The Washington herald., 1908-08-05
NESTOR OF The SENATE.
Mr. Allison Long Held the Record
for Continuous Service.

Mr. Allison Long Held the Record
for Continuous Service.
Senator Allison had lc7g held the record
for continuous service n the upper branch
Of Congress He had beea for many
years one Of the mos potent and infi1-
entail men the Senate and his impress
IS borne by much q the most tnp0rtau=
legislation OF a generation Yet he was
never known 70 express himself directly.
dectssvely. positively On any question BE-
fore the body and he has been cai-sd
a practitioner Of suh5unctive states11an-
ship Caution and he were one But -
did not let prudence interfere with -
fectiveness.
He was known as one Of the UalsE E.-s
leaders OF the Senate with. II later time.
Lodge. AIdrich. and the others assocl4teI
with them But while he never do5sed
a vote and Is on record OF every i'm
po-tant measure voted on N the S=r-
ate during his long service. his name is
not associsted with any particular meas
ure OF policy in way TO distinguish
him markedly as Ire champion o. Sn
idea
Would Not seek HOnOrs-
Even when 1t came 10 The possiHiIi-y
-Ae'------e---e-A
Allison would not 90 n positive fashion
70 secure II. Twice his name w2s before
the Republican national convention. but
while he announced thar his own Stata
would present his name as a compliment,
If it went no farther. he added on one
OCCASION
IF Illinois would support ne I would
appreciate il very much, but ! DO not
want It understood that I am maE-ng a
scramble for the place
Senator Gear. OF his own State. once
said Of him according 10 report. that Il
Allison had ever kicked a man down
stairs or had a big quarrel or made
a lot Of enemies he would have been
President OF The United States
Kept Expenditures Down
The late Senator Hoar. Of Massachu-
setts. who served long with him, said %
Allison.
He has controlled more than any other
man. indeed. more than any other ten
men the fast and constantly increasing
public expenditure. amounting now % q
thousand millions annually. He has been
compelled in the discharge OF his duty 20
understand the complications and ne
chanism Of public administration and
in which nobody else IN the Senate. eS-
Cept Senator Hale. Of Maine. and Senator
COckreH. OF Missouri. can compare with
him He has by his wise and moderate
counsel drawn the FIRE from many a wild
and dangerous scheme which melaced
the public peace and safety
Helped Nominate Lincoln.
Mr. Allison was born in a log cabin as
Perry. Ohio. on March 3 Is2s- On both
sides Of the house he came OF Scotch
Irish stock He received his education,
first through a good teacher in the dis
trict school. and later in Allegheny Col
Iege and the Western Reserve University.
He practiced law for a time in Ohio. and
then removed. in 49,. 10 Dubuque. whers
he was able 70 make his lifetime home.
and became identified with the progress
and development Of Iowa He got into
politics as secretary 20 the Republicau
convention Of 1850. which nominated Lin
coin When the war began he was put
upon the staf Of the governor Of Iowa,
and a little while later went 20 Congress.
where he served in the House OF Repre-
sentatives for several years. In lS73 hs
was elected to the Senate. and would
have served in that body thirty-siN years
had he lived 10 the end Of the current
term. next March
During much Of that long time he had
been connected with the finance work OF
the Senate. serving on the Finance and
Appropriations committees, being for q
long time chairman OF the Appropriations
Committee.
Attended Strictly TO Duty.
Notwithstanding his long service IN
Washington public life. comparatively liz
tie is known OF his personality. II is said
Of him that he could walk home from
Washington on a piano keyboard and
never strike note Senator Hosr said OF
him. I have never seen an Indication
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