chairman, and
in 1900 was chairman of the Committee on Resolutions of the National
Convention which met at Philadelphia. He entered the Senate in
1897, and during the following year was appointed by President
McKinley a member of the United States and British Joint High
Commission for the adjustment of all outstanding questions concerning
the United States and Canada. The commission was an exceedingly
important one, but failing to agree on the Alaskan boundary, it
was compelled to adjourn without settling any of the questions
before it. Its labors were not wasted, however, as it furnished
the nucleus for the final adjustment of those questions under the
administration of Mr. Root, in the State Department.

Senator Fairbanks was a close personal friend of President McKinley,
and almost immediately assumed quite an important position in the
Senate. He was appointed to the Committee on Foreign Relations,
of which he was quite an able and influential member, as he was of
every committee of the Senate on which he served. He accepted the
nomination of the Republican Convention of 1904 for Vice-President.
I considered that his proper place was in the Senate; but for some
reason or other he gave it out that he would not decline the
nomination for the office of Vice-President, and neither would he
seek it. The Convention very wisely determined that he was the
best candidate that could be nominated. The duties of the Vice-
President are not very arduous; but in all my service in the Senate
I do not know of a Vice-President who so strictly observed the
obligation adherent to the office as did Mr. Fairbanks. He was a
candidate for President in 1908 but was defeated by President Taft.

Since his retirement from the Vice-Presidency, he has at least
twice been tendered high appointments in the diplomatic service,
first as Ambassador to the Court of St. James, and, later (it having
been rumored while he was travelling in China that he had expressed
himself as favorably inclined toward the acceptance of the position
of minister to that country), Secretary Knox indicated a desire
through mutual friends to have him appointed. Mr. Fairbanks thanked
his friends, but declined the appointment.

In his tour around the world after retiring from the office of Vice-
President, he conducted himself with great dignity and propriety.

Senator Albert J. Beveridge succeeded Senator Fairbanks, as a member
of the Committee on Foreign Relat