The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-15
CURRENT COMMENT
After Fifty Years.

San1toc shelby NJ Cullom of Illinois will
leave Congress after nearly fifty years or cc:.-
iiaIn's service without regret on his own a.
count bitterness toward any man. The
venerable Illinois Republican will end twenty
nine years of service in the Senate poorer
man than when he took his seat in that body
BY some it Is said that the Illinois sonar ,r
is almost entirely dependent his salary.
In acknowledging today his defeat In the
Illinois primaries Senator Cullom appeared the
most cheerful loser imaginable. Senators
crowded around his seat in the Senate 10 OK
press their regret. but he smiled and assured
them 1t was all for the best. Senator Cuom
is one of the best loved men in the Senate
and his defeat was taken to heart by the en-
poyes. His retirement will just about be tho
end of the so-called ''old guard" in the Senate
First Aldrich went, then Hale of Maine: death
claimed Elkins, of West Virginia. and Frye Of
Maine, and Cullom Of Illinois goes.
These great changes in the Senate have
CURED within year.
Yes / am defeated" said Senator Cullom
1T looks like Sherman had $4,000. am
through and I am glad OF 1t. / did not want
10 be a candidate again, i told the boys So
but they seemed to think / owed 1t to them
went in the ring once too often. Wasn't that
what Sullivan said? You see. 1 eighty
would have been eightythree when took Office
again. Frankly. man who serves as long as
I have In public life ought to be willing
to quit at eighty-three don't you think so?
Some of the boys In Illinois told to
make the race and when 1t over II
lost. as ] told them in advance I thought
appointve office. But said to them, No.
If l to be defeated told them, 1 would
welcome the opportunity to quit. | VIII now
go away back and sit down., they say In
the song l will not have great many years
mora to live and l can afford to spend them
in rest and retirement. The State of Illinois
has been good To me- Everybody has been
kind and good to You newspaper men.
most of all, have been good to me. Why, the
kind things you have written about me have
made cry sometimes
II have been getting little poorer hnan-
cially every year / have been in office. ] have
less property today than l had the day left
Springfield nearly thirty years ago to take
my seat in the Senate, Perhaps that is my
fault. Some think OF investments and
good business ! never thought OF things
of that kind
Il would not know how to go about making
money. l never had taste for it. Some
of you boys say that my lack OF property after
men, Just honest. in public life made money
And they have made 1t honestly. ! not
ready to condemn men with sagacity and
foresight enough to make investments that re-
suit in profits that will provide for themselves
and their families In their old age or sup
/ simply did not like to think about business
found pleasure in the kind of life l. led. My
tastes simple My family. like myself
preferred simple life. So it was agreeable for
me TO along without any thought of money
making
But didn't Roosevelt make a great run o."
asked the senator. He certainly surprised
everybody. He is still a good politician. He
the overshadowng issue in Illinois and
seized it,
you mean Iorimer?" the senator was
asked.
Yes. Iorimer was the issue. That is what
defeated me. ] voted to seat him."-New York
Sun.