Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-25
Senators Daniel and McEnery the
Latest Two to Be Called
by Death
OLD SOLDIERS DWIN0LING
Last Year Has Made Sad I'm
preston on Ranks of
Old School

removed two of the south's old guard
in the senate-Samuel d. McEnery OF
Louisiana, and John w. Daniel of Vir-
ginia Early in the session Anselm }.
McLaurin of Mississippi passed away.
Senator Benjamin r. Tillman of South
Carolina, and Senator Charles A. Cul-
berson of Texas were absent most of
the session that has just ended. and a
good deal Of doubt is expressed wheth-
er they will ever again be able to re-
sumo active duties in the senate, writes
the Washington correspondent of The
Herald.
1t is thus apparent that the last year
has made a sad impression upon the
ranks of the southerners of the old
school in the senate. The veterans
who wore the gray are fast fading from
the rolls of the upper house. Only a
few months ago nine men who have
carried arms in the south'S cause were
sitting in the senate. Daniel McEnery
and McLaurin were among the nine.
OF the six who remain two will pass
out of the senate at the end of the
present congress on March next
These are Senator TaliaferrO of Flor
ida. who has failed of reelection and
will be succeeded by Governor Brow
ard and Senator Money of Missis-
sippi, who will make room for John
Sharp Williams, former minority leader
of the house. This will leave Bank
head of Alabama. Johnston of Ala
bama, Bacon of Georgia, and Martin
Of Virginia as the only Confederate
veterans in the upper house
Senator McEnery, in theN closing
years of his service in Washington,
was handicapped by deafness, But he
remained to the end one of the pic
oh In that
body.
A LOU1SIANAN
Senator McEnery was first last and
all the time, a Louisianan. When the
treaty with Spain looking to the ac-
uuisition by the United States of the
Philippine islands was pending, he was
one of the group of Democrats who
had it in their power to kill the treaty
The Louisiana senator cast his vote
for the treaty, but before he had done
so he had exacted a promise that the
rice and sugar of Louisiana should be
protected in the tariff against similar
products from the Philippines. When
the tariff bill came up last year Sena-
tor McEnery saw that this pledge was
fulfilled. One heard very little about
Senator McEnery in the Washington
news dispatches except when he voted
with the Republicans. Yet ask a mem
Louisianan and he will say that Sen
ator McEnery probably got more for
his state than any other sOutherner in
congress.
Senator McEnerys deafness led to
some rather amusing incidents in the
senate which the senator himself ap-
peared to enjoy as much as any one
else. For the last year or more he had
carried with him new-fangled audi
phone. This little machine was charged
with electricity and hung suspended
from the senator's WaistcOat A week
or two after he had got it he was eX-
planning its merits to Senator Pettus
Of Alabama who became interested in
il and asked to borrow it. Senator
Pettus locked it up in his desk on the
floor of the senate, and went home be-
fore that body had adjourned. In some
way Senator McEnery's hearing ma
chine got shOrt-circuted and there was
n buzzing going on that sounded like
a hive of angry bees. For two or three
hours Senator McEnery's machine had
the senate in state of demoraliza-
ton. Some thought the buzzing was in
the ceiling some in the side walls and
some beneath the floor of the chamber
Nobody had the remotest idea what ii
was and complaints were made by
many of the senators who were an
moved Finally one of the senate mes
Pettus' desk and 1t was opened. The
machine was going it hard, and it was
carried out Of the chamber, as nobody
had the courage to tinker with it.
CAUSED AMUSEMENT
After this the buzzing of Senator
McEnerys audiphone came to be {
pretty common occurrence in the sen
ate. 1t had a habit of going off in tht
most inOppOrtune moments. 1t seemed
to select an occasion when a partic
uarly interesting speech was beins
made and somebody was away up OF
the oratorical heights or else when th'
chaplain was offering his mornins
prayer The amusing thing about i
was that often when the instrumen
wasn't attached to his ear Senate
McEnery himself couldn't hear tn
buzzing and knew nothing about th'
short circuit until someone would com'
around and tell him. Then he woult
beg everybOdys pardon and take th'
incident in perfect good nature.
Senator McEnery had a hobby o
studying the subject of eating in al
ages and in all climes. He was in M
sense a slave to his stomach, but de
lighted in discovering new and strange
dishes. He maintained firmly that the
chefs of New Orleans knew more abou'
cooking than anybody else in thi:
country.
Senator McEnery was one of Colone
ROoseVelt's ardent admirers and he
was a frequent visitor at the White
House when Mr.. Roosevelt was pres
ident.
The death Of Senator Daniel of Vir.
ginia removes the Oldest of the Demo
cratic senators in point of service. AS
he was oldest in service he was also
one of the most popular Of the south
ern representation. For the last two
years, however he had remained much
in the background and was not heard
often in the senate. His health had
been failing and the strain was telling
on him. Before his health began tc
break, though, he spoke frequently and
had a high reputation as am orator
In those days his speeches invariably
drew large audiences.
NOTED FOR URBANITY
The Virginia senator was noted fol-
his urbanity. Whether i'm private life
or in public debate with his senatorial
colleagues his courtesy was unfailing
Even on occasions when the point in
debate was turned upon him sharply
he never overlooked the formalities
which were observed by senators oi
the old school much more than they
are today. He was the senior minority
member of the senate committe OF
finance and held high place in many
other of the important committees.
His particular hobby was the study
ing Of military history. While abroad