The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1914-02-20
SENATOR BACON DIES
AFTER BRIEF ATTACK
Georgian Dies as Result of Affection
Originating About Ten Days
AgO.-Head of Committee
on Foreign Affairs.

washington, FeD. l4.-AuguSCuS
Octavius Bacon, United States sena-
tor from Georgia for nearly 10 years,
and chairman of the foreign relations
committee since the ascendancy of
the Democratic party, March 4, 1918,
died today in a hospital here, after an
illness of ten days. He was the first
United States senator elected by di-
rect vote of the people under the 18th
constitutional amendment. Though
Senator Bacon had been seriously ill
with kidney trouble and compli-
cations developing from broken rib,
his death was unexpected. 1t came
suddenly at 2 o'clock in the afternoon
and news of the end fell upon the
senate as shock while it was in ex-
ecutive session.
The immediate cause of the sena-
tors death was diagnosed as blood
clot in the heart Throughout the
morning he had been in good spirits
and it was announced to his colleag-
ues that he was feeling better than
for several days. Physicians had de-
termined that an operation which had
been contemplated was unnecessary.
Despite his rs years, it appeared that
the aff1iction which he suffered was of
recent origin and specialists believed
it would yield to treatment. This con-
clusion relieved considerably the anx-
iety of his friends and associates in
congress.
Death Came Suddenly.
Half an hour before his death the
senator talked with his daughter,
Mrs. w. B. Sparkes of Georgia. She
had just left the room when he
raised himself in bed. AS Mrs.
Sparkes reentered the room her
father fell back in collase and never
regained consciousness.
In the absence of Senator Hoke
Smith of Georgia Senator Overman
was notified and proceedings in the
senate were abruptly halted when
he announced the death. A brief
resolution of respect was adopted.
For several minutes the senator's,
shocked at the sudden tidings, re-
mained in the chamber, discussing
what should be done, but later ar
rangements were made for a public
funeral in the senate chamber next
Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock to be
attended by the senate and house of
representatives, the president of
the United States and his cabinet,
justices of the supreme court, mem
bers of the diplomatic corps, the
admiral of the navy and chief staff
floor of the senate was an unusual
one. Not only had the death of
their colleague shocked the sena-
tors, but the effect of his loss at a
time when important foreign rela-
tion measures were pending at once
impressed itself upon the minds of
Democratic and Republican lead
ers.
DISTINGUISHED Career.
AS Confederate soldier, a men,
Der of the Georgia legislature and
later United States senator, SEN
ator Bacon had notable career and
occupied many positions of distinc-
tion, mounting in the estimation of
his colleagues until he was made
chairman of the senate committee on
foreign relations when the Democrat
lc party regained supremacy in the
upper house of congress with the
election of President Wilson in No
vember, 1912. AS aid to President
Wilson in his policy of "watchful
waiting" in the relations with Mex
leo, Senator Bacon was many times
commended by the nations chief ex-
ecutive. 1t was his insistence that
the policy of the government toward
Mexico as directed by the president
should not be hampered by useless
or inflammatory debate which many
times prevented outbursts to embar-
rass the administration in dealing
with the Mexican situation. For his
success in tempering the excitement
and suppressing incipient efforts to
arouse public sentiment, the Georgia
senator was several times congratu-
lated not only by his Democratic COL
leagues but by Republican leaders
In the senate as we'll.
Last summer, when the Mexican
trouble seemed most threatening and
several senators attempted to pro-
woke discussion of the situation, Sem
ator Bacon urged that the president
and the cabinet be permitted to di-
rect the Mexican policy without in.
terference. His plea for nonpartisan
consideration of the subject eventual
ly was needed. He was frequently
consulted by the president not only
with relation to Mexico but more re-
Gently in shaping the policy of the
nation with reference to all foreign
relations and the effort to rejuvenate
the arbitration treaties that expired
during 1913.
Born in 1889.
Senator Bacon was born in Bryan
county, Georgia, October 20, 1889,