New-York tribune., 1908-08-05
SENATOR ALI IISS0N DEAD
Unconscious Since Saturday at HIS
Home in Dubuque.


W B. Allison. the oldest United States senator IN
point of continuous service, died at his home IN
this city this afternoon. The immediate cause VI
death affection of the heart Ihe emu
came a result of a serious sinking spell due 10
prostate enlargement complicated with Kidney
disease. and during a period of unconsciousness
which had lasted since Saturday afternoon.
Two weeks ago the Senator left his nome IN
the city to escape the heat He went to the nome
of Mrs Fannie Stout. friend of the family l1v-
ing on the Asbury road. few miles from town
For a few days his condition seemed 80 improve
but he later began to grow worse Medical ad-
visers urged that operation be performed sat
urday morning the Senator was brought nome
Soon afterward he reapsed !nto a condition or
semi-consciousness Except for brief periods ne
remained in this condition until death came.
News of the serious illness of the aged Senator
was kept from the public as much as possible
and his death came a surprise TO his thousands
of friends in this city. Only the more intimate
friends of the family of his critical
condition. No arrangements for the funeral have
been made.
William Boyd Allison was pioneer born and bred,
In 1923 his parents John and Margaret Williams
Allison moved from Pennsylvania TO Perry, Ohio
They made their clearing and built their own
log ca bin and in this rude home the future United
States Senator was born. March ., 1929 His early
life was that of the son Of the pioneer. He went
TO the log cabin school in the winter months
and worked with mis- father the farm in the
summer. His school teacher, David Kimberley
who afterward became a bishop in the Methodist
Episcopal Church. observing young Allison's aptt-
tude for spelling mathematics. made him his
favortte pupil and encouraged both father and son
in developing the boys intellectual powers. which
had a firm foundation. When he was sixteen his
father % Allison TO academy at Wooster. Ohio
He spent two years there, and then went to Ale
gbeny College MeadvilIe. Penn. He made the
Journey by walking riding in traders wagons
He remained there one year and taught school for
one winter His school education ended with
year spent in Western Reserve College, Hudson,
Ohio.
He returned to Wooster and took up the study Of
law in the Office Of Hemphill & Turner. He worked
with his/hands well his head, doing not only
clerical bor but manual tasks well to sup
port himself while studying AT the end of two
years he admitted TO the bar. and he put his
shingle out at Ashland Ohio There he married in
1854 Anna Carter. the daughter of Daniel Carter,
one Of the prominent men Of the day. A year
later his political career began when he j
delegate from Ashland County to the state con-
vention which nominated Salmon p Chase for
Governor of Ohio. In 1856 he a local active
worker for Fremont in the Presidential campaign,
and later he nominated by the Wings as a
candidate for District Attorney. Finding Oppor-
tunity too restricted in Ashland. he went to
Dubuque Iowa, and almost Immediately became a
factor In the politics Of the state and city He
a delegate to the state convention which in 1859
nominated Samuel J. kirkwood. known the War
Governor In 1860 Mr.. Allison a delegate to
the national convention which nominated Abraham
Lincoln and was of the secretaries OF the con-
vention
When Lincoln issued his second call for volun-
teers in 1861 Governor Kirkwood made Mr.. Allison
A colonel on his staff and gave him authority to
raise and equip regiments in Northeastern Iowa.
He was so successful In this that he put two reg-
ments In the field in 1861 and two in 1862 Soon
after this he nominated for Congress in the
80 District a one. Up TO 1860 Iowa had
only two Congressmen. but its var delegation. Of
which Mr. Allison was one. was SIX Mr. Alisous
opponent, a Democrat at the time of the cleo
ton imprisoned in Fort Lafayette by order of Sec
retary Stanton alleged treasonabe utterances in
his newspaper.
Mr. Allison took his seat In the House March
g. 1863 and James A Garfield and James G. Blaine
took theirs for the first time the same day Mr..
Allison was reelected to the House three times
serving there until 1871 At the beginning OF his
second term he placed on the Ways and Means
Committee, continued there during his sue
cessfve terms in the House. He opposed the tariff
act of 1870 in so far it proposed an increase in
the duties then existing, declaring that some of
the duties should be lowered, and when the bin
passed it carried his amendments.
In 1872 he was elected United States Senator sue
ceeding Senator James Harlan. He took his seat on
March 4 1873 one Of the first in which he
was a prominent figure was in reference 10 the
government of the District OF Columbia, in control
ar that time of what was known as the Shepard
regime. Mr.. Allison chairman OF joint Con-
sressional committee appointed to Investigate
ditions and formulate a plan of government
The form OF government recommended and adopted
by this committee is that Of the District to-day
He was assigned to the Committee Appropria-
tions. of which he remained a member at the time
OF his death and OF which he chairman then.
having held that place for the twenty-five preced-
ing years For the last thirty years he had been
also a member of the Committee Finance
with q single exception he was renonlinated
often as his expired without opposition in the
marty caucus and his reelection in
doubt
Mr. Allison as his continued membership of the
committees on appropriations and finance would
denote has been especially identified with tariff
and financial legislation. He has been consistent
advocate Of the protective tariff although not an
extreme protectionlst. and figures prominently in
all tariff debates In 1886 he chairman of a
subcommittee of the finance committee appointed
10 revise the administrative custom laws. The bill
which this committee reported made a part
of sae MaK,ulay taltr bill. Nj. -ALlisou wss pne