The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1914-01-29
SENATOR CuLL0M
DIES AFTER FIFTY
YEARS OF SERVICE
Intimate Friend of Lin
coin Ends Notable
Career.
80 YEARS SENATOR
Only Two Men Held Seats
There For Longer Period
Than He Did.
80 YEARS SENATOR

Washington, ID. C.-Former Unit
ed States Senator Shelby NJ. Cullom,
OF illinois. died today His last words
were wish that he might have liv-
ed 10 see the completion of the ma
J tional memoritl to Abraham Lincoln.
his personal friend. He was uncon-
sclous for several hours before the
end.
Cullom's last hours We're divided
between spells OF consciousness and
short intervals in which he recognize
ed those at his bedside.
The funeral arrangements are not
completed. The remains probably
will be buried in Oak Ridge ceme-
terry, Springfield, Illinois. near the
tombs of Lincoln and other promin-
ent men.
30 Years OF Service.
Shelby Moore Cullom's death end
ed fifty years of continuous public
service that had made him figure in
American national life and brought
him into official relations with every
| president from Abraham Lincoln to
Woodrow Wilson President Taft once
said of him.
why, here's my old friend Uncle
Shelby; he comes nearer connecting
the present with the days of Wash
ington than any one else whom |
know"
AS plowboy driving his fathers
oxen over the fresh prairie of Illi-
nois he had known and talked with
survivors of the Revolution and on
|
gun in pioneer hardships of family
of twelve children had built a career
that took him to the Illinois legislat-
ure as member; speaker OF the as.
sembly, two terms in the governors
chair. service in the national House
of Representatives, and thirty con-
secutive years in the United States
Senate.
His nearest living contemporary
probably is Uncle joe Cannon,
whose senior he was some seven
years by birth and some three years
in national service.
| Andrew Jackson was president of
the United States when Mr.. Cullom
was born in 1929 down in the Elk
Springs Valley OF Kentucky, near the
Cumberland where the Culloms OF
Maryland and the Coffeys of North
Carolina. drifted westward with the
tides of the immigration that set in
at the close OF the Revolution, found
ed their early home.
Scraping together the rudiments
OF an education gained by toiling over
rough primeval roads he became sue
cessiyely a student at Mount Morris
Academy, a country school teacher
and a lawyer, being admitted to the
bar at Springfield in 1855
When he became city attorney of
Springfield he launched upon poll
tical career, which for a record of
unbrOken service, is unchallenged as
exceeding that of any other Americ-
Ian.
Stood With Lincoln.
Then came the historic Lincoln
and Douglas debates and Cullom's
intimate association with Lincoln,
whom he followed into the ranks OF
the republican party He presided
over the session Of the Illinois house
at which after Fort Sumpter had
been fired upon, Stephan A. Douglas
appeared and made his dramatic plea
for the preservation of the union.
;, During the first of President Lin
|coln's second term Mr.. Cullom came
to the National House of Representa-
tives and began a work which was
practically interrupted only when he
!, served two terms as governor of Illi-
nois. Lincoln was assassinated soon
after Cullom entered Washington
life and the young legislator was a
member Of the committee that de-
manded the return of the presidents s
: body to Springfield. Then when the
: country began to recover from what
5 seemed a final blow and the recon-
Istruction set in with the Thir-ninth
Congress, Cullom began his service
| with the Illinois delegation, and with
;, such colleagues in congress as Logan,
Wentworth, Blaine, Conkling, and
Hayes and Garfield, both of whom at
tanned the presidency.
Cullom's career as United States
3 senator began in 1883 when he re-
5 signed as governor and was elected
to succeed David Davis. His service
in the senate chamber was an un-
:, broken one for thirty years-five con-
secutive terms-a record excelled
only by two other men, Senator AL
V lison, of Iowa, and Senator Morrill, OF
Vermont.
He entered the senate in 1883, a
spry, active man OF fifty-four, he left
= it in 1913 fading, tottering man OF
Il eighty-four but with brain still
: bright and active. He used to tell q
q story OF how one day seeing Senator
Vest, very old, feeble looking and de
g jected. he said to Senator Morrill,
l. who then was some eighty-six:
y GO over and cheer Vest up bit,
whereat Morrill, walked over ant
stapping Vest on the shoulder said