Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-10-31
kENYoN's PROPOSAL TO CUT OFF
DEATH PAYMENTS REVEALS
TRUE CONDITIONS.
MAJORITY OF MEMBERS
DEPENDENT UPON SALARIES.
Not Probable That Senate Will Adopt
Kenyon Resolution Which Aims to
Prevent Payment Of Years Salary to
Internationally Necessary to
Prevent Actual Poverty.
Especial Correspondence

Washington, Oct S1.-The resolution
of Senator Kenyon, which proposes to
abolish the senate practice of granting
one years salary Of senator on his
death to his family or widow has
stirred UP a lot Of talk in senate circles
and elsewhere
The talk centers around the question
whether this public money ought to be
SO freely given or whether the practice
should be discontinued. Widows of
salary and at times a years salary.
Senator Kenyon and Senator Borah
first introduced the resolution Jointly.
rms was objected to. Senator Ken
yon then concluded to introduce the
resolution on his own responsibility
and Senator Borah will also introduce
one.
Probabilities are nothing will come
of the resolution but the discussion of
it raises some interesting points with
respect to the character and PERSONAL
ity Of the men sent to the senate.
opinion for and against the abolition.
Of the practice can easily be found
MiIiionainss Club No More.
The senate has long been called the
M illionaires Club" However, this
term gives an entirely wrong idea OF
the senate. AS a matter Of fact most
OF the members of the senate today
are comparatively poor men and it has
been so for years. What has given
the public the idea the senate is a
bunch of millionaire is the fact that
number Of extremely wealthy men
have been elected to the upper house
in recent years. These senators are
we'll known thruout the country. Just
row. Uncle Ike Stephenson is the
richest man in the senate. He Is many
times millionaire by reason Of jul
dicious forethought on the subject of
lumber. Senator Newiands, Of Nevada,
is millionaire and SO is Senator
Oliver. Of Pennsylvania, and Senator
Warren, Of Wyoming. A dozen more
senators who are unusually rich men
can easily be picked out.
Now. in the case Of the death Of
rich senator. or one comfortably we'll
tO-do, the question raised by Senators
Kenyon and Borah is whether it is not
a wrongful waste OF public money and
needless prodigality to give the widow
or family years salary. It is argued
they do not need it and the drain on
the public purse ought not be allowed.
Another Side to It
But there is another side to 1t. This
Is being argued with much force also.
1t is pointed out many Of the men
in the senate are poor. Some Of them
are poor from having spent years in
public life. And the years salary that
goes to the widow or children in such
cases is sometimes little short Of an
actual necessity.
The came situation obtains in the
house. But it is less conspicuously
noticed there for the reason a large
percentage Of the members OF that
body only serve a two-year term or
two and then get RELOCATED to private
life.
Some interesting examples are cited
OF senator's who at the time Of their
death had little of this worlds goods
To leave their families. u Is more or
less embarrassing to name names In
such instances. One Of those COM
monty referred to and well known
about in senate circles is that of Sem
ator Bob" Taylor, Of Tennessee.
''Fidding Bob Of Happy Valley, three
times governor OF his state and one
term IL the house. has earned large
sums on the lecture platform. He had
lectured north, south, east and west
and had delighted vast audiences. Few
men in the country made more money
than he in this manner But what
came Of it? Generous in the extreme,
most Of it went to pay off church debts,
to help out needy friends. and to bene-
fit others than himself. When he died,
no man who ever sat in the senate was
more rich than he in the flood Of
heartfelt memories that followed after
him to his grave. but he left precious
little money or property. This was
a case where the years salary could
not be objected to and it would be
possible easily to recount many others
For the reason that SO many men in
public life are poor, tho there are rich
exceptions, it is likely the senate will
adhere to the old practice and the
house likewise.