The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1908-03-20
SENATOR WHITE DEAD
"GRAND old MAN" OF MARYLAND GOES
TO HIS REST.
Passes Quietly Away at His Home In
Baltimore.

United States Senator William
Pinkney Whyte died at 7.O5 p. m.
Tuesday at his home 9 East Chase
street, Baltimore, following a sudden
sinking spell. Erysipelas, which had
confined him to his bed since Satur-
day, was the direct cause of his death.
The Senator passed away peacefully
and without the slightest apparent
pain. He was conscious to the last,
with all his family gathered around
the bedside. The erysipelas had spread
so fast and his lips were so swollen
that he was unable to speak clearly,
and an effort to do so would have
caused him pain. He died silently.
The death of Senator Whyte was
caused by the blood-poisoning result
ing from the erysipelas, as the germ
of that disease, when 1t infects the
blood, is one of the most dangerous
feared by medical men. 1t Is the
same germ that caused DR.. Trimble's
death. The Senator was in no con-
dition to fight illness, as he had over
worked himself almost to the point OF
breaking down all through the winter.
The pressure of work which the
Senator was confronted with, both In
his Senatorial work and In his law
practice, was so heavy and unrem1t-
ting that in the last three months
or more he had lost nearly 80 pounds.
To loss of flesh to man or MS age
was especially weakening, but his in
domitable spirit would not permit a
let-up, and up to the time he was COM
PEELED to take his bed he kept at 1t
with all his force.
Several times he was heard to have
complained that he was tired and
would appreciate rest, but his sense
to duty-and there is no man In the
Senate of the United States who was
a more conscientious worker-Wouid
not permit rest, in spite OF the ur-
gent advice of his family and his
friends, in addition to the warnings
of his constitution.
Senator Whyte was the nestor OF
the upper branch of Congress, having
succeeded to this role upon the deatn
of Senator Edmund w. Pettus, at the
age of Sc years, last July. Although
Senator Whyte was In his elgnty-
fourth year, his mind was as alert az
that of any other man In the Senate
and he was unusually active In the
performance of his public duties. he
was a member of the subcommittee OF
the Joint Senate and House Committee
on Printing, which has been 1nvesti.
eating the affairs of the Government
Printing Office, and took deep IN
terest in that work. His ability as
lawyer, his mental alertness, MS
strong desire to get at the facts MADE
him especially valuable In the proDing
of the printing Office scandals, ana !!
was very largely through him tna'
facts were developed which have re-
suited in the President calling for the
resignation of the Public Printer
Tuesday and in the decision to COM
petely overhaul that institution.
Senator Whyte also took an active
interest in the work of the Senate For
eign Relations Committee, OF which
he was a member.
Every man who was in the body
when he was appointed as the success
sor of Reverdy Johnson in 1868 has
passed out of public life. Two OF them
former Senator John B. Henderson
and former Senator Pitt Kellogg, OF
T ouisiana-are now living in retire
ment in Washington. Not only are
there no men in the Senate who were
there when Governor Whyte first en-
tered that body in 1868, but there are
only two Senators there now who saw
him re-enter the Senate for the second
time. They are Senator William b
Allison, the dean of Congress, who
has served 40 years in Congress-35
in the Senate and eight in the House
breaking all records of joint service
and Henry M. Teller, who has serv-
ed continuously since 1876, entering
when Colorado was admitted as q
State in 1876.
It seems to be generally conceded
that the present Legislature will
choose Senator-elect Smith to fiji the
vacancy. The reason for this belief
is that, in the first place, Senator
Smiths friends are in the ascendancy
in both houses of the General Assem-
bly, and can control the caucus OF the
party If one is held. In the second
place it is claimed he is the logical
man for the place at this time, as he
has already been designated in the
Democratic primaries as the choice
of his party for Senator. Further
more, it is contended, the logic OF the
situation is that to place another man
in the Senate for the brief year of the
unexpired term would be of no advan-
tage to the State, as the time is toe
short for him to be able to do more
than find his place and become accus-
toned to his duties, whereas that year
would give to Senator Smith an op-
portunity to acquire that knowledge
and familiarity with the Senate and its
proceedings necessary to successful
work and would enable him to begin
his full term of six years with faI
better equipment than he could other
wise obtain and be in position to be
of greater value to the State.
The body of Senator Whyte will be
buried this afternoon IN Greenmount
Cemetery, with little show or cere-
mony, in accordance with the Sena-
tors wish before he died The Prot
estant Episcopal burial service will
be read at Emanuel Church by the
rector, Rev. DR.. J. Houston Eccleston
The choir of the church will sing
three of the Senator's favorite hymns
Lead, Kindly Light" abide With
Mo,opd 0Nooru IF To rfh The HYMNS