The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-01-06
SENATE OLD GUARD A MEMORY
ONLY TWO LEFT VINO WILL
REMAIN ~ THE SENATE.
Elklns's seat TO he Filled by a Democrat,
Reducing Republican Via aJority TO
Eight -SitieIights on the Political
and Social Life or the Dead senator.

ginia brings the Republican ma iority
in the Senate in the next Congress down
to eight. The West Virginia Legislature
went Democratic in the last election
retiring Nathan Bay Scott. Republican,
The death of Senator Elk ins means that
West Virginia will he represented by two
Democrats after March next
There are nine States with Democratic
Legislatures that are now represented
at least in part. 10y Republican Senators
Two or three of these Republican Sena
tors are far from being in robust health
and II is possible that there will be fur
ther Democratic gains before the next
election comes around. When the pos
sibility of deadlocks in the Legislatures
Of Massachusetts and Delaware are added
to this contingency it leaves Republicans
in somewhat uneasy state of mind
The Democrats would have to gain
five more seats to obtain control of the
next Senate. While such a change is
hardly likely the margin is getting so
narrow that the Democrats. with the
support of u few insurgents. will be able
to control the situation al any time
The death of senator Elk ins opens up
the possibility that the charmanship
of the Senate COMMITTEES on Interstate
Commerce. the committee in which i'm
portant railroad legislation originates.
will go To an insurgent. Senator Elkins
had been chairman Of this committee
for many years, taking IA leading part
IN the fight over the railroad rate law
in the Roosevelt administrations and in
40 ST lar Int ion
in the last session of Congress
Shelby NJ Cullom of Illinois is ranking
member Of the Interstate Commerce Com
mittee now that Senator Elkins is gone.
IL the usual rule of seniority were fol-
lowed the place would go TO him. but he
is well along in years and probably will
not undertake the chairmanship Sena-
tor Aldrich comes next in rank. but he
will retire voluntarily on March ,next.
Apparently the first ranking Senator
eligible for the place is Moses f.. Clapp
of Minnesota. an insurgent. Next to
him comes Senator Crane Of Aiassa-
chusetts. Undoubtedly the Republican
regulars in the Senate will try To put Sen
ator Crane at the head Of this important
committee. Ii is understood that Sem
leader. also has ambitions 10 become chair
man of this committee. The Senate
always has been punctilious in observing
the seniority rule in regard TO committee
chairmanships and the rivalry between
the regulars and tn. insurgents in regard
to Senator Elkins's successor will he
with interest
The death of Senator ElkinS removes
another Of the Senates old guard That
ancient organization il slowly disin-
tegrating and after March next il will
he largely u memory. The retirement
Of Senators Aldrich and Hale next March
and the death Of Senator Elkins remove
the most powerful forces in that body.
Senator Cullom of Illinois and senator
Frye Of Maine are about the only two MEM
bers Of the old guard who will be left
The Senate was shocked by the an
to-day of the death of S.na-
tor Elkins. From time To time reports
had reached the Capitol that the Senat or
was in a serious condition. but these had
been quickly denied The Senate and IN.
House adjourned out of respect for the
dead Senator. the Senate until next Mon
day.
The Senator from West Virginia will
long be remembered becaus. of his genial
personality. II is seldom that so much
real feeling has been shown by the en-
ployees about the Capitol over the death
Of "A Senator as when the Elkins announce
ment was made to-day.
While "a man of large business affairs
and one Of the most influential members
of the Senate. he q1D.ays had a cheerful
word for the doorMan, messengers and
Senate clerks. His cheerfulness ana
good nature always attracted the atten-
!, g .t.,.t
or later invariably asked this question:
who il the pleasant happy looking
man with the ruddy countenance?"
senator Elkins's friends often used to
ask him how he managed To keep so
healthy and rugged.
I'm tell you the secret of my health
never WAS mad in my life" was IN.
unfailing reply.
Few Senators were more thoughtful Of
the comforts Of others than was Senat or
Elklns. There IL a strict rule in the Senate |
wing of the Capitol that when three el.-
vator bells announce that "a Senator is |
waiting at any floor all other passengers |
and all other calls are TO be- disregar1
by the elevator man in favor Of the Sen
ator. senator Elkins never availed him |
self OF this special privilege. but always |
deferred 10 others and many times wa lked /
down the stairway into the Senate cham |
ber rather than interfere with the con-
venence OF others who were using the |
Senate lifts.
In the Senate restaurant his reputation
for considerate treatment of the en-
ployees made him one of the most popu-
lar OF the statesmen who ate there Al |
ways smiling and pleasant. never i'm ,
patient or exacting. simple in his tastes
and easily satisfied. he made friends
with all who served him. Having been /,
trained in the rough school Of experience, ,
Senator Elkins always had a kind SPOT
in his heart for young men and helped
many Of them to get along in life.
Senator Elkins had the reputation
among shop people of being close and
exacting, He always scrutinized the
bills OF tradesmen carefully. whether
the amounts were great or small. and
not infrequentIy he would dicker over
he payment of the bills The senator
frequently remarked that il had been
the rule OF his life not TO permit any per
son 10 take advantage Of him because
he was man of wealth
Il would rather give 500 to a worthy
cause any day" he used TO say, than
TO permit any person to work me simply
because ] am supposed TO have little
more money than the average among
my fellow men
The fact is well known that Senator
Elkins while "A youth as captured in the
civil war by Quantrell. the guerrilla chief,
and was saved from execution by Col.
Younger, who later became one of the
Jesse James outlaws. Only a few of the
friends, however were aware
that years afterward, when the Youngers
were captured and sent to prison on a life
for robbing bank in Minnesota,