The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-29
Death Closes Fifty Years
Of Continuous Pub
lie Service.
FUNERAL WILL BE
AT SPRINGFIELD
Venerable Statesman Brought
Into Official Relations With
Every President From Lin
coin to Wilson-Hoped to
See Completion of Lin
coin Memorial.

Warrington January ,s.-Former
Senator Shelby NJ Cullon. of Illinois,
died here to day. after an illness of
more than a week. during which he
hovercd between life and death
The Senate adjourned for the day
az a mark Of respect to the memory
of tho former Senator when his death
was announced by Senator Sherman.
FIFTY Years In Public Life.
Shelby Moore Cullom's death ended
hfty years of continuous public SER
vice that had made him q figure in
him into official relations with every
President from Abraham Lincoln 10
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
inSton than any one else whom I
know"
AS plowboy driving his fathers
oxen over the fresh prairie OF Illinois
ne mad known and talked with sur
viTors OF the revolution. and on the
rugged foundations of life begun
in pioneer hardships OF family of
twelve children mad built career that
took him 10 the Illinois Legislature as
a member; Speaker OF the Assembly,
L.
service in the national House of Rep
rcsentatives. and thirty consecutive
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
norm. in 1929, down in the Elk Spring
VALLEY OF kentucky. near the Cum
ber'and, where the Culloms of Mary-
land. and the Coneys. of North Caro-
lima. drifting westward with the tides
or immigration that set in at the close
OF the Revolution, founded their early
home.
Changes Among the Nations.
During the year 1929" Mr.. Cullom
recently wrote TO illustrate the epoch
in which he began life the crown
Of Grea; Britain descended from King
George ~. TO King William w;
that reign passed away, and / have
liNed 10 see the long reign OF Victoria
come and go: the reign OF King Ed
ward come and go and the accession of
King George V Charles V ruled in
France; Francis /. in Austria: Fred
erick William III in Prussia; Nicholas
In Russia; while Leo XII. governed
the papal States, the Kingdom of itaiV
not Yet having come into existence.
The United Kingdom OF Great Britain
and Ireland had not Vet n population
OF "l,oo0OcO all told. No man who
had not served his country in some
capacity in the Revolutionary War had
been elevated to the presidency of tho
United States. and this was the case
until 1913"
Times and events in his own coun-
try were no less stirring, and his part
In them was n marked one Ken
lucky was a slave State at his birth,
the controversy which was to hatch
into great Civil War was in the
process OF incubation. IN fact the Cul-
Ions moved to Illinois to be in a free
State. and Chicago then was a small
village The elder Cullom was then a
friend of Lincoln's, recommending the
struggling backwoods lawyer to pros
pective clients. Young Cullom's first
recollection of the future war Presi-
dent was under such circumstances
ScraplnS together the rudiments of an
education gained by toiling over rough
primeval roads he became successfully
student at Mount Morris Academy, n
country school teacher and n lawyer,
being admitted to tho bar at SPRING
field in 1855.
Begins Political Career.
When he became city attorney OF
Springfield he launched upon po-
litical career, which for a record of
unbroken service, is unchallengcd as
exceeding that of any other American.
Among his first political experiences
WIS the novelty or belnp elected and
defeated at the same election. He was
elected to tho Legislature and defeat
cd as an elector on the Fillmore ticket.
Then came the historic Lincoln and
Douglas debates, and Culloms intimate
association with Lincoln, whom he fol-
lowed into the ranks OF tho Repub-
lican party. He presided over the ses-
sion of the Illinois House. at which, af-
ter Fort sumter had been fred upon
stephen \. Douglas appeared and made
his dramatic plea for the preservation
OF the Union During the first OF Pres
idenr I.incoln's second term Mr.. Gull
lom came to tile national House OF
Repro osentatives and began a work
which was practically interrupted only
when he served two terms Gov
ernor of Illinois. Lincoln was assas-
sinatcd soon after Cullom entered
Washington life and the young leGis-
lator was a member of the committee
that demanded the return of the Presi-
dents body to Springfield. Then, when
the country began to recover from
what seemed final blow and the re-
construction set in with the thirty
Continued On Fifth Pagc.)