The Washington times., 1906-03-02
Senator Allison Today Celebrates
His Seventy-Sepenth Anniversary
Iowa Congressman Receives
Many Congratulations.
IS NESToR OF THE SENATE
has Been Forty three Years in Halls
OF Congress-Record Equaled
by Only One.

by Only One.
Iowas delegation in Congress today
offered its congratulations to the dean
of national legislators. William Boyd
Allison, the man who has served his
country a longer term in Congress and
a greater consecutive period in the SEN
ate than any other man now there, and
with one exception, the longest term of
any man heretofore.
Mr. Allison is today celebrating the
Seventy-seventh anniversary of his birth.
Tomorrow he will celebrate the forty
flhird anniversary of his connection with
congress 1t is an honor with but one
Irecedent-
Frye Nearest Rival.
Senator Frye of Maine is now his
nearest competitor for length of Con-
gressional service, and Senator Morgan
for period of Senatorial work Mr.. Frye
has served thirty-five years continuous
~ IN the House and Senate. while the
Aiabanlan mas been in the Senate
twenty-nine years
Iowans are confident that before their
grand old leader shall have cast aside
his Senatorial toga he viii have rounded
work. Their idol has three years vet to
serve in his present term. That viii
make forty-siX years of the Senator
HE spent IN Congress. He will then have
attained the age of eighty years His
friends are hopeful that his life may be
spared to permit his accomplishment OF
their desire. He assures them that he
VIII so them one better, and pass the
half-century mark
Is Hale and Hearty.
Physically, mentally. and otherwise
Senator Allison would not be taken for
man over sixty years. He is in perfect
health, clear of thought, and ready in
speech. His committee work is the most
eXactinE. Yet he never misses a day in
the Senate chamber or a meeting OF a
committee OF which he is member.
lie Is fully as active on the floor of the
chamber. He takes a decided stand on
questions of national Importance and is
generally on the side that wins
lie steers the work Of the upper cham
Der IN n way that is both impartial and
unfilnching. In short, among the ma
9orlty party his word is law. He has
been SO long Identified with the work
of the Senate that he knows almost
what the people at large expect and he
generally tries to shape Senatorial pro-
ceedings to work their way.
Gives Credit Where Credit Is Due.
1t has been said of him that he is not
a seif-seeker. He is of a high character
and exhibits great personal strength.
He has always been a firm believer in
righteousness and is ever ready to give
credit where credit is due This fact
was best Illustrated Il few days ago in
the Senate chamber when in course of
an argument, ne was making he turned
- 10 Senator -11llman and paid the fiery
South CarOlinian q high tribute for the
work he has done in the Committee on
Appropriations, of which the Iowan is
chairman.
Mr. Allison has been a power in shap-
ing the course of the nations greatest
affairs. With every President. IL is said.
that he has been in close touch espe-
Cially with the late President Mckinley
and with President RODseVelI-
He enjoys the fullest confidence of his
friends in Iowa. ia Congress, and in
Washingbon's official circles. He has the
reputation Of never having made q
promise that he could not fulfill
Was Born in Ohio.
Senator Allison was born at Perry,
Ohio. March 2. 1929. The first twenty
eight years of his life were spent in his
: native State. In 1857 he moved TO Iowa
and six years later was sent TO the
House Of Representatives. He served in
the Thirty-eighth. Thirty-ninth. For
tieth, and ForJy-first Congresses. on
March l. 1873, he took his seat in the
Senate to succeed James Harlan. He
has served there continuously ever
since. The one man who served his
country for a longer period than Sena-
TOT Allison was the late Senator Justin
s. Morrill, OF Vermont, who served con-
secutively from 1855 to 1893.
Mr. Morrill, however, served but
thirty-twO years in the Senate, while
II omorrow Senator Allison will have COM
pleted his thirty-third year there
Thomas II Benton, John Sherman,
NO Nrancis Marian Cockreil and John P
served a period OF tnirty years IN the
upper cham Der.
Mr.. Cocken and Mr.. Jones served all
their time with MIR. Allison. the Ms
sourian. having served continuously
from March 4, 1873, to March 3. 1905. and
the Senator from Nevada from March 4,
1873 to March 5, 1903. Thomas II. Ben
tons service was from 1921 to 1851. Sena-
House and thirty-twO in the Senate. 1t
was not consecutive however.
The end OF Senator Allison's career Is
not vet in sight. As long as he desires
the honor he viii probably be allowed
TO serve his State In the Senate cham
ber Years ago he used TO have oppo-
nents for the toga. but now the delega-
ton from Iowa and the Iowa State
LEGISLATURE would not be satisfied with
ont their NeStOr in the Senate chamber
They are proud of the record he has
made. which they hope he viii round
out by completing half century OF
service.
have rounded out a quarter of a century
as the colleagues OF Mr.. Allison are
Morgan of Alabama, Teller of Colorado.
Aldrich Of Rhode Island, Frye and
Hale of Maine
MRS. GEORGE GOULD