JOHN DENNIS DID PLENTY WITH HIS TERMS IN OFFICE

The announcement that John Dennis will not seek a fifth term in the Missouri Senate next year will not take many political observers by surprise. Forty years is a long time in public office, Jefferson City is a long way from Scott County, and the Benton Democrat would be 79 by the time the next term ended. Still, it will be peculiar to see 1993 roll around and not have this gentleman taking some oath of office. He is ingrained as part of this region's political psyche. His contributions to Southeast Missouri have been considerable, and his shoes will indeed be hard to fill.

Even without becoming a Capitol icon, Dennis had an admirable record of public service, having served as the Scott County sheriff for 24 years. When Albert M. Spradling of Cape Girardeau decided not to run for the district Senate seat in 1976, Dennis bolted the courthouse for the statehouse. He won that election and three since; in fact, he retires undefeated in public elections.

For all his years in politics, Dennis seldom involved himself in partisan squabbling. As sheriff, he was a Democrat in a county where it was natural as breathing to be one. As a senator, he spoke for his constituents first and his party somewhere down the line. Though he chaired the Senate Democratic Caucus for eight years, Republican officeholders in his district never hesitated to call on Dennis for assistance in a legislative matter, never feared they would get less attention for their political affiliation.

The Dennis resume of accomplishments is lengthy. As sheriff he served as president of the Missouri Sheriff's Association and the Missouri Peace Officers Association. In the Senate, he was a strong voice for law-and-order issues, helping shape legislation that strengthened law enforcement agencies, streamlined the penal system, championed a Regional Crime Lab for this area and addressed crowded conditions in state prisons. Dennis proved a relentless advocate for education, particularly Southeast Missouri State University. He worked tirelessly to bring economic opportunity and appropriate government services to his district.

As a side note, it should be pointed out that Dennis, through his years of public life, has remained a genuinely nice man, having not fallen victim to the pretensions high office sometimes exposes. In Jefferson City, he made time for visiting constituents and for the news media. Age brought him no irascible tendencies, only more of a fondness and willingness to serve the public.

The senator will be with us for some time yet; his current term won't expire until January 1993. His departure from the scene will set up an interesting scramble for the vacated seat. Our hope is whoever is voted to that post will do as much with it as John Dennis has.