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Rh in the house of representatives in August, 1900, upon being appointed United States senator to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator John Henry Gear who died July 14, 1900, and he took his seat in the United States senate December 3, 1900; and on January 21, 1902, he was elected his own successor by a majority of 94 out of 146 votes, his term to expire March 3, 1907. In the senate he was made chairman of the committee on Pacific Railroads, and a member of the committees on Agriculture and Forestry, Education and Labor, Improvements of the Mississippi River, Interstate Commerce, Post Office and Post Roads, and the select committee on Standards, Weights and Measures. He has been from childhood affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal church. He has found his chief recreation in fishing. He married, November 20, 1895, Louise Pearsons; and they have two children. He has received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Cornell college, Iowa, and from Bethany college, Kansas.