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PROCEEDINGS

OF THE SENATE OF PENNSYLVANIA

IN COMMEMORATION OF

HON. THOMAS B. HARPER,

LATE A SENATOR

FROM THE TWELFTH DISTRICT,

TUESDAY MARCH 7 1911.

Ck 1^.^30

(2)

RESOLUTION.

In the Senate,
March 8, 1911.
Resolved (if the House of Representatives concur),
That one thousand (1,000) copies of the proceedings
of the memorial services, held in honor of the late
Honorable Thomas B. Harper, be printed for the use
of the Senate.
HARMON M. KEPHART,
Chief Clerk of the Senate.
The foregoing' resolution concurred in March 13,
1911.
THOMAS H. GARVIN,
Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives.
Approved— The 15th day of March, A. D. 1911.
JOHN K. TENER.

(3)

(4)

PROCEEDINGS
OF THE SENATE OF PENNSYLVANIA
UPON THE DEATH OF
HON. THOMAS B. HARPER.

In the Senate,
Tuesday, February 21, 1911.
On motion of Senator Heacock, the following reso
lution was twice read, considered and agreed to, viz :
Resolved, That a committee of eight members of the
Senate be appointed to draft suitable resolutions on
the death of the late Senator, Thomas B. Harper, who
died on May eighteen, one thousand nine hundred and
ten, and present said resolutions at a special meeting
to be held on Tuesday afternoon, March seven, at
three o'clock.

(5)

(6)

MEMORIAL RESOLUTIONS AND
ADDRESSES.

In the Senate,
Tuesday, March 7, 1911.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The time of recess having elapsed the Senate was
called to order at three o'clock post meridian, the
President Pro Tempore, Mr. Crow, in the chair.
PRAYER.
Prayer was offered by- Reverend Harry Nelson
Bassler, as follows:
Heavenly Father, we recognize to-day the strength
and beauty of Thy promises unt^ us, when Thou hast
said, I am the Resurrection and the Life. He that be-
lieveth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.
We retognize anew that here below we have no con
tinuing city, but that we are traveling to that city
whose builder and maker is God. Prepare us more
and more for that day and life. We thank Thee for
the life — for the association and the companionship
of our brother. Help us by Thy grace and by Thy sus
taining power to appreciate more and more those
whom God sent into our life. May we exemplify all
that is true and beautiful and good in them. May we
perpetuate those virtues that we have found in them.
(7)

Memorial Services.

Those who mourn strengthen, comfort and keep
them, lead them and us by Thy presence so that when
life's work is over, and life's race run, we may enter
that home made by hands eternal in the heavens. We
ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.
Mr. HEACOCK. Mr. President, I offer the fol
lowing resolutions :
RESOLUTIONS.
Whereas, It has pleased Almighty God to call to
Him on May 18, 1910, the Honorable Thomas B.
Harper, the Senator from the Twelfth District, and
Whereas, His public character and services demand
prominent commemoration; therefore be it
Resolved, That the loss to his own community and
to his many associates is irreparable. The loss to the
Commonwealth is great, but the greatest of all is to
his own home, and we, the members of the Senate sur
viving, tender our condolence to his family so bereaved
and direct that a copy of these resolutions, duly en
grossed and attested, be forwarded to his widow.
JOSEPH HEACOCK,
CHARLES H. KLINE,
FRANCIS S. McILHENNY,
FRANK E. BALDWIN,
OSCAR E. THOMSON,
THEODORE M. KURTZ,
EDWIN H. VARE,
CLARENCE J. BUCKMAN.
On the question.
Will the Senate agree to the resolutions?

Eon. Thomas B. Harper.

ADDRESSES.
Mr. HEACOCK. Mr. President, The death of the
late Senator, Thomas B. Harper, who died on May
eighteenth, one thousand nine hundred and ten, has
been a great loss to the district he represented, and
coming so suddenly was a great shock to all who knew
him, for every one was his friend and he was the friend
of every one.
I knew Senator Harper from his birth and had pre
viously known his parents and grandparents. When
I was a little boy his father, Charles Harper, kept the
principal store in Jenkintown and in the house ad
joining Thomas Buckman Harper was born. I knew
him as a child, a young man, and then as a man of
mature years, and never knew anything of him but to
his credit.
Educated in the school of the village he went early
into his father's store, to which business he later suc
ceeded, but was not successful. Facing the future as
only an American can, he hired a well-drilling machine
and gave the business his undivided attention. He
made it a great success and at the time of his death he
owned a dozen machines and had them at work in all
parts of the country, by means of which he had
amassed quite a fortune.
He married Margaret, only daughter of William
Bennett Carrell, at the old Carrell homestead at Ivy-
land, Bucks county. Pa., on October 8, 1879, who, with
two sons and two daughters, survives him, his son,
William Carrell Harper, succeeding in his father's
business. Big hearted and generous he was liked by every one.
For twenty years he had served Grace Presbyterian
Church as trustee. He was elected a director of the

10 Memorial Services.
Jenkintown National Bank, December l4, 1905, and
served in that capacity until his death. He served
the borough of Jenkintown as burgess and for many
years had been treasurer of the Pioneer Fire Company
of his native town.
The Twelfth Senatorial District has been singularly
unfortunate in having, two of its Senators in succession
claimed by death and, after the death of Senator
Roberts, Thomas Buckman Harper was elected to fill
the vacancy. A better selection could not have been
made, and you members of the Senate know how faith
fully he performed his duties, and those of the Senators
who attended the funeral know how many of his
friends were there to attend the last sad rites. Taken
from us in the prime of his life our loss is indeed great,
but the greatest loss is the irreparable loss to his
family, who have our sincere sympathy.
Mr. McILHENNY. Mr. President, I rise to pay a
brief tribute to the memory of the late Senator from
Montgomery county.
Senator Harper's career was so limited in our body
that I did not grow to know him so well as I would
have liked. Nevertheless, since he succeeded my
friend Senator Roberts, and also from the fact that
Montgomery county and the district I represent border
each other, I doubtless knew him better and was
thrown more closely with him than any other of our
colleagues. Such a death brings closely home to us the ever
recurring riddle of a mysterious Providence.
While in robust health sudden disease overtook him
at an age when in the course of nature he might have
looked forward to many years of active service in this
Senate.

