The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-21
Allison, CullOm and Teller the
Only NestOrs.
IOWAN'S LONG SERVICE
Member of Congress for Nearly
Half a Century.
Teller Comes Next i'm Point OF
Service.


of the senate" are rapidly passing
away. The recent death of Senators
Proctor and whyte. and that of Sena
tors Morgan and Pettus, is depicting
the ranks. The terms ''Nestors," "old
men, and the like, cannot now be so
freely used as heretofore.
The three @old men" now left are
Senators Allison of Iowa, Cullom of IL
Hnois, and Teller of Colorado.
When Senator Morgan died last sum-
mer he was SO years of age. His ser
vice in the senate had extended over a
period of 80 years, or considerably above
the average.
Senator Pettus, who died about the
same time as his colleague, was older
still being IS. He had served in the
senate only a comparatively short time,
however, ten years. Both Alabama sem
ators had been reelected, however, and
had served but a short time on their
new terms.
Senator Proctor was nearly II years
Of age when he recently died, and had
been in the senate IL years. He was
perhaps the most robust of all the older
men of the senate except Senator
Whyte.
Senator Whyte was in his eighty
fourth year. He had served in the SEN
ceeding the late Dem ocratic leader,
German, and would have retired in
about a year. However, he had twice
served in the senate heretofore.
Senator Allison, the eldest left of the
old men, both in years and in service,
is 70 years of age, having just celebra-
ted his birthday recently. He is con-
Guiding his sixth consecutive term in
the senate. or SO years; served eight
years in the house of representatives,
though not Immediately preceding his
entrance into the senate; and is now
an active candidate for reelection for
q seventh term. If he shall be re-elect-
ed. he will be sc years of age, no older
than was Pettus, when the term ex-
pir IS
senator Teller of Colorado. one of the
three old men now left, is nearly 70
years of age, and has been in the sem
ate, barring four years he was in
Arthur's cabinet, since 1876, or a total
of 90 years in the senate when his term
expires in 1909. He will not be can
didate for reelection. He is not es-
pecially feeble in body, though his years
show themselves, but mentally, and in
the work of the senate, none is more
active than he.
The third old man left in the senate,
Cullom of Illinois, is past Is years, and
has been in the senate since 1883, or 30
years when. in 1913, his fifth term will
expire. At that time he will be "a years
of age.
All the old men have counted, and
still do, in the senate service. Morgan
was perhaps the feeblest of all. His
years told on him, and his body was
emaciated. His work at the last was
considerably impaired. His colleague,
Pettus, was active in committee work,
robust. always on the floor, and did not
show his age Proctor was vigorous
and hale to the last. Whyte was as
active in step, in speech, in mental ac-
ton, as the youngest member of the
senate, Bryan of Florida, 81 years OF
age, who, curious1y enough sat beside
him, the eldest Allison is the senate
leader, and does not look his years.
The same cannot be quite as truthfully
said of Teller and Cullom, but neither
is yet willing to acknowledge that he
has reached the retiring age, nor has
he.
But the senate old men are passing,
and rapidly the younger ones and the
middle-aged are taking the important
places.
Another western Kansas matter in
which Senator Long and Representa-
tive Madison have been recently inter-
ested is the bill by Senator Smoot of
Utah which has been passed by the
senate and is now being considered by
the house committee on public lands,
to authorize the homestead entry of
arid and semiarid lands to the extent
of 500 acres, by one person.
The bill provides that the land must
be arid or semiarid, nonmineral, nom
ed, unreserved surveyed land, and in
a compact body.
There is provision that the home
steader must be qualified as such, and
must make oath that he makes the
entry in good faith ad not acting as
the agent of any other person or cor
poration-
No certificate shall be given under
this bill until five years have expired
from date of entry, and if at that
time, or within two years thereafter,
the entryman shall be qualified, then
the patent shall be issued.
Fees and their payment shall be the
same as under present land laws but
no entry will be Cancelled because of
the entryman's failure to reside ON
the lands covered thereby.
Senator Long and Mr.. Madison
have received numerous inquiries con-
corning this legislation, and have been
greatly interested in it, believing it
will be of considerable benefit to
southwestern and northwestern Kan
sas.
Attention has been attracted here
by the movements of Sy1 Dixon OF
Kansas, the well known train organic
er. who is now planning to take a
Taft train to the Chicago convention
in June. Dixon has been in cores
pondence with Kansas and other
western members of congress, and
with the managers of Secretary Taft
whom he has interested in the move
ment. He recently wanted the Kan
sas delegation to secure the promise
of the secretary that he would go west
and make a speech at Topeka wher
his delegations from western states
meet there to start the train to Chi
cago. This would be about June
Dixon says but the secretary is max