Evening star., 1909-02-24
BY ALI
Mr.. Fairbanks Most Popular
of Vice Presidents.
RECORD A CLEAN ONE
Impartial in the Chair and Devoted
to His Duty.
HON0RED BY BOTH PARTIES
Democratic Senators Preparing to
Present Him a Loving Cup as
Farewell Testimonial
dONORED BY BOTH PARTIES
RY WILLIAM T.. CURTIS.

dence or more genuine popularity from dh
sorts and conditions of men than Charles
Warren Fairbanks. The democratic Gov
ernor of Indiana has sent a special mes
sage to democratic legislature. which,
by unanimous vote. has invited the leader
of the republican party in that state 20
accept it's congratulations and an ex-
preston Of it's esteem and good will on
the Sth of March next. This, I believe,
is unprecedented. and is the more signifi-
cant because of the unmistakable quality
of Mr.. Fairbanks republicanism and Ms
energy and activity in the recent cam
paign.
But these expressions of confidence and
respect are not confined to his neighbors
The democratic members of the United
States Senate are preparing to present
loving cup to Mr.. Fairbanks before he
retires. and that is very unusual Incl
dent l do not remember that it has ever
occurred before. The last act of business
I'm the United States Senate on the 4th of
March, just before the clock strikes II.
on Inauguration years, is the considera-
ton of a formal resolution offered by the
leader of the minority thanking the Vice
President for his impartiality and cour-
tesy as a presiding officer. and 1t is
adopted by a unanimous vote. The re-
firing Vice President then delivers his
cessor. who takes the oath Of office and
delivers his inaugural. These proceed
ings will be attended with more genuine
sentiment the next 4th of March than ever
before, and Mr Fairbanks will leave the
chair with a record for punctuality and
attendance that has never been reached
by any of his predecessors. and without
the slightest Ill feeling from any member
or official or employe of Congress.
During the past four years Mr.. Fair
banks has never been absent from the
chair in the Senate during either day or
night sessions. except on three days
once when he was in attendance on the
general conference of the Methodist
Church at Birmingham. Ala. and again
when he went to Ohio to the funeral OF
his brother-in-law. And. unlike his pred
ecessors for generations. he sits through
tempore of the Senate has usually pre-
sided more than half the time, but during
the Fairbanks administration Mr.. Frye,
who enjoys that honor, 'has occupied the
then while the Vice President has been
eating his luncheon or has been called
out to see some person of Importance.
Another popularity of Mr.. Fairbanks Is
that during his experience as Vice Prest-
dent his rulings have been absolutely i'm
partial and have been sustained by vote
of the Senate whenever-and the cases
are very rare-there has been an appeal.
He has kept out of all controversies: he
has declined to participate in political
conferences. and, although he has in no
manner relinquished his party affiliations
or privileges, he has declined to give any
advice or even express his opinions upon
the many exciting causes Of difference
that have arisen between the two parties
or between factions of his own party or
between the legislative and executive
branches OF the government since he has
occupied the chair He has taken the
al <n1
dent of the country. and not of the re-
publican party. and that he is the presid-
ing officer of the entire Senate; hence he
has no right to take either a partisan or
a personal interest In either legislative
political or official questions in contro-
versy.
On one occasion when the relations be-
tween the President and the Senate were
strained to a critical tension Mr.. Fair
banks was asked to act as a conciliator,
but he declined even to discuss the mat
ter. taking the ground that he had no
right to intrude upon controversy that
did not concern his office. He has main
tanned that attitude consistently during
his term. and his rulings have invariably
been a strict Interpretation of parliament
tary law without regard to political ef-
feet.
Mr. Fairbanks came into the Senate on
the day that Mckinley was inaugur ated.
March 4, 1897. and. having been in inti-
mate friend of the new President, re-
manned very close to him. No one. un-
less it was Senator Hanna and Justice
Day of the Supreme Court, was so deeply
in McKinleys confidence and the judg
ment Of no adviser was rated of greater
value.
Not long after his entry into the Senate
Mr.. Fairbanks was recognized as work.
ing senator and not merely an orna-
mental member of that body. There are
two kinds of senators, those who work
and those who talk. and he belonged to
the former class. spending the greater
part of his time in the investigation of
claims as a member Of the committee
having them in charge, and preparing
reports upon other matters of serious inn
portance which are always involved in
legislation. AT the first rearrangement
of committees his legal abilities and
sound judgment were recognized by his
promotion to the committee on judiciary,
which ranks with appropriations and fl
nance as the most important on the list,
and he would be chairman of that COM
mittee today II he had not been elected
Vice President. His colleagues will tell
you of his industry and accuracy and in
f1uence For several years he was chair
man of the committee on public build
ings and grounds and his broad, generous
policy supported the claims of every city
in the country for commodious and
appropriate public building for the post
office and the accommodation of the Of
ficials of the government.
I wish l had the space to give re-
view of Mr.. Fairbanks senatorial service. |
because during the eight years of this |
service none of his colleagues accom- |
plished more of permanent value for the |
public welfare. and. unlike too many sem
ators. he did not confine his attention to
his own state. He was a whole country
senator" inseatd Of merely representa-
tive from Indiana.
When he was elected in 1896 Mr.. Fair
banks closed his law Office and resigned
the largest and most lucrative practice
in Indiana, where he was the recognized
leader of the bar. Few lawyers outside
of New York city enjoyed so large an
income from their profession; few had
so many annual retainers from clients
with larg and important interests. but.
like Senator Knox, Elihu Root and other
lawyers of his class. he separated himself
entirely from his previous professional
connections, closed his Office and for
twelve years has refused to do any bus-
ness of a legal or professional nature,
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