The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-31
New Democratic Senators

From the National Monthly.
 | Twelve new democratic senators were | inducted into office on the opening day
 of the extraordinary session of the
 Slxty-second Congress. and nine of them
 were chosen to succeed republicans. For 15 years prior to that time, the demo- cratic strength in that body had been
 steadily declining, until 1t represented little more than the membership from
 the south, and the republicans had even
 made successful inroads into that sec- tion.
 Maine is now represented in the United States Senate by a democrat. For 30 years Maine sent Eugene Hale and Will liam P. Frye to the Senate, and for more than 30 years before that, none but re- publicans came to that body from the
 old Pine state. But a wonderful change
 has been wrought in Maine. For years it has been undergoing a process of political evolution, seeking to throw on the yoke of republican rule. At last, this has been accomplished, and as a | consequence of that achievement, the Hon. | Charles F. Joshson. the first democrat l to be elected to the Senate from Maine since John W. Bradbury was chosen In | 1S47, took the oath of office on April 4 | Senator Maritime is popularly known as | the plain farmer from Plainfield, but | this does not accurately describe him for he has many ornate accomplish
 ments. Among other things he comes to the Senate with a reputation as an ora tor, and as the democrats have not had their full complement of orators in the Senate in recent years. his ability in that direction will be valuable asset to the party in that body.
 In the Hon. Luke Lea. Tennessee has the distinction of being representedN by one of the youngest men who ever sat in the United States Senate. In fact. in the history of the government, less than half dozen men who were juniors have been honored with that office. Henry Clay was one of them. and the late William James Bryan of Florida who died after he had been in the Senate for only three months. was another although he was only a few weeks younger than Senator Lea now Is. Sena- | tor Lea is just past 31 years of age or only one year beyond the constitutional requirement for a senator. Although l the baby of the Senate, the new solon | from Tennessee Is by no means a novice | in politics His political career began | before he had attained his majority It was he who formed the flying wedge which took control of the state conyen- | ton that nominated Governor Patterson. | Later, however, he broke with the gov ernor. following the trouble which re- suited In the assassination of Senator Edward w. Carmack. Senator Lea be- came Carmack's successor as editor Of the Nashville Tennessean,' and is now the publisher and proprietor of that
 newspaper.
 The Hon. Nathan P. Bryan of Florida is the only one of the new democratic senators who has not yet been formally elected. He holds his place in the Senate by virtue of appointment by the gov ernor of his state, awaiting the action
 of the legislature which will elect him when 1t meets In due time. Four pri-
 mary contests were required to deter
 mine the senatorial election in Florida
 by which Senator Bryan becomes mem.
 Der of the Senate. In the first two of
 these Senator Bryan was not candi-
 date. the principal contest being between
 Senator Taliaferro and the late Gov
 ernor Napoleon B. Broward. The latter
 was finally successful, but died before
 the beginning of his term. That neces-
 stated a new primary in which there
 were three candidates. and in deciding
 the contest Senator Bryan was chosen
 The senatorship is the first public of
 flee he ever held. He is brother of
 the late Senator William James Bryan
 of Florida.