The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-02-24
AsroRIAN PUBLISHING COMPANY.
GREAT SENATORS WHO DIED IN HARNESS

GREAT SENATORS WHO DIED IN HARNESS.
The death of Senator Hanna has recalled to the
mind the names of other great senator's who died
in office, says the Ledger Among these John G. Cal
houn, Henry Clay, Stephen A. Douglas, Andrew
johnson, Charles Sumner, ''Zack Chandler, Henry
Wilson, William Pitt Fessenden Mat III. Carpenter,
Henry B. Anthony Jacob Collamer, solomon Foot,
John A. Logan, Oliver P. Morton, Henry Winter
Davis, Justin s. Morrill,, Cushman K Davis, David
Broderick, and Colonel E. d. Baker have been men,
toned.
Of these Calhoun, Clay Wilson, Anthony and Nor
r died old and full of years, and when their life
work had been well done, Calhoun and Clay were
notable leaders Of the political thought in their time
and as the organizers of parties They were as great
politicians as they were as debaters fact that
is now little remembered. Both advocated the pro-
tectiye principle in earlier tariff laws although Clay
alone remained true to ii throughout his long career
, When Calhoun found it did not bring equal ad-
vantage to the south and north because the labor Of
the south was not suited to manufacturing. he was
compelled to choose between protection and slavery
The two were incompatible as light and darkness
Protection encourages progress, stimulates men to
become skillful, inventive, independent There
could be progress for the slave that did not tend
to take him out Of slavery and that in Mr. Calhoun s
view the south did not want So he organized null
ication first, and secession afterwards He, more
than any other man. dozens of men, laid the foun-
dation for the civil war and made it inevitable Nor
rather for quiet persistence in pursuit Of their pur
pose and devotion to principle than for forensic
ability Morrill, name like Clay's, will always be
remembered in connection with the establishment
of our tariff system Clay did most to found and
Morril most to perfect it.
johnson and Wilson were elected vice-presdents
and the former succeeded to the presidency upon the
death of Lincoln Both were useful members of the
senate but neither was eonspicuously great Fess-
enden and Coamer saw service in cabinets as we'll |
as IN the senate, Fressenden notably as Mr. Lincoln s
second secretary of the treasury Both were men Of
strong character and great influence.
Among all these senator's who died in office none /
was 50 conspicuously leader Of men as Douglas.
Neither Clay, nor Webster nor Benton, nor Cal
houn was more eloquent or mire skillful in debate
than he and not one of these equaed him in the
great art which organizes support for great under
takngs and concentrates the force Of public opinion
upon the accomplishment of great purposes Just
before the outbreak Of the war, he was easily the
most conspicuous and most popular figure in public
hte His reputation was world wide His fame has
been somewhat obscured by the great events that
followed his DEATH but it cannot always
remain 50. When the lapse of time shall bring all
the great names of his time to their just and proper
perspective, his will stand among the greatest
Broderick, of California and Baker, Of Oregon.
fell early IN their senatorial careers the one in duel
The other in battle Each seemed destined TO use-
[ui and brilliant career Broderck, at the time he
entered the senate, was one Of the courageous few
who realized that treason must be met with bold
ront and never allowed to assert itself unchallenged
lie so met it and defed it and his untimely death
vas in some measure the result of his defiant policy
Iatt Carpenter and Cushman X Davis both died
Vhlle comparatively young in years and in term of
ervice Both were good lawyers and treess work i
rs One was a brilliant, the other forceful speak
+. Both knew well how to frame policies, and both
njoyed in peculiar degree that aptitude for array
1g that support of constituencies without which no
tatesman can be great. Had either lived out the
llotted years of man, he might have enjoyed popu
lrity equal to that Of Douglas. '
Logan Morton and Chandler were among the fore Il
lost leaders of the war period and reconstruction
ays Logan's service in the field had given him
igh place in public admiration and his fame was a