Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-01-28
Began as City Attorney.

I
Began as City Attorney.
When he became city attorney OF
/ Springfield he launched upon a polit-
icaI career. which for a record of un-
broken service. is unchallenged as ex-
ceeding that of any other American
Among his first political experiences
was the novelty of being elected and
! defeated at the same election. He
was elected to the legislature and de-
feated as an elector on the Fillmore
ticket. Then came the historic Lin
coin and Douglas debate and Gull
lom's intimate association with Lin
coin. 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, Stephen A Douglas ap-
peared and made his dramatic plea for
the preservation OF the union. During
the first of President Lincoln's second
term Mr.. Cullom came to the national
house OF representatives and began
work which was practically interrupt
ed only when he served two terms as
governor of Illinois. Lincoln was as
sassinated soon after Cullom entered
Washington life and the young legis-
Iator was a member of the committee
that demanded the return of the pres
ident's body to Springfield. Then
when the country began to recover
from what seemed a final blow and the
reconstruction set in with the 39th
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 the latter
OF whom attained the presidency.
After six years in the house during
which he had seen the impeachment
of Andrew Johnson and taken part in
the making of a most critical period
of American history, he returned to
Illinois vowing never again to take
Office. only to become speaker of the
legislature and later governor. At the
Philadelphia convention he placed
Grant in nomination for his second
term in which is said to be the short
est nominating speech ever delivered.
1t contained 40 words.
Career In the Senate.
Cullom's career as a United States
senator began in 1883 when he resign
ed as governor and was elected to
succeed David Davis. His service in
the senate chamber was an unbroken
one for 80 years-five consecutive
terms-a record excelled only by two
other men, Senator Allison of Iowa,
and Senator Morrill, OF Vermont.
He entered the senate in 1888, a spry,
active man of 81. lie left it in 1913.
fading. tottering man of 81 but with
brain still bright and active. He used
to tell a story of how one day seeing
Senator Vest, very old. feeble looking
and detected, he said to Senator Nor
rill. who then was some Sc:
GO over and cheer Vest up a Bit"
whereat Morrill, walked over and slap
ping Vest on the shoulder said: Cheer
up, old man; why, you're nothing but
a boy"
Down through the administrations
OF Cleveland. Harrison, Mckinley,
Roosevelt and Taft, he held important
chairmanships when his party was in
power, finally that OF the foreign re-
lations committee. generally consid-
cred the most important of the lot. He
had been chairman of the commission
which devised a form OF government
for the Hawaiian islands after their
annexation and had been chairman OF
the committee which first reported a
bill for the creation of the Interstate
commerce commission. His work as
chairman of the foreign relations COM
mittee since the Spanish war is COM
paratively fresh in the public mind |
He was an ardent supporter OF the
peace treaties proposed by President
Taft and which were so emasculated |
by the senate that they never were !
Slowly Fading Away.
During the last few years his friends |
had seen him slowly fading away in |
body and he became so feeble that |
his voice in the senate chamber was |
not heard farther than the clerks I
desk His term ended March 3. 1913. /
and he was appointed chairman OF the /
Lincoln Memorial commission created /
by congress TO superintend the cree
ton OF the $4,000 900 memorial In that
city. The one wish expressed on his
death bed was that he might live 10
see the completion of the national me-
mortal 10 his old friend. His memoirs
of 80 years OF public service finished
1nfv n NovV -