The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-02-25

lldH Register: On the 9Th of Febru-
airy the United States senate gave the
most OF the session to very interest
ing and instructive service. For my.
self, found 1t involved great many
important suggestions as to the past
and future of our history. But 1t was
such day as does not interest the
daily press, nor does it form part OF
what call the Literature of Head
lines. do not suppose, indeed, that
half the readers of these lines have
any knowledge that at the capitol of
the country four hours were spent in
the senate in commemoration Of a
great man.
Eighteen senator's, and those eigh-
teen among the most prominent
members of the body, spoke in careful
detail of the public service Of Sena-
tor Allison OF Iowa, who died the 4th
OF August last. 1t will surprise many
careful readers of the country's his
tory to know that his continuous SER
vice in the senate was longer than
has been that of any other man since
the senate was formed. He had been
elected and reelected for six full
terms, so that his -ervice in the SEN
ate was for nearly thirty-six years.
Before that time he had served eight
years in the house of representatives.
At one period when the Republicans
were to hold nominating convention
to name their candidate for the pres
idency, his name was prominently
before the people. But, with that ex-
ception, can hardly say that to the
general reader" or to the people at
large Mr.. Allison was a person who
awakened universal interest. But,
now that his life is reviewed, we have
an opportunity to see how in our
system strong man who has HIM
self absolutely in control, who has the
welfare of the nation at heart, first,
second, and last, takes his fit place
in the management of it's affairs.
We have an opportunity to see how
vain and absurd newspaper notoriety
is. Indeed, from the eighteen remark
able speeches made by eighteen re-
markable men, the general reader, If
he will read them, ha. an opportunity
to learn much as to the real govern
ment of the nation which he did not
know before. For single instance,
Mr.. Daniel, the distinguished Senator
from Virginia, characterized in
hundred words the great change which
two generations have made in the
work OF congress. Government By
committee has necessarily suppressed
ed in practical effect the government
Of earlier days, where debates were
largely at will, and any subject might
be made one of prolonged discussion"
1t should be understood that most
of the speakers, probably all of them,
wished that their names might be
placed in the programme of speakers
because they had such tender per-
sonal recollections Of Senator Allison
himself. This was no perfunctory
series of regulation addresses. The
report of it brings together the rec
objections and speculations Of eigh-
teen senators as to the history of the
United States for the last half century
And the collection of their addresses
seems to me to make what you might
call handbook as to the duty of
conscientious man who represents the
people and has share in the legisla-
ton of the nation or in its present
duty
And I am speaking OF it here be-
cause in tlis little handbook all the
memories and all the lessons unite
to proclaim the gospel of Doing and