The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1905-04-27
A VACANT CHAIR
IN THE SENATE
DEATH or UNITED srArEs sENA.
ron pLArr, or CONNECTICUT.
WAS A VICTIM OF PNEUMONIA
Event occurs AZ His Summer Home In
Washington, conn.--iiad Been
Member OF the Senate for
Twenty.Six Years.

Washington, Conn,--had Been
Member OF the Senate for
Twenty.sh Years.
Washington, Conn. April 22.--united
States Senator orvJle Hitchcock Plat,
OF Connecticut, died at his summer
home In this, his native town, at s.bs
Friday night from pneumonia. The
end came almost Unexpectedly, the Inn
mediate cause being the breaking OF
the abscess which had formed in the
right lung and which produced strang-
ulation. Only a few minutes before,
DIR. Ford, the family physician, had
prepared bulletin from the sick
room TO the effect that IL the patient
did not have another sinking spell,
such as had come to him during the
forenoon, he would probably live
through the night. When the physi-
clan left the sick chamber the senator
was perfectly conscious, appeared to
have no pain, and had answered ques-
lions put to him by those at the bed
side, showing that his mind was clear.
In the room ut the time were Mrs.
Platt and the senator's only son, Judge
James p. Plat, OF the United States
circuit court, who had been summoned
home during the afternoon and reached
the house three hours earlier.
The Funeral.
The funeral will probably be held
nextTuesday, though the date has not
been conclusively fixed. The services
will be held in the Congregational
church. which stands in the center OF
the village. Rev. Robert Carter, pas
tor OF the church, will conduct the
service, which will be Of simple char
acter, in keeping with the taste OF
Senator Plat ana the wishes OF Mrs
Plat.
The Dead Statesman.
BY both temperament and feeling Sen
ator Plat was peculiarly the represen-
tative OF New England ideas and OF the
old-fashloned Puritan integrity and con.
science Throughout his whole life he
kept himself In the most sympathetic
touch with New england institutions oil
every kind. The church, the towpspeo.
pie, the farm and the schools were the
objects OF his keen interest. Senator
Plat was first elected to the senate Id
1879 to succeed Senator w. II. Barnum
q democrat. who had been elected to fl
the vacancy caused by the death OF Sen
ator orrls 8. Ferris, republican. Hi
last reelection was In 1903. Senate
Platt's last public utterance was at tn,
state capitol on March 81, when, befor,
the general assembly, he delivered tn,
eulogy over Gen. Hawley, whose body
lay in state In the corridor below. He
spoke as II from heart that was over
flowing with grief and in words that
touched deeply all who heard him.
A Distinct Loss.
Washington, April 22.-That the
death of Senator Plat is a distinct loss
to the senate and to the country at large
is the unanimously expressed opinion
OF public men. To President Roosevelt
will be especially felt, as the senator
was a frequent visitor at the white house
and at all times consulted by the presi-
dent when important matters Of state in
and out of congress were under discus
sion.
During his long service Of 26 years the
senator has taken an active part in the
proceedings Of the upper branch of con
gress, has Glled many important com.
mittee assignments and demonstrated
his capacity In handling and discussing
questions of national interest. He was
chairman Of the judiciary committee
and, in addition, member of the COM
mittees on Cuban relations, finance and
revolutionary claims. He took lead
ing part In arranging our relations TO
Cuba. Senator Plat frequently was
called to the chair TO preside Temporal
fly over the sessions OF the senate, and
during the Swayne Impeachment trial
at the last session sat throughout the
trial as the presiding officer or Judge Of
the court.
Both branches of congress will honor
the senator's memory by large repre-.
sentation at his funeral. Sergeant-at-
Arms Ransdell has communicated with
Vice President Fairbanks with view to
the appointment Of a committee Of sena.
tors. Sergeant-at-Arms 0asson, of the
house, who is in New York, 1t is pre-.
sumed will communicate with Speaker
Cannon aIsi arrange for the appoint
ment Of like committee from the house
OF representatives.
The Succession.
Hartford, Conn, April PA success
sor to United States Senator Plat will
probably be elected by the general as
Eembly which is now In Biennial session.
This will be in accordance with law, and
the election will be for the balance Of
the term, which will expire in 1909. Had
the general assembly not been sitting 1t
would have fallen 10 Gov. Henry Rob
erts to have made an appointment. Two
months ago the general assembly chose
Morgan G. Bulkeley, Of Hartford, TO sue
coed Senator Hawley, who retired on
March T. 1t Is expected that there will
be several candidates for the vacant seat
in the United States senate from this
state, but out Of respect to the memory
Of Senator Plat, It is thought probable