Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-03-24


paper with avidity, and conned with
healthy appetite aud good digestion the
scant books Oh geography and astron-
omv which fell in his way. His studious
hatits, his close attention to the public
business, his devotion at once to his con-
stituents' concerns and to the welfare Of
the commonwealth, a high courtesy to his
opponents. mingled with consistent sup
poit of the principles he espsused, kept
for him the confidence of his friends
and Won the respect of his opponents.
Af;cs :Ercc years continuous service in the
House he was elected to two terms. then
Of four years each, in the Senate. His leg
islative career was distinguished for his
attention to duty, for the service to prac-
teal legislation to which hhiswell-equipped
mind fitted him, and for 4 stern INTEGRITY
that was not so exceptional then as ROW.
. As chairman of the important committees
on roads and bridges and of claims by
his interest in the public works of the
state: by his good judgment and impair
tiaiity as speaker OF the Senate in 1912,
no appeal having been taken from his rul-
;ngs: by his moderation amid the men,
o!,ble partisan maducss of the ''BuckshOt
War;" lie proved himself the conservative,
practical, usc!ul representative of hiSpeOple.
None the less he encountered the v,ndic-
tive resentment OF such radicals as Thad-
deus Stevens. because hc would not fol
low then to tle limits OF excessive intOler-
ance which even his constituents might
have cuul,;cranccd. His refusal to per-
s!st in the desperate contest, made by Ste
vcns and others. to exclude the Democrats
from their lawfully secured control of the
state government in 1883 his course in
the Senate at that critical period. in voting
with u few other conservative Wings and
the Democrats, 10 recognize the ''Hop-
kins House - incurred the fierce denuncia-
lion of the radical members of his party
against him. He was accused o?ireachery
by the violent anti Mason politicians,
but the confidence of tho people iIs
hin was not shaken. In the later divi-
sions of !.is party in this country his con
servatism naturally landed him in the
':>;lver-Gray'' faction. He was never
distinguished as an Abolitionist. Time
viud:c"ted his more conservative course,
an; lie was made the candidate of the
Wings for Congress in Lancaster
county in the memorable Polk Clay
campaign Of 1914. Such was lis
popularity that ,l.e opposition organ felt
called upon t. warn its party friends not
to vote for him, though its objections to
him had 10 malignancy and little fervor.
Democrat, was his opponent. Henry
vote stood Stro!im, 1886 Winters, 5,O96
Wilmer, 2,574. lie was reelected in 1916,
and his congressional service ended with
TaylurS ilnugui alton.
In Congress, if not a brilliant member
he was not All obscure one. lie met all
the just expectations Of his constituents,
a:i.l he was well and iavorably known to
the distinguished men in both houses in
those days Of giants. Lincoln,
Webster, Douglas, Clay, Calhoun and
William Allen of the dead, were in Con
gress then; besides them jefferson Davis,
Alexander II. Stephens, cx Governor JAS. !
Z. Pollock, Joseph II. Ingcrsol!. and
Speakers Robert c. Winthrop aud John .
W. Davis are among the subjects Of his !
livcIiest recollection. Winthrop lie re-
yarich as the first man intellectually in
the lower house. Lincoln he remem-
bcrs as IN unGainly, awkward per-
son. plain in appearance, with fund
OF common sense and stock of effective
aueclote. Artcmas Hale, aged ninety !
seven. Of Brid.ewatcr, Mass, is the oldest .
o: lis contemporaries who survives, and
he; wcer him and Mr. Strohm a friendly
has long been maintained,
80 recently rs last fall interc;ianginy their
political ";cwS atu; agreeing to vote for
Garfield.
Mr.. Strohm was Il delegate liz the Wing
national conventions of 1S4S and 1862 aud
10 the Republican state convention in 1869.
in 1851 the Wings ran him rs their state
nominee for canal commissioner. and he
was defeated h.? seth Glover His subse-
,luent retirement from active politics was
iuc more to his own inclination for pri-
vate life than to any failing Of his interest
in public affairs, or any lack of his avail
:hiIity, as the candidate of a party with
less majority to back it and more anxious,
TO find honest men than his party has been
IN this county for the last thirty years.
During the war he maintained the mos:
Jealous interest in the cause Of the Union,
lis personal rclations with Mr.. Lincoln in
cn>:ying his natural patriotism. At its
close none was more anxious than ne to see
unity and good will restored between
hose who should never have been less
han fellow cuuntrymcn. He was one OF
he two delegates sent from this county to
he convention which met in National
lali. Philadelphia, presided over, | Think,
" ex-Attorney General Speed, of Ken
ucIsy, and which had been convened;
mainly to LET representative Southern men
;peaiS to representative Northern mcu the
lonest sentiments Of contrition, reconcilia-
ION. and union, which then animated the
,etter nature OF the scoursed and suffer-
n- South. John Strohm, who knew and
vas known to many of the Southern dele
rates in Congress, heard and needed
hem. Unhapp;ly reconstruction - was
lot left to such as they and he. Party
profit ami sectional pride ruled the hour.
md sorry work they made Oft.
John StrOh,n has been 4 justice Of the
,eace so: twenty years, and recently lifted ;
lis commission for another term. He
Knows ,othing Of tho arts by which this
'ifice is now SO often prOstituted for the
gain OF its incumbent. Nor his
nc function to exercise it to the stirring
lp of strife, the multiplication Of COM
,laints and the sweiiin. of fees. lie is y
onscrvatcr OF the public peace, and y
earlcss arbitrator OF private disputes, /: :
han whom 10 individual in thesa parts
las oitcncr been called upon to adjust the {
ontcntions OF iitisants, nor with
uch satisfactory results to all concerned. I
o,nc years ago he had referred to !
inl knotty calculation, viewed very
by parties interested in it, ill.,
diving a hopeless complication OF the &C =
cunts OF two CO administrators. each act !
ng on his or on her own responsibility