The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-02-18
BACON DIES SUDDENLY.
GcOrgia's Venerable Senator Passes
Away i'm Washington.

Octavius Bacon United States senator
from Georgia for nearly nineteen years
and chairman of the foreign relations
committee since the ascendancy of the
Democratic party, March 4. 1913,
died today in q hospital here after an
illness o. ten days. He was the first
United States senator elected by di-
rect vote of the people under the
seventeenth constitutional amend
ment.
Though Senator 81 ,on had been Sc
riously Ill with kidney trouble and
complications developed from a brok-
en rib. his death was unexpected. 1t
came suddenly at o'clock in the af-
ternoon and news OF the end fell up
on the senate as shock while it was
in executive session.
The immediate cause of the sena-
tors death was diagnosed as q blood
morning ne had been in good spirits
and 1t was announced to his col
leagues that he was feeling better
than for several days. Physicians
had determined that an operation
which had been contemplated was un-
necessary Despite his rs years it
appeared that the afiiiction which he
suffered was OF recent origin and
specialists believed it would yield to
treatment. This conclusion relieved
considerably the anxiety Of his friends
and associates in congress.
Half an hour before his death the
senator talked with his daughter. Mrs
w. b. Sparks, of Georgia. She had
just left the room when he raised
himself in bed AS Mrs. Sparks re-
entered the room her father fell back
in collapse and never regained con-
sciousness.
Augustus Octavius Bacon, four
times elected TO the United States SEN
ate from Georgia, was the first man
To be sent to the senate by direct
vote OF the people under the terms OF
the 18th amendment TO the constitu-
tion proclaimed in February. 1913.
AS Confederate soldier, a member
OF the Georgia legislature and later
81 United states senator. the Georgian
had a notable career and occupied
many positions OF distinction, mount
ing in the estimation of his colleagues
until he was made chairman OF the
senate committee on foreign relations
when the Democratic party reGained
supremacy in the upper house OF con-
gress with the election of President
Wilson in November 1912. AS aid to
President Wilson IN his policy Of
"watchful waiting" in the relations
with Mexico. Senator Bacon was many
times commended b. the nations CHIEF
executive. IT was his insistence that
the policy Of the government toward
Mexico. as directed by the President.
should not be hampered by useless or
intlammatory debate which many
times prevented outbursts to embar-
rass the administration i'm dealing with
the Mexican situation. For his sue
cess i'm tempering the excitement and
suppressing incipient efforts to arouse
public sentiment the Georgia senator
was several times congratulated, not
only by his Democratic colleagues, but
by Republican leaders in the senate
as well.
Last summer. when the Mexican
trouble seemed most threatening and
several senators attempted to provoke
discussion OF the situation. Senator
the cabinet bc permitted to direct the
Mexican policy without Interference
His plea for non-partisan considora-
7 tion of the subject eventually was
needed He was frequently consulted
by the president. not only with rel2-
tiou To McXico. but more recently In
shaping tho policy of the nation with
reference to all foreign relations and
Tho effort to rCjuvenatc the arhitra-
ton treaties that expired during 1853
Senator EacOn was born in Bryan
county, Ga. october 20. 1899. and foi
many years made his homo in Macon
ON being graduated from tho Univcr-
sity Of Georgia law department il
1860 nc entered the Confederate army
and served during tho campaigns o'
1861 and 1862 as adiutant of tho 3tl
Georgia regiment in tho Army %
Northern Virginia. subsequently IN
was commissioned as captain in tn,
provisional army of the C0nfodclat,
Stctcs and was assigned To genera
staff duty.