Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-03-05
In CONGRESS-
| half CENTURY
SOMETHING CONCERNING SENA
TOR ALLISON, WHO HAS JUST
PASSED BIRTHDAY.

1929.
Educated at Wooster academy, Allie
enemy college at Meadville, Pa, and
Western Reserve college, Hudson, O.
Studied law in Office of Hemphill &
Turner Wooster O., working for
county auditor for board
Began practice of law Ashland, o.,
1850.
Married Miss Anna Carter 1854; she
died in 1860.
Delegate and secretary in Ohio
state convention, 1855.
Candidate district attorney in Ohio.
1856.
Removed to Dubuque, 1857
Delegate to Iowa state convention
1859.
Delegate to national convention of
1860.
Member Governor Kirkwood's staff
to raise regiments, 1861.
Elected to congress, 1862; served
till 1871.
On house committee of ways and
means, 1865.
Elected to United States senate,
1872, term beginning March 4. 1878.
Married Miss Mary Nealley, 1878:
she died in 1888.
On senate appropriations commit
tee, 1873 chairman 1Ss1-1S93; 1895.
On senate Indian affairs commit
tee, 1878; chairman, 1S75-1S91.
On senate finance committee, 1877,
being ranking member and entitled
to craftsmanship, 1899, declining it to
retain appropriations.
| Chairman American commission in
| q o1 afo,,
sels,, November, 1892
| offered secretaryship of the treas
ury by Garfield, 1881
| offered same by Harrison, 1889
Offered secretary Of state aby Nc.
Kinley, 1897
Senator William Boyd Allison of
Iowa was 70 years of age yesterday,
and celebrating the anniversary he
was the recipient Of innumerable mes,
sages Of felicitation and affection as
he stepped across the threshold Of
his eightieth year.
Born on a farm near Ashland, o.,
he came to this state in 1857 and in
1853 entered congress, representing
Iowa in that body continuously since
that date, except during two years be-
tween his service in the lower house
and his election to the United States
senate.
( Mr.. Allison's record is almost unique
in American history. Only one other
member of congress-Justin Smith
Morrill, of Vermont-has enjoyed like
distinction, while John Sherman vt
Ohio was the only other man who ap.
preached it.
| Morrill, and Sherman.
Mr.. Morrill, served twelve years in
the lower house and thirty-one years,
nine months and twenty-four days in
the senate. Mr. Sherman served
eight years in the lower house, and
thirty-one years, eleven months and
fourteen days in the senate Mr.. AL.
lison served eight years in the lower
house, and on Wednesday of this week
will have served thirty.five years in
the senate. Mr.. Morrirs long service
record, however, will be broken be-
fore the expiration of his present
term on March 4, 1909, for then he
VIII have had forty-four years in the
American congress-nearly third
the life time of the nation.
Not member sits in the senate
chamber today, who greeted Mr.. AL
lison and welcomed him in 1878. Nor
on the other side of the capitol Is
there man who witnessed the entry
Of 1owa's distinguished representa-
tive in 1868. James G. Blaine, Daniel
| w. Voorhees,, Brutus ]. Clay, James
A. Garfield. John A. Kasson and many
other men of subsequent eminence
entered the lower house with Mr.. AL
lison. Scores of other men, several OF
whom have become presidents. enter
ed later, were called to other fields
and have passed. So in the senate
the last to go being Senator Mitchell
of Oregon and Senator Jones of Ne
vada, who were the last of the mem
bers that greeted and welcomed
loWa's representative when he enter
ed the upper house to pass from its
doors. John A. Logan. John Sher
man, William Mckinley, James A
Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, Olive.
P Morton, John j. ingalls,. Hanniba
Hamlin, Charles Sumner, lack Chand
Ter, William Window, Carl Schurz
Roscoe Conkling, Mark Hanna, Aller
G. Thurston, Simon Cameron-it Is
like calling the roll of the distinguish
} ed names in national history to re
call the list of those with whom
loWa's distinguished representative
has served in the most impressive leg
1slative assembly in the world.
Eorn in Log Cabin.
A log cabin in Wayne county. Ohio
. was Mr.. Allison's birthplace. His faith
er was of Scotch-Irish ancestry. God
, tearing, honest and strong physically
; and mentally. His mother was of tina
, class Of noble women which has trans
, m1tted so much OF strength and char
. acter to the great men of this coun
try. From her Mr. Allison inherited
much of the urbanity of manner ant
evenness of temper that has serve,
him so well in public life.
When he was IS years old he wa
sent by his father to an academy u
wooster, where he remained durin,
= The school terms. his vacations bein
ipent at home, where he worked o,
ais fathers farm. Following this h