Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-08-14
ALLISON's SENATE RECORD
THE LONGEST IN HISTORY

Washington. Aug. SENATOR Allison
entered the Senate March 4. 1873, and
mad served continuously eve since.
making the longest period as a men,
per or that body ever covered by any
individual.
When he died he had Just completed
the fifth month of the 36th year of his
occupancy OF this post, thus exceeding
by almost three years and a half the
81 years n nine months service Of
Senator Morrill,. of Vermont, who held
the record for continuous service pre-
vious to Senator Allison, and the 81
years III months and ID days service
of Senator Sherman. who previous to
Senator Allison had served the longest
time In the Senate, although not with
out interruption. Senator Sherman's
time was broken by two terms In the
cabinet, but neither Mr.. Allison or Mr..
Morrill, suffered by such interruption.
Mr.. Allison entered the Senate as the
successor of Senator Harlan. of Iowa.
He entered upon his first active term
in 1878 n was successfully chosen for
the terms beginning in 1884, 1890, 1896,
1907. His last term would have expired
March 4. 1909. but by the recent repub-
lican primaries of the state he had been
indicated as the states preference for
another term.
Also in House.
In addition TO his service in the Sen
ate, Mr.. Allison had given eight years
Of his life to the House of Representa-
tives.
Going from his state of Ohio to Iowa
in 1857, when % years old. he almost
Immediately entered public life as a
membe OF the staff of the then gov
ernor of his adopted state, and six
Years later, in 1863, was elected for the
first time to a seat in the lower house
of the national legislature. He served
In that body during the thirty eighth,
thirty-ninth and forty-frst congresses
and after two years of retirement en-
tered upon his illustrious career In the
Senate. When he entered the House
the civil war was at Its height and his
service covered not only that exciting
epoch. but also the scarcely less excit-
ing time of the reconstruction. He had
been closely identified with the history
OF the country during the administra-
lions of Lincoln, Johnson, Grant,
Hayes. Cleveland, Harrison, Mckinley
n Roosevelt.
On important Committees.
For many years Senator Allison had
been chairman Of the republican caucus
OF the Senate of the republican steer
ing committee and of the Senate COM
mittee on appropriations. He was and
a been for over 80 years a member
VI tic Coiutiilttee on HnAnCe ana our
ing much of that time held the second
position on that committee.
BY virtue of his position as chairman
OF the republican auc committee, es-
pecfally of the steering committee, Mr..
Allison wac technical leader of the Sen
ate. AS chairman of the steering COM
mittee he was permitted to select his
own associates and thus he became in
a peculiar sense the arhiter of the for
tunes of legislation in the Senate for, as
Is generally known, this committee, al
though not recognized by law, prac-
tfcally determines what important bills
shall be passed and what shall be de-
feated or allowed to die. 1t was the
steering committee more han any 9TH
er sub-organization of the Senate which
directed the legislation in connection
with the Spanish-American war In
deed, OF late years there has been little
legislation of moment that has not had
the sanction of this body.