The Green Forest tribune., 1907-03-08

ments in Committees of Conference were greatest, and in this regard, Ar 1 kansas loses a primo lever of effec- | tiveness. He has spoken from one to | twenty-five times on each of 393 diff i ferent propositions with an earnest ness that has impressed itself on the | Senate.
 He leaves the Senate of the United | States poor man. Had he desired
 to use his opportunities as senator for private gain, there is little reason
 to doubt that he could have come back home rich. He chose the straight and | narrow road and is proud of the pov- erty it has brought. With an untarnish- ed name and an unsullied honor, he comes back to Arkansas to reside per manently. or until death shall end his
 great career. For 57 years he has liv- cd on Arkansas soil and expresses a desire to live here the rest of his days. He goes back to Benton county,
 his home for the last 3S years This
 much is sure, but beyond that Sena- tor Berry will not say.
 He returns to his people with a clean character, an absolutely resolute will and a conscience void of all of fense. The future has no closed doors for such a man, and if it had, James II. Berry is the happy owner of many magic keys. At all events, that flu ture will disclose itself as time moves
 on and from the identical ground up-
 on which all of his great life battles were won.
 Josiah H. Shinn, in an able review
 of Senator Berry s life in the Ar kansas Gazette, says: Berry is es- sentially modest in all his claims and
 at every bend and turn covers his colleague, Jones, with praise, as well as all the house members with whom
 he has had to deal He has reported
 more bridge bills than any senator of the United States, and Representa-
 tive Burton says that he is the most indefatigable worker for rivers and harbors of the South, and for the rivers of his state, that Congress
 holds.
 This is a great and most admira-
 bic record of work done for the man that retires. He has been honored by Arkansas, but not beyond his de- serts. His life was offered for the South, and the Lost Cause carries one of his limbs. His public life has been an open, honorable battle for the glory and permanent well being of the South and of Arkansas. In 22 years he has never neglected to an- swer single letter addressed to him by the most obscure man of his state, and of this record he is supremely proud. He leaves the Senate of the
 United States with the almost unan- imous personal regret of that body. He is esteemed for his truthfulness. his honorable dealing, his courteous demeanor, his earnestness and his loyalty to duty. His friends are bound to him by hooks of steel, which neither time for change will break. The senators know the man, and with un- feigned feeling do not hesitate to pay him the honor which is his due
 Tn the Senate of the United States James H. Berry stands eighth in the distinguished men of the whole country. At the head of the list stands that stalwart Republican, Will liam B. Allison, who took his seat March 1, 1873 Thirty-four years in the Senate of the United States is the record for the man from Iowa. Iowa is power in the Senate out of all proportion to her population and wealth through William B. Allison. He has a power out of all proportion to his parts, growing out of his sen for position John T. Morgan of Ala bama stands second having served from March 1, 1877; Eugene Hale, third. from March 4, 1881; William P. Frye, fourth, from March 15, 1881; Nelson w. Aldrich fifth. from Octo- Der ,, 1881; Shelby NJ Cullom, sixth, from March f, 1883; Henry M. Tel Ter, seventh, from March 4, 1885, and James II. Berry, eighth, from March 25, 1885 In Washington these eight men, together with John W. Daniel, who came in 1887, are referred to as The Grand Old Guard of the Sen ate They are grand old men and grandly powerful men"