The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-11
SEREN0 E. PAYNE
DIES SUDDENLY
New York Congressman.
Leader Of His Party, Stricken
in Washington.
NOTED AS TARIFF EXPERT

WAsHrNoToN, Dec. 10 i;cpreso utative
Serene e. Payne OF New York. author Of
the Payne-A ldrich law and tho father OF
the Republican organization in the House.
died of heart disease at II 10 O'Clock to-
night He was in his apartment NJ the
Portland Apartment House when he was
stricken.
Mr. Payne died after q day spent In
diligent attention to his duties In The
House. lie was in his seat for the Greater
part OF the day. while the District OF
Columbia appropriation bill wds being
discussed LAKE this afternoon he made
"a short speech upon an item in the meas.
ure on which he was especially well IN
| formed. H. rode from tho Capitol on
street car to the Portland. where lie lived
alone
Mr.. Payne went TO his room about II
! o'clock Tonight. few miuu IS after
| retiring he realized that he vas IN and
| went to telephone to ask tue clerk
OF the apartment house To- summon
physician The clerk tc'cpnuIcG for
physician and hurried 20 MIR Payucs
| room He found him dyug AID he
breathed his last before the physician
could arrive.
Serene Elisha Payne. ono Of tho most
| picturesque and until the Democrats came
into power In the latter part 81 Preside Mt
| Tafts Administration ono Of the most
powerful members of tho House OF Repre-
sentatives. had a long career ~ public
service lie held office IN tA's state %. In
Congress wit hthe exception 90 two years.
| from 1865 down 20 the time ~ his death
lie was elected to Congress sixteen times.
falling only for election to the Fit eth
Congress
Mr.. Payne made public service his aim
almost from tho time he had finished
his education. H. was born at Hamilton,
" y. on June 90. lSI3. ard hy 1864
| he had graduated from the University OF
| Rochester. lie entered immediately on
the study q Law ard IN 1866 settled m
Auburn. y. Y. HIS abilities and his
tastes turned to politics. and IN 1868 ne
was elected city clerk
His rise In political power was steady
In 1871 he was elected Supery sor. aud
for six yeas, from 1873. he was Dis
trict Attorney OF CayuIa county. Then
! FOR three years he was president OF III.
Board OF Education of Auburn and IN
1889 was elected 70 the Forty-e ghtt
Congress.
Mr. Payne. keen and aggressive OF In
| tellect. devoted himself to the study %
! national questions chief among these was
tho tariff and before long he had Won for
/ himself a place on the ways and Means
1 Committee After the Democratic success
in the early oOs under Pres dent C.eve-
land ne was again back in the House
and soon was chairman o., hat committee
He held that position longer than any
other Congressman.
As chairman % that committee. which
ne held FOR al least SIX terms. he w8s
also the party loader on the floor ard
one OF the three members Of the Rules
Committee
He had an important part In the tram.
ing OF the Dneley and Mckinley ar
bills and he was himself the author OF the
Payue-Aldrlch tariff bin under Pres'ler'
TAFT
He was a picturesque figure on the Zoo
- the House tai b.otI shol.Ic-cI. Ni'l
white hair and heavy iroop.rE white
mus;achc. he always was co~sp uous
NJ Payne married Mss Ger'rg lC
Knapp % Auburn on Apr'l % 1879 Ms
Payne died in 1911