Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-05

SENAIOh SIE
Who died at midnight Inst night q
to prison on a life sentence for rObbing q
bank In Minnesota. Mr.. Elkins recalled
| their kindness to him. He eXerted his in
ifuence to procure their release, and ulti-
matcly succeeded.
| on more than one occasion in the Sem
ate Mr.. Elkins referred feelinglv to his
fe on the frontier. A notable instance
was in connection with the railroad fight
of 1910. Accused by Senator Bristow of
| Kansas with having said that if the in
| land residents were dissatisfied with the
railroad rates to their homes they could
get out and remove to the seaboard. the
| WeS- Virginian strenuously protested his
sympathetic interest in the interior
country. The senator from Kansas does
not love his state any more than l love
it. he said. Il knew Kansas long before
| he knew il. / passed all of my boyhOod
| days on its borders. l knew it, indeed,
! before 1T was a territory and when 1t was
the home only of wild animals and In
dams. know the state, therefore, and l
appreciate it for its great worth
Advocated New Mexico's Admission.
| Mr. Elkins was a consistent advocate
of statehood for New Mexico, and came
very near having the territory admitted
| in 1875
I
recent gossip connecting the name of his
daughter. Miss Katherine Elkins. with
that of the Duke of the AbruZzj was q
source of much embarrassment to him.
| put If such was the case he never in
d Gated il. by his manner. He discussed
| al the runOrs of marriage between the
! two yonung people with frankness, but.
while expressing admiration for the young
! italian. always denied any knowledge of
any understanding between him and his
daughter
Stephen Benton Elkins was one Of the
stanchest of republicans, and one of
| the party's most active and most bril-
liant leaders, and his death is generally
recognized as big loss, both to the
republican ranks in the Senate and to
the republican party in the country.
During his long activity in politics
Mr. Elkins fought for many principles
| and for many measures of general legis-
lation. His friends and political OPP
/ ponents-they were personal friends
knew where he stood on public measures,
! and he won many a parliamentary and
! legislative battle.
| During the early part Of his political
! career Mr.. Elkins was chiefly known for
| his advocacy of the admission Of the
| territory Of New Mexico into the Union
| rs a state, and it is a coincidence that the
| last session of Congress through which
| he served made provision for promoting
| the territory TO statehood.
| More recently Nj Elkins' name has been
| connected with railroad legislation. His
| influence was felt in the passage of the
| strengthen the Cullom interstate COM
merce act. AS railroad owner Mr..
Elkins could fully appreciate the view
point of the railroad interests on railroad
| law, but as a public official Mr.. Elkins
saw the need for checking the abuses
| and the faults OF the methods of railroad
management. Again. at the last session
of Congress. Senator Elkins took the
L.. III d0tS fnr ctr 10t hny,-
| ing of the interstate commerce act, as
urged by President Taft and his advisers
| The struggle in the Senate was pro-
longed and at many times strenuous: but
crisis skillfully. and his personal in
| huence is to he seen in the final draft of
| the law. He was not an onator. and
| made few speeches on the Moor OF the
Senate; but his quiet influence in con
| ference with members OF the upper
house in committee rooms and in cloak
rooms made him a powerful member.
Will Be Missed in the Senate.
Mr. Elkins Will be much missed from
the Senate. He was one Of the old coterfe
of senator's which dominated the upper
| house Of Congress for many years-in-
GLIDING also Senators Aidrich. Hale, Al
lison and Burrows. He was chairman
of the committee on interstate COM
merce. which in these days Of clamor
for railroad legislation has been q COM
mittee of great power. He was the rank
ing member of the committee on COM
merce, which among matters OF much
importance handles the rivers and har-
bors appropriation bill, and member
Of the pow erful committee on appropria-
tons and leld places on the committees
on rules. printing and geological survey
The death of Senator Elkins will also
be a blow to the District. For several
| he a of he
committee on the District of Columbia
appropriation bill and had large influence
in framing the Senate amendments His
| business interests I'm the National Can't.
a specially valuable member Of the sub.
committee, and his knowledge of the
| Districts needs and his interest in Its
welfare and improvement will be a dis
tinct loss.
Service in Union Army.
Biogra phical sketches Of him, which hi
} personally saw before publication, otter
omitted reference to his service in the
Union army during the war of the re.
bellion. That is attributed to his desire
not TO mention facts which caused @
warm rupture in his family, for hi.
father and brother Joined the Confed
crate army early in the struggle.
. Enforcing Law Against Slavery.
His military service over, Mr.. Elkins
: sought admission to the bar After he
was admitted. in 1854, he went to New
Mexico to practice. The first obstacle
he had to overcome was a mastery OF
the Spanish language. which was gen
orally spoken throughout the territor,
, at that time: hut Mr.. Eikins did not lie,
that obstacle long interfere.
President Johnson appointed him United
States district attorney in 1853, and al
j such he earned distinction by his ac,ivit,
Z / IN first putting in operation and enforcing
the Law against slavery In the territories
, and the District Of Columbia. Under this