The Speaker in the Senate

On the 3rd of March, 1925, at the age of 73, Frederick Huntington Gillett will quit the chamber where for 32 years he will have served the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Leaving the hall where he has done the greater part of his life's work, he will walk up the long, long corridor, through the rotunda, and still on through the long, long corridor to the hall at the opposite end of the tremendous building on Capitol Hill.

His new place comes to him by virtue of adventure, and as a reward. After 32 years in the service of a devoted constituency, which returned him regularly to office every two years during a career more meritorious than spectacular; after holding for six years the highest post which his colleagues could bestow--the Speakership--he chose to essay the more difficult and dubious task of winning the electorate of Massachusetts to send him to the Senate for the culmination of his career.

There were, doubtless, other considerations that moved him to stand for the office. The quiet, conservative, impartial Speaker had earned the friendship of the silent President. In 1920, it was the Speaker who placed Calvin Coolidge in nomination for President of the U. S. Since Mr. Coolidge's actual accession to the Presidency, Mr. Gillett has supported him consistently and quietly. There was, more than once, evidence that the Speaker of the House was more in accord with the President's views than the senior Senator, Lodge from Massachusetts--the Republican floor leader in the Senate.

It was but natural that the President should desire to see as firm and faithful a supporter as Mr. Gillett as his spokesman in the Upper House. So Mr. Gillett announced his intention to contest the seat of Massachusetts Democratic Senator, David I. Walsh. The contest with Mr. Walsh was no little matter, for the latter had entrenched himself with Wet support, with support of foreign born voters (by opposing the passage of the new Immigration Law), with support of War veterans (whose measures he had favored). Against this, Mr. Gillett had his own record as a competent presiding officer, with a keen mind, a quiet exterior; and he had the support of the Administration. The outcome was far closer than that of the Presidential race. Mr. Coolidge had a plurality of 428,505 to Mr. Gillett's 20,000. But, nevertheless, Mr. Gillett's adventure was successful.

What situation might have developed with the two veteran legislators of Massachusetts sitting in the same Chamber--Mr. Lodge, the floor leader, at the head of the dwindling ranks of the Old Guard and Mr. Gillett, by his side, representing a conservative, but another and a newer order--no one can tell. Death intervened; and now the venerable representation of Massachusetts has but one allegiance.