DAYTON DAILY NEWS                   Copyright (c) 1994, Dayton Newspapers Inc.DATE: Friday, November 18, 1994              TAG: 9411180112EDITION: CITY           SECTION: METRO/LOCAL NEWS PAGE: 2B SOURCE: By Tim Miller COLUMBUS BUREAU                           VERN RIFFE'S LAST HURRAH                 SPEAKER'S LONG REIGN UNLIKELY TO BE MATCHED COLUMBUS    Ohio House Speaker Vern Riffe presided over his final voting session Thursday, ending two decades of political power that likely will neverbe duplicated.   "It's not just the end of an era," said state Rep. Barney Quilter, D-Toledo. "It's the end of a political process that he built and that we will never see again."   Riffe, D-Wheelersburg, served 36 years in the House and became speaker in 1974. He held the position longer than anyone in state history. With the advent of term limits two years ago, no one will match his record unless the law limiting service to eight years is repealed.   For much of his tenure, Riffe enjoyed a large majority in the House. It wasan edge he kept primarily by being one of the first politicians to master the art of political fund raising for a party caucus.   His legendary "birthday parties" - annual fund raisers that in recent yearsnetted as much as $1 million - fueled the re-election of his loyal party members.   Beyond maintaining control by doling such favors, Riffe also wielded power by punishing those who strayed from the party line. Committee chairmen at times were stripped of their powerful posts for casting a single vote that Riffe believed didn't serve the interest of his caucus.   Early in his term as speaker, Riffe also forged important alliances with colleagues such as former state Rep. C.J. McLin, D-Dayton, who was the founderof the Black Elected Democrats of Ohio, and former state Rep. Mary Boyle, D-Cleveland, one of the first female leaders in the House.   Traditionally, the final day of a legislative session is given to farewell speeches of retiring members or those defeated for re-election. But Riffe and state Rep. Jo Ann Davidson, R-Reynoldsburg, who is slated to become speaker inJanuary, decided to postpone them.   Riffe said the members will be invited to return for a non-voting session in December at which time such sentiments can be expressed.   "This week was too close to what was a tough election," he said, referring to the Nov. 8 balloting that saw the Democrats lose control of the House for the first time in 22 years.   Riffe declined to talk in detail about his 20 years in the House, but his eyes teared when he described the standing ovation he received Wednesday when he walked into the state Senate to swear in Rhine McLin as the new senator from Dayton.   "I didn't think they were ever going to quit clapping," he said. "It was touching."   He said he will not become involved in the selection of the leaders in the 121st General Assembly that takes office in January. The Democrats plan to meet next Tuesday to choose the new minority leader and other officers.   State Rep. Pat Sweeney, D-Cleveland, is the leading candidate for minority leader. State Rep. Tom Roberts, D-Dayton, said he plans to seek one of the other leadership positions, probably that of minority whip.   State Rep. Bob Corbin, R-Wash. Twp., is a leading candidate for one of the majority positions. State Rep. Bob Netzley, R-Laura, who is the dean of the House Republicans, said he will call the GOP caucus meeting for Nov. 30.LENGTH: Medium:   69 LINESILLUSTRATION: Riffe presides over final voting session Thursday           ASSOCIATED PRESSSUBJ: RETIREMENT      LEGISLATORSNA: VERN RIFFE AT: ENDING    LASTENHANCER: JESSE