The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-07-08
From the New York World.

From the New York World.
 @ HE conviction of Senator John H. (U Mitchell of Oregon has revived
 the perennial controversy as to whether the United States Senate is de- cadent.
 MT. CIeveland's first inauguration is generally accepted by historians as mark ing the beginning of new epoch in the history of the United States. Is the Sem ate today inferior to the Senate of March 1, 1885? If 1t has degenerated, the evil dence of twenty years should be conclu- sive.
 Elven senators who were in office when MT. Cleveland was first inaugurated are still members of that body. One of them, by the way, is John H. Mitchell of Ore gon. Kansas had no Joseph R. Burton in 1885, but it had it's Preston B. Plumb to offset it's John J. Ingalls,.
 Maine was represented in 1885 by the senators who serve the state today. Will liam P. Frye and Eugene Hale. John T. Morgan of Alabama Is still in the Senate. His colleague is Edmond w. Pettus. a wise octogenarian, by no means inferior to the JduleS fuBh oi iooo. tichiS NA' Teller and Thomas M. Brown represented Colorado. T. M. Patterson is more than the peer of Bowen, and Mr. Teller is still in the harness.
 Iowa was represented by William B. Allison and James F. Wilson. J. P. Dol iver has nothing to lose in comparison with Wilson. Kentucky's senators were Joseph S. c. Blackburn and James B. Beck. Mr. Blackburn Is still in the Sen ate In 1885 Senator Spooner's colleague was Philetus Sawyer. It is long ad- vance from 8 Sawyer to LaFollette
 There are certain states which have lost in senatorial prestige during these two decades Lodge and Crane are hardly the equivalent of Hoar and Dawes in Mas sachusetts. In Vermont Proctor and Dil- lingham are dubious substitutes for Jus tin s. Morrill, and George F. Edmunds. AIger and Burrows in Michigan do not measure up to Omar D. Conger and Thomas w. Palmer. In Missouri Gum shoe" Bill Stone is a poor trade for George G. Vest. but in Maryland Isador Raynor is a notable gain over E. K. Will son, who was Germans colleague in 1885.
 New York had it's William M. Evarts to balance it's Warner Miller. so after striking an average the less said about MT. Platt and MT. Depew the better. Con necticut's Brandegee and Bulkeley can not be considered the equals of Arville H. Platt and Joseph R. Hawley, but vir- ginia gains immeasurably in substitut- ing Daniel and Martin for William Ma hone and H. H. Riddleberger. Pennsyl- vania has it's Penrose. but 1t had Don Cameron in 1885, while F. c. Knox Is giant alongside of John L Mitchell.
 John A. Logan was MT. Cullom's col league from Illinois in 1885. Albert J. Hopkins is a much abler senator than General Logan. Indiana no longer has Daniel w. voorhees and Benjamin Harri- son. but MT Beveridge and MT. IIemen- way need no apologies. If Ohio has a Charlie Dick in place of John sherman. 1t must be said nevertheless that even a roraker is preferable to a Henry B. Payne who was senator in 1885, Nobody would ask Nevada to exchange Nixon and Newlands for James G. Fair and John P. Jones'
 But the comparison need not be extend ed. In some states there has been re- troeression, in others marked advance. If the east has lost, the west has prob ably gained, and the south holding It's own. The average of ability. intergity and efficiency seems about the same. Ger