Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-02-16
DAILY KENNEBEC JOURNAL. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16 1914 -

DAlL Il MIN IN IlDlL\
sincerely deplore his death. 1t deprives
the Senate Of one of its Oldest and
most experienced members. man who
held something like reverence to the
traditions of the great body of which
he was so long part and who sought
in all that he did to maintain its stan
dards of craftsmanship and service.
THE great state of Georgia will
greatly miss her distinguished son ana
servant. My own association with MIN
had been of the most cordial, and, 10
me, helpful sort. l particularly profit
ell by his experience in foreign analrs'
John Bassett Moore, counselor OF
the state department. and Acting Sec
retary in the absence of Mr.. Bryan,
said Saturday night:
Senator Bacon was a man OF rare
ability and profound knowledge Oh
American affairs. both foreign ana
domestic. His death is great loss
both TO the Senate and to the coun-
trv. His place will be hard to fill
The successor of Senator Bacon as
chairman of the foreign relations COM
mittee probably will be Senator WIZ
liam J. Stone of Missouri ranking
Democrat on the committee, who now
is confined to his home by illness IN
his absence Senator Shively OF lnoi-
ana. next in rank, is serving as acting
chairman Of the committee.
Seniority usually prevails IN success
sion on this committee unless the
ranking member does not desire To
undertake the task. Should Senator
stone waive the honor. Democratic
conference probably would be called
to discuss the craftsmanship.
Governor to Name Successor.
AS to succession in the Senate, no
contest can arise because OF the ldh
Constitutional amendment. After TINS
amendment had been proclaimed, the
Georgia Legislature was called in spe-
cial session and, after Senator Bacon
had been re-eiected for his fourth term
at a special election, a law was passed
providing that the Governor OF the
state should make temporary appoint
ment to fill a vacancy until the next
special election.
This law was passed upon the advice
of Senator Bacon himself. and makes
impossible such complications as re-
Gently arose in Maryland and Alabama
which the Senate settled within the
last month
The regular election in Georgia will
occur next October. Meantime Gov.
John Slaton of Georgia will name
temporary successor to Senator Bacon.
Ex-Gov. Joseph E. Brown and Clark
Howell, editor of the Atlanta Consti-
tuition, were mentioned here today
among possibilities for the temporary
appointment Gov. Slaton, it is said,
will be a candidate at the primaries
in August for the Senatorial nomina-
tion.
Senator Bacon's Career.
Augustus Octavius Bacon. four times
elected to the United States Senate
from Georgia. was the first man to be
sent to the Senate by direct vote of
the people under the terms of the l7th
amendment to the Constitution, pro-
claimed in February, 1913.
As an aid to President Wilson in his
policy of "watehful waiting" in the
relations with Mexico, Senator Bacon
was many times commended by the
nations Chief Executive. 1t was his
insistence! that the policy of the gov
ernfiient toward Mexico as directed
by the President should not be hamp
cred by useless or inf1ammatory de-
bate which many times prevented out
bursts TO -embarrass the administra-
ton In dealing with the Mexican sit
alton
He was frequently consulted by the
President in shaping the policy of the
nation with reference to all foreign re-
lations and the effort to rejuvenate
the arbitration treaties with other ma
tions that expired during 1919 and the
early part Of 1914.
Senator Bacon was born in Bryan
county, Ca, Oct. 20, 1889. On being
graduated from the University OF
Georgia law department in 1860 he, en-
tered the Confederate army. attaining
the rank of captain,
After the war, Senator Bacon began
the practice of law and took an active
part in politics. In 1871 he was elected
to the Georgia House of Representa-
tiyes, serving in the Legislature for
II years, ard was eight years Speaker
of the House.
He was first elected to the United
States Senate in 1894, reelected in
1900 and again in 1907. In 1913, he was
unanimously reelected in a general
popular election. Senator Bacon served
rs president pro tempora Of the Sen
ate during a portion of the 62d Con-
gress and presided over the Senate
during the impeachment of Judge Rob-
ert W. Archibald in 1913.