The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-18
of Dead Senator Are
Now Considering the
Question.
COVER PRACTICALLY
HALF OF A CENTURY
Will Constitute an Important Con
tributiOn to History of
the Times.

Intimate friends Of Senator William
Boyd Allison Of Iowa, who died at his
home in Dubuque last summer, are con
sidering the question OF having his pa
pers published. When tasy are made
public. as they are certain to he sooner
OF later, they will doubtless constitute
an important contribution 10 the history
OF the times, covering as they will prac-
ticauy a half century. from the days
OF the civil war down 70 the year 1905
Senator Allison left nothing IN the
way of prepared memoirs. He had often
been urged by his friends to write his
"reminiscences, and while he had given
some thought and consideration 20 the
matter OF doing so, he had never made
up his mind to write them In the first
place, no was a busy man. especially
when Congress was ia session. When
there was no session, he had a mass of
correspondence TO attend 10 snd a great
number Of requests from corr tituents 70
give his attention 20.
In the last two or three years, more
over, ne was handicapped by III health.
He was often told that IN view or his
extended career as a public man and in
view Of mis- intimate relationship 20
the policies OF the legislative branch OF
the Government and the policies Of mis-
party, he ought 20 devote the and care
10 memoirs, since otherwise many facts
in his possession would be buried with
aim.
What Deferred Him.
How far Senator Allison was deferred
from writing anything Of what he had
passed through as a public man by
the fear that he might say something
that would not be pleasing 70 contem-
p0rarIes IL noC certain, but # is likely
this was one reason why he was not in
hurry to undertake the task.
Under the circumstances, Senator Al
lison's papers must be relied on 20 shed
light on hts career and the period ia
which he lived. No plans for making
these public have been me dc, but the
subject has been considered by Mr.. Alt
sons closest friends Judge b. W.
Lacy OF Dubuque, IS the administrator
Of the estate Of Senator Allison. Judge
Lacy, along with Lee 8IcNeeIy, who
was Senator AIIison's private secretary,
and others near TO the dead statesman
rave talked over the question of publi-
cation OF his papers and letters, but no
decision has been reached about them.
Considerable interest IN then: has been
manifested by Senator AllisOn's friends
in Iowa
Professor interested.
It is likely that when it is decided
to make public the papers in question
they viii be handled by the Iowa State
Historical Society. Prof B. +. Sham
baugh, Of the Iowa State Univer-
sity, has already indicated desire 10
have access to the papers Oh behalf OF
the Iowa Stats Historical Society, in
which he is deeply concerned. About all
that has been decided thus far by SEN
atOr Allison'a friends is that when the
work OF preparing the papers for pub
LEGATION is done, it shall he done with
care and understanding and that moth
ing will be done until the society in
question has been advised.
Senator Allison began his career in
Congress in 1868, just IN the midst OF
the civil war. Prior TO Ehat he had
gained an intimate knowledge Of the
trials of the war governors through the
assistance he gave the governor of
Iowa IN organizing vOlunte 9Ts for the
suppression of the rebellion. He en-
tered the Senate in 1873, and for over a
generation had as intimate a knowledge
Of everything pertaining 10 the financial
side Of legislation as any man in Con
gre5s. He was close TO nearly every
President from the time he entered the
Senate. and the intimate adviser OF some
OF them. to say nothing of the hand he
had in mapping out Republican policies
in and out Of Congress. 1t goes without
saying that the publication OF his papers
would attract national interest among
those who knew him personally and stu
dents of affairs throughout the country.