New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-26
SENATOR RAYNER DEAD
He SuCCumbS to NeuritiS After
a Long Illness.
DEATH HAD BEEN EXPECTED
President and Governor Wilson
Pay Tribute to Maryland
Statesman.
rFrnm The Trihnne BUREAU. |

! from neuritis for more than five years
| but HAD been able to attend to his duties
until the last severe attack. when he Was
compelled TO drop his work in the cam
paigr and return to his home here
Messages Of coincidence, among which
/ was one from President Taft, poured into
the Rayner home all day. The President
who was one of the first to send word to
Mrs. Rayner, said:
| Mrs. Taft and I extend TO you our
| heartfelt sympathy in your great soT-
I row. Senator Rayner and | were warm
| land and the country lose a CONSCIENTIOUS
| brave and able public servant.
Others Express Sympathy.
Similar messages were received from
many of Senator Rayner's colleagues. At-
torney General Edgar Allan Poe. OF Mary
| land; Mayor Preston Of Baltimore ana
Senator Smith, Senator Rayner's COL
league, called in person TO pay their re-
| spects.
President Taft will attend the funeral
services, which will be held on Wednes-
day afternoon. The Rev. u. G. B. Pierce
pastor of All Souls Unitarian Church ana
| chaplain OF the Senate, and the Kew.
! Charles Wood, pastor Of the Church OF
the Covenant. will oGiciate.
The death OF Senator Rayner Will cut
down the narrow majority OF the Demo-
Gratis I'm the Senate, as Governor GoIdS-
| borough. who will have the power of ap-
pontment is a Republican and Is ex-
| pected to name one of his party. The ap-
pontee will sit until 1914, when the Mary
| land Legislature meets.
Although the fate Of some Of the Sena-
| torial candidates is in doubt. # is be-
| lieved the Democrats have forty-nine
| places certain, while the Republicans have
only forty-five. II Senator Rayner is sue
ceeded by a Republican the figures viii
be forty-eight to fOrty-six, with the two
| seats in Illinois In doubt. II these should
go TO Republicans the Senate would be
| tied. In any event. the Democratic ma
! ioris IS so small that Senator Rayncr's
! loss is a severe blow 10 the party, apart
! from any consideration OF his personal
| attachments.
When Mr.. Rayner entered the United
States Senate, IA 1894, he was best known
TO the country at large as counsel for
| Commodore Schley, later Rear Admiral
Schley. during the Investigation I'm 1901 Of
the Simpsons chley controversy over the
battle of Santiago, in the Spanish-Amerl-
can War. Seldom in any courtroom has
there been a more impressive scene than
on that day, when for three hours Mr.
| Rayner held his audience in silent,
strained attention TO his defence Of the
accused officer. As he proceeded men
sat with tear-filed eyes, women wept and
| some tainted with excitement. As he
/ closed amid an unrestrained tumult Of ap-
plause, the throng that swept up TO con-
| graduate him included the three admirals
| from the bench Congratulations were
! showered upon him from every quarter
Of the Union. That speech in pamphlet
| form was scattered broadcast from coast
| to coast. To all this Rayner modestly
replied;
"The occasion made the speech not the
speech the occasion"
Born in Baltimore.
Senator Rayner was born in Baltimore,
in 1850, and completed his education at
the University Of Virginia, where he con-
tinued his studies from 1866 to 1870, pur-
suing the academic course for three years
and the law course the last year on
leaving that institution Mr. Rayner be-
came a law student I'm the Office OF
Brown & Bruno, Of Baltimore, and
/ shortly afterWard was admitted TO the
bar. In a short time he had secured a
large trial practice. A laborious student
| of his profession, thoroughly versed in
the Maryland authorities and practice.
he welded great power and influence
before courts and JuTies in his state and
was engaged in much OF the most i'm
portant litigation tried in the nisi prius
and appellate courts.
| In 1873 Mr.. Rayner was elected a MEM
Der Of the Maryland Legislature. which
was one OF the most memorable that ever
met at Annapolis. II numbered among
it's members such men as Montgomery
Blair, Philip Frank Thomas and others
of distinction. Mr.. Rayner was acting
chairman of the Judiciary Committee
during the session. After the session was
over Mr.. Rayner devoted himself entirely
; to his practice until 1886. when he re-
/ ceived the nomination for state Senator
I and was elected. AS a member OF the
Senate his principal work was again on
the judiciary Committee in framing leg
islatlon and in the leading part he took
in the debates on the floor.
In the fall Of 1886 he received the nom
nation for Congress and served three
terms, receiving a unanimous nomination
each time and declining the nomination
for a fourth term During the first term
Mr.. Rayner took a leading part In the
debates, and in the second and third
terms he gradually advanced until his po-
sition became a prominent one before the
people OF the country.
In the fall OF 1899 Mr.. Rayner was
elected Attorney General Of Maryland
after one Of the most holly contested
campaigns waged in that state.
Elected TO the Senate.
When Mr. Rayner was elected United
! States Senator, In 1904, to succeed Sena-
tor McComas, Republican, his triumph
was looked upon in Washington by botu
| Republicans and Democrats as humili-
atng defeat for his colleague, Senator
| German, then DEMOCRATIC leader OF the
| Senate Rayner had been the one man In
The fight whom German had been de-
termined TO defeat Rayner and German
were at variance OH most public questions.
The former was a free trader. the latter
protectionist
! In the Senate Mr.. Rayner took an active
mart i'm the debates on all important sub
iects. He was eloquent in his praise OF