Evening journal., 1912-05-22
NEW NEWS Or YESTERDAY
A Mystery Of the
Senate
Nomination
By Holland

By Holland
Among tho members Of the Con
gress which met in December, 1881
was tall, very slender man of sal
low complexion, a small but perfectly
shaped head, grayish side whiskers,
and very keen, bright, dark eyes which
from a distance flashed black, hut
upon near approach were found to be
very dark blue He wore a shad-bel-
lied coat the tails of which were of
unusual length, reaching half way be-
tween his knees and his heels
When the members of the Congress
were sworn in this man. partly be-
cause OF the popularity Of his dress,
and partly because Of a singular grace
and distinction Of his personal move
ments, his height and his erect figure,
was singled out not only by visitors
in the galleries. but by many new
members. for special observation. It
was noticed that he seemed to be
sponsored by Nelson w. Aldrich, then
a Senator from Rhode Island, who
had come from the Senate chamber
10 the House to witness the swearing
Of new members. When questions
were asked about the identity of this
striking-looking man. the reply was
/ that his name was Jonathan Chace,
and that he was particular about the
/ spelling Of his last name, the &C" hav-
/ ing been substituted for the familiar
IS" in the name OF Chace by his
grandfather, who had built the first
cotton mill in what is now the great
cotton manufacturing city OF Fall
River. The inquirer was also told that
the shad-belied coat was a garment
that he wore from the moment he
| dressed I'm the morning until he re-
| tired at night. It was the garb OF
| the Rhode Island Quaker of which
Jonathan Chace was a member
"Chace," said Senator Aldrich in
further description of the new Con-
gresham from Rhode Island. was
the first man in Rhode Island to issue
call for the convention AT which the
new Republican party was organized
in that State in 1855. He did not go TO
the war because he was a Quaker,
bat he did as much as any one man
I'm Rhode Island. excepting possibly
Governor Sprague. to raise money
and help equip troops and aid the
sanitary and Christian commissions
which were organized to alleviate the
sufferings of the soldiers Moreover,
there is no abler business man In
Rhode Island than he"
This Rhode Island Quaker. after
having served nearly four years as a
member Of the lower House of Con
gress. was elected United States
Senator TO fill out the unexpired term
of that great Senator Henry d An
l'thony In January. 1889, he was re-
elected for a full term: but after SER
vice of a month in the special session
of the Senate called by President Har-
rison In March. 1899. the Senate and
public mon all through the country
were astonished TO learn that Senator
/ Chace had resigned No explanation
was given. and there seemed to he
some mystery about the resignation.
Five years later. In a chat which
had with Senator Joseph r. Hawley
Of Connecticut, who was an intimate
of Senator Chace, I said
Senator Hawley. was there ever
any explanation given for the sud
den resignation of Senator Jonathan
Chace Of Rhode Island2"
Never; at least. none that ever
heard Of" Senator Hawley replied
THE resignation of Senator Chace has
always been a mystery He himself
/ gave no explanation Of IT, II seems Ia
have been n SUD en- act. Many queer
things have happened in the Senate
since have been member, but none
OF such complete mystery as this re-
signation of Senator Chace We all
knew why Senator Edmunds OF Yer
mont resigned: It was because he had
served twenty-five years in the Senate
and he thought that was enough for
any one man. But no one knew why
Chace gave up his seat at the begin
ming Of a term I'm that respect his
resignation was unprecedented
"Chace was certain TO have a very
brilliant career as a member of the
Senate, and he must have known IT,
He was ono Of the ablest business men
who served in Congress in my time
His character was spotless and his
business integrity was superb. I some.
times thought he was the greatest
master of the science of business that
ever sat IN the Senate. He was just
pNShihihc ''i TIT VI NiN 1'"' = ohN
he of a sudden resigned. withdrew alb
solutely from public life, and returned
TO Rhode Island There was absolutely
nothing i'm his business or political az
fairs so far as I was able TO learn, tc
furnish any reason for his resigna-
tion. II is. as I have just said, one OF
the great mysteries Of the Senate, and
I doubt If Il is ever cleared up
Copyright, 1912, by r. J. Edwards
All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell Of
"The Remark That Led Ultimately Ia
Our Antitrust Legislation"
Buy tickets now. Everybody's doing
IT, Don't miss Pinafore Only on,