Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1907-03-09
SENATOR SPOONER
HAS RESIGNED
SAYS HIS FINANCIAL SACRA-
flee WAS TOO GREAT.
Has Decided to Resume Practice OF
Law, but Would Not Say Where
Continues TO Be Citizen OF Wis
constable Is Regarded as Most
Able Republican in Senate.

Senator John c. Spooner has writ
ten a letter TO Governor Davidson of
Wisconsin rendering his resignation
as senator Of the United States, to
take effect May 1 next. The letter
created great surprise in the senate.
and the Wisconsin senator at once
found himself the subject Of many
anxious inquiries. To all these he re-
Piled that his mind was fully made up.
He had found, he said, that to con-
tinue in his present position would
require a sacrifice on his part that he
could not Justify himself in making.
In reply to questions he said he would
resume the practice of law, but de-
clined to say whether he would be
located in Wisconsin. He did say,
however, that he would continue to be
citizen of that state as long as he
lived.
Vice President Fairbanks was one
Of the few public men to be made ac-
quainted with Mr. Spooner's plans be-
fore he wrote his letter. The knowl-
edge came TO him through the per
sonal confidence OF the senator, but
the latter made no official communities
ton on the subject to any one. The
law does not require that a resigning
senator should do more than Mr..
Spooner has done. but some senators
who have resigned have given notice
to the senate.
Senator John c. Spooner is regard
ed by many political writer's and stu
dents as the most able republican in
the senate today. He has more than
national fame as constitutional law
yer. In debates involving the most
important party issues in the past It
almost invariably fell to the lot of
Senator Spooner to direct the debate
for his side and to make the principal
speeches. He is chairman of the com
mittee on rules of the senate
and a member of the finance, foreign
relations and judiciary committees.
Senator Spooner in his letter to the
governor says:
Il hereby resign the Office of sen.
ator of the United States for Wiscon-
sin, this resignation to take effect
on the first day Of May. 1907
Both by law and custom the fore
going formula sufices, but | can not
bring myself to surrender the trust
with which Wisconsin has so long and
so highly honored me by a curt sen
tence which includes not a word Ell
ther of explanation or Of gratitude.
"On the 4th day Of March | shall
have served in all 16 years as a sen
ator. This is a long time for one
neither willing nor financially able
permanently to abandon it to take
from his profession. 1t has been taken
from mine, for l have not thought it
compatible with the full and uninter-
rupted discharge Of public duty to pur-
sue it. and l have therefore during
my service, with two or three trifiing
exceptions, purely local, absolutely
abstalned therefrom.
For years private duty has plainly
demanded of me an early return to the
practice of my profession, and have
never since | first took the oath of
Cilice wavered in the determination to
retire on the expiration of MY present
term, March 4, 1907. might well
content myself with a public declara-
ton of my purpose so to retire
were it not for a like declaration made
On a former and similar occasion and
what followed it. In the year 1900
announced through the press over my
signature to the republicans of Wis
consin that I had unalterably deter
mined to retire from public life at
The expiration of the term ending
March 4. 1903, unless l should deem 1t
my duty to resign earlier. l justified
The announcement upon the ground
that the people who might aspire to
the Office were entitled seasonably 10
know from me that l would not accept
a reelection. Despite that declaration
circumstances with which the people
ere familiar seemed TO make it my
duty to accept a reelection, proffered
as IL was in a manner which made 1t
almost a command and a finer honor
than any which | had ever dreamed.
which ought to satisfy the pride and
ambition of any man. A similar dec
laration by me at this time. however
strongly phrased, would. l am per
suaded. prove unavailing to withdraw
my name from consideration during
the next two years, as did that which
| so publicly and unreservedly made
in 1900.
"As my purpose to retire from pub
lie life is and has been irrevocable, /
am unwilling to be further considered
in connection with an office which
could not in the circumstances ac-
cept."
Surprise in Wisconsin.
The announcement Ihat Inhn q