Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-09
LONG AND HONORABLE
Was the Public Service of the Late
Senator VIM. p. Frye.

Senator VIM. p. rye.
Washington. Aug. S.-News of SEN
ator Frye's death reached the Senate
Informally this afternoon while Ad
tmral Togo. the japanese naval hero
lnas being given an ovation during a
l0-minute recess. As the Senate was
sim in the legislative session of Mon
day, by reason of continuance under
the agreement to vote on the state
hood bill on the legislative day Of
Aug. T. ii was decided that no an
nouncement should be made today of
| the loss of the Senate's oldest member
oldest both in years and service.
| There was a unanimous desire also
| that when adjournment was taken out
of respect for his memory, that il be
for an entire day This formality will
be complied with Immediately after
the Senate eonVenes tomorrow.
| The fact that the Democrats will
gain a senator. a potent feature in
connection with the alliance with the
Democrats and Progressive Republi-
cans that has shackled the Republican
| PAPER majority will not alleviate the
sorrow felt by all senator's Senator
Frye vas famed for his fairness to all
members, whether the presiding of
| ticer or in debate on the floor He
never let politics interfere with his
| unwaYeripg consideration for the feel
| ing of his colleagues
BY reason OF the recent Democratic
victory in Maine and the resultant
election of a Democratic Governor and
Legislature, Senator Frye will he sue
ceeded by a member of that party
| The change will reduce the Republican
| membership of the Senate to 40 and
! increase the Democratic membership
| To Al. Senator Frye's term would have
| ended March 4. 1913 There are said to
| be half dozen prominent members
| III the State who will aspire to the
short term appointment. While there
| has been discussion already OF the
prohabilit of a successor. Senator
johnson, the Democratic senator from
Maine, declined 10 venture an opinion
as TO who his new colleague was like
| " to be. The choice at present will
rest With Governor Plaisted who will
make an appointment. The accession
| of another Democrat To the Senate
will make the Maine delegation. for
many years soidly Republican, four
| Democrats and two Republicans. as
| the Democrats already have nalf of
the Maine membership in the House.
Senator Frye was one of the last
| two IF that remarkable cotiere of
| Maine Statesmen which began with
| Hannibal Hamlin. ended with him
self and senator Hale, who retired at
the close Of the last session of Con-
gress. and included James G. Blaine,
William p. Fessenden. Thomas b..
Reed and Nelson Dingley. Both he and
Hale began service in the Senate in
1881 and served the nation side by
side for 30 years, a much longer time
| than any other two men ever sat to-
! gether in the Senate, whether from the
. same State or not.
Frye began his service as the success
sor of Blaine and Hale as the success
sor of Hamlin. Both entered the Sem
ate after conspicuous service in the
House and both began their congress
sional careers in the latter body al
most simultaneously. The parallel
would have been complete if Mr.. Hale
had not skipped d term between the
termination of his House and the be-
Iginning of his Senate service, and If
; he had not practically voluntarily sew
announcing long in advance that he
would rot be candidate for re-elec-
ton after The conclusion of his sena-
torial term ending in March, 1911,
Mr. Frye was in Congress from the
time of his first election TO the House
until the close of his life. The servic,
, he has had covered period of a
, Years. giving him the longest contin
rfth -,
. two exceptions of Justin S. Morrill, o
. Vermont and William B. Allison o
Iowa
For Is years Mr. Frye had beef
!. President Pro Tempore of the Sen
, ate and by virtue of the fact that h
) held this office when the late \ ic
. President Hobart died. he assumed al
!. the functions of Vice President o
i the United States during the latte
\ half Of President McKinley's admins
n tration.
!. Previous 10 the assumption of tht
;. duties of presiding officer, Mr.. Frye
a was one OF the most active debators
d in the Senate. Coming to Congress
( before the close OF the reconstruction
g period following the Civil War ant
9 being pronounced partisan, he i'm
r mediately became ali active partici.
e pant in the discussions of that thrill.
,, ing period He soon took front ranl
/. As speaker and by the time he haC
It served 10 years had risen to position
d oil such eminence that but for his cleo.
r ton TO the Senate he doubtless woalt
= have been selected as Speaker Of tn,
House.