Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1907-03-02
GAsEL FALLS AT NOON MONDAY
WHEN msNp WILL RETIRE
TO PRIVATE LIFE.
LAST BUSINESS DAY
Session viii last Until Far In Night.
Much important Business VIII
Never Be Reached.

r. Washington. March ..-rhe Fifty.
ninth congress. which expires nc.
|cording to statute at noon Monday.
10 today holding It's last business
session. The solons are making the
most of thttr last day Of work and It
10 likely that the session will las,
far into the night Nearly all the
congressman win leave Immediately
for their homes and practically all
Of the available berths on trains Of
all roads have been engaged for Mon
day or Tuesday. Drays piled high
with the congressional boxes. fur
nished TO all members In which to
pack stationery and records needed
at home during the recess, are als'
much In evidence and supply addi
tional proof that the annual migra'
ton Ii near at hand
Although few measures OF great
national importance have been pass
ed, the fifty.ninth congress has been
In many respects q notable one' In
that II has ground out tremendous
number OF bills directly affecting tho
people of the country in everyday
life, Perhaps the law OF greatest pup
lie importance throughout the eonn'
try, which has been passed By both
houses and approved by the presi'
dent, is that prohibiting corpora
tons and national banks from max
ting contributions 10 campaign funds.
When the gavei falls at noon on
Monday nlnety-four representatives
and a dozen senators will sing their
swan songs and retire at least tenn
porarily from public life. The num-
ber of dead ducks" in the house OF
representatives Is the smallest In
many years, as In many recent elec.
tions the voters have sent more than
a majority Of new men to represent
them In the lower branch of the
national legislature.
The next senate will consist Of
sixty-four republicans and twenty
nine democrats. the latter party hav.
ing lost a senator each In Colorado,
Idaho, Oregon and Montana II is
notable fact that the richest and the
poorest men In the upper house will
retire on Monday, the first being
Senator William Clark of Montana,
and the other being Senator John
Gearin Of Oregon. who has admitted
without shame that he is entitled 70
the badge of poverty. The retire
ment pf Senator nfyheh 'os New
Jersey. the insurance magnate. also
affects a considerable reduction In
the wealth represented by the ma
tional "millionaire's club" The death
of Senator Alger OF Michigan. who
Is succeeded by Representative VIII
liam Alden Smith. also takes another
millionaire from the senate. Ffhe
loss IN wealth will be partly made
ND by Simon Guggenheim. the smell
ter magnate. who succeeds Senator
Thomas NJ. Patterson Of Colorado.
Henry A. Richardson OF Delaware
another newcomer to the senate, IS
also reputed to be muiu-miiiioh'
ajre. The other newcomers are
comparatively poor men. and their
selection goes to prove that great
wealth is no longer prime requisite
in securing a seat among the Amer
lean legislative lords.
Three of the new senator's DIXON Oh
Montana. Curtis of Kansas and smith
OF Michigan. are graduates or the
lower house. Joseph M. Dixon. who
succeeds Senator Clark OF Montana,
was born in North Carolina In 1867
and has served two terms In the house
Charles Curtis. who succeeded Sena-
tor Benson In the fatal Lane success
sion" is part Indian and a native OF
Kansas. william Alden Smith, who
has filled out the unexpired term Of
the late Senator Alger of Michigan
and who will begin his full term on
Monday, was born in Michigan in 1859