Hon. Thomas B. Harper. 11
He was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth,
but like so many of our fellow American citizens who
have attained prominence in public and private life,
he climbed the ladder of advancement with no aid but
his own energy and perseverance.
His life, although short, yet was distinguished by
solid success in the conduct of a useful business and by
an active part in the government and life of his com
munity. Senator Harper's death is but an example of the
many changes which have taken place in the Senate
during the past four years. Only twelve senators who
were here when I entered the Senate four years ago
are members to-day. These changes cannot but com
pel the thought that at no distant date the career of
each of us here will likely terminate. How grave the
responsibility while we are here that we prove true to
the trusts given by the people of this State to our
keeping. Senator Harper's name is now added to that long
roll of those who have served here and are now no
more. His manners were simple and unpretentious. His
relations with the other senators marked by considera
tion and kindliness and his public duties performed in
such a manner as to indicate an earnest desire to serve
his constituents and this State with fidelity and honor.
"Sweet is the scene when -virtue dies !
When sinks a righteous soul to rest,
How mildly beam the closing eyes.
How gently heaves the expiring breast.
Triumphant smiles the -victor brow,
Fanned by some angel's purple -wing.
Where, oh grave! thy victory now?
And where, insidious death, thy stiHg?

12 Memorial Services.

Its duty done — as sinks the day,
Light from its load the spirit flies,
While heaven and earth combine to say,
'Sweet is the scene when virtue dies !' "
Mr. President, I beg to second the resolutions.
Mr. BALDWIN. Mr. President, My acquaintance
with Senator Harper only dates back to the time of his
entrance in the Senate in February, 1909. Our seats
were near together and we became very friendly, and
I was very fond of him. He had a beautiful person
ality, was quiet, modest and unassuming but possessed
an extremely good knowledge of men and affairs,
which was a great advantage in his intercourse with
his fellowmen and as a member of the Senate. He
was at all times kind, courteous and obliging and never
missed an opportunity to show his kindness and friend
ship to his associates.
Senator Harper was very attentive to his duties as
a legislator and was always found in his place. It will
be remembered that he was not elected until February
16, 1909, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of
Senator Roberts, but at the time of his death he was
the candidate of his party for renomination and would
very surely have become a very prominent member of
this body. We are very forcibly reminded of the un
certainties of life when we realize that within two
years two Senators from Montgomery county have
died and three members of our session of 1909. Some
poet has written these lines:
"They are slipping away — these sweet, swift years
Like a leaf on the current cast,
With never a break in their rapid flow
We watch them as one by one they go
Into the beautiful past."

Hon. Thomas B. Harper. 13

There are only a few years left to live,
Shall we waste them in idle strife?
Shall we trample under our ruthless feet
Those beautiful blossoms fair and sweet,
By the dusty ways of life?
There are only a few swift years — ah, let
No envious taunts be heard ;
Make life's fair pattern of rare design,
And fill up the measure with love's sweet wine,
But never an angry word !
Strew gladness on the paths of men,
Tou will not pass this way again."
Our departed brother was of a most bright, happy
and affable disposition and did "strew gladness on the
paths of men."
He was a warm-hearted true friend, a loving hus
band and father and a good citizen of the highest type.
"His life was gentle and the elements
So mix'd in him, that nature might stand up
And say to all the world, 'This was a man.'"
I deem it a privilege, Mr. President and fellow-
Senators, to add on this occasion this hastily prepared
tribute to his memory.
And the question recurring,
Will the Senate agree to the resolutions?
The yeas and nays were taken and were as follows,
viz:

YEAS— 50.

Adams,

Cooper,

Hays,

Jamison,

Alexander,

DeWitt,

Heacock,

Jarrett,

Baldwin ,

Endsley,

Herbst,

Jones ,

Buckman ,

Fox,

Homsher,

Judson,

Catlin,

Gerberich ,

, Huffman,

Keyser,

Clark,

Hall,

Hunter,

Kline,

14

Memorial Services.

Knapp ,

McNichols

Snyder,

Weingartner,

Kurtz,

Miller,.

Sones,

Wertz,

Manbeck,

Morgan ,

Sproul,

¦ Wilbert,

Martin ,

Nulty,

Thomson ,

Wolf,

McConnell,

Powell,

Tustin,

Crow,

Mcllhenny,

Salus,

Vare,

Pres. pro tem.

McNichol,

Shields,

Washers,
NATS— 0.

All the Senators having voted "aye," the resolution
was unanimously agreed to.
Mr. TUSTIN. Mr. President, I move that the Sen
ate take a recess until four o'clock.
Mr. FOX. Mr. President, I second the motion.
The motion was agreed to.
At three fifty post meridian the Memorial proceed
ings were completed and the Senate took a recess
until four o'clock post meridian.