Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-11-26
SENATOR ISADOR RAYNER
IS DEAD IN WASHINGTON
Distinguished Maryland Demo-
Crat Passes AWay-Senate
Control is in Jeopardy
fBx Associated Press.l


WASHINGTON, Nov. 25.-Isador Ray
ner, of Maryland, one of the leading
Democratic members of the United
States senate, and a man whose name
was offered to the Chicago convention
by w. j. Bryan as a suitable candidate
for the presidential nomination, died here
early today at tho end of long illness
resulting from continued attacks of neu-
ritis.
Senator Rayner had been in a coma
tose state since last Wednesday, with
only one or two slight rallies. His Sc
we're illness covered a period of about
six weeks, dating from the efforts made
I'm the joint political debate with Bourke
Cochran at Baltimore, late in Septem-
ber Physicians compelled him to retire
from the campaign Immediately after
that, and he returned to his Washington
home, where he died at $40 o'clock this
morning.
For over five years Senator Rayner
had been a sufferer from neuritis. the
attacks often making his work in the
senate arduous and painful.
A LOSS TO DEMOCRATS.
his death creates a vacancy in the
senate that probably will be filled by a
Republican, through appointment by
Governor Goldsborough, of Maryland.
While the legislature of that state Is
Democratic, 1t does not meet this VIM
ter. and the Republican governors APP
pointment will hold through the opening
sessions of the next congress.
Senator Rayner was one of the strik-
ing figures Of the senate. He had been
a member of that body for almost eight
years and was one of its strongest de-
baters and a recognized authority on
constitutional law.
Before he entered the senate he hao
attained a national reputation because
Of his vigorous conduct of the late Adj
miral Schley's case before the naval
court of inquiry that investigated the
action of American officers in the bat
tie with Admiral CerWera's Spanish fleet.
Mr.. Rayner was native of Baltimore
and was sixty-two years old. He was
member of the Maryland legislature
when twenty-eight years old and served
terms in the national house of represen-
tatives in the period from 1886 to 1892.
He was elected 10 the United States
senate in 1904, after having served a
four-year term as attorney general Of
Maryland.
AS a member of the committees on
foreign relations and the judiciary, 8,
ator Rayner devoted especial attention
during the last rev years TO America
foreign problems and constitutional and
legal questions He was a strong adj
vocate of the abrogation of the treaty
with Russia because of that country S
discrimination against passports pre-
scented by American Jews and exercised
a marked influeice in getting the SEN
ate to indorse such action.
MAY TIE UP SENATE.
The control Of the United States SEN
ate after March 4 may hinge on the
death of Senator Raynor. The Repub-
lican whom it is expected Governor
Goldsborough will appoint in his place
will hold office at least until the Mary
land legislature meets in January, 1914
Senator Raynor's death removes one
of the Democrats on whom the con-
troll OF the senate depended in the new
congress. With his vote, the Demo
cratic leaders counted on mastering
forty-nine, or one more than a majority
of a total membership Of ninety-six.
In any event. forty-eight votes with
the vote of the vice-president in cas-,
of tic, was looked upon as sufficient
strength to insure control. .
While the Democrats still have an
apparent strength of forty-eight, the
death Of the Maryland senator reduces