon and
| Pythias. They fished together in Flor
ida, spent the winter at Carlsbad,
the summer in. Canada. played poker
in Washington, and were known as
Senatorial chums. AS the result of
|Wanamaker's fight on Quay, the Penn
sylvania Legislature was in a dead
lock and adjourned without electing
a Senator, thus leaving Quay out of
office Upon the adjournment of the
Legislature, the Governor of Pennsyl-
vania appointed Mr.. Quay as Sena-
tor and he came to Washington with
his commission and expected to be
seated. Vest had studied the consti-
tutional question and reached the con-
clusion that the Governor could not
make an appointment to an original
vacancy. He therefore voted against
the admission of his warm personal
friend. Quay lacked only one vote OF
being seated and if his friend from
Missouri had voted for him he would
have been seated. But Mr.. Vest never
considered his personal feelings where
constitutional question was involved.
1t hurt him to vote against Quay be-
cause he wished him in the Senate.
but he could not be untrue to his con-
viction of duty. Quay could not in
the least understand the feelings of
Vest, and a GOODNESS sprang up be-
tween them which lasted for some
years. Later, when Quay had been re-
elected to the Senate, Vest Joined in
celebrating the event.
| Mr.. Vest was among the last of the
old school of Southern orators and
statesmen. He lived up to his con-
vctions and ideals. No sordid or un-
worthy motive ever, controlled his vote
or his action. He had the old time
views of courage and honor and Scru
pulously adhered to them. He always
held himself aloof from anything that
was of doubtful propriety and his votes
were cast for what he believed right if
he had to stand alone. He knew
nothing of graft or commerciafsm In
politics and was a stranger to the OPP
erations of political machine. He
appealed to the people-always with
stately and inspiring eloquence-for
great principles. He made no other
appeal to them for their support, and
he would have scorned an election pro-
cured by purchase or wire-pulling.
| Small of stature-''the little giant"
| he was sometimes, called-never was
robust, he was a splendid type of the
statesman of the best era of the Re-
publican era which called for abil-
lily, courage, wisdom. He was Con-
federate soldier and always loved the
Cause When war ended. none loved
1.-The flag more than the dead Senator.
He had the respect of every man with
whom he ever served i'll the Senate,
land won the confidence of the Ameri-
can public by an unsullied record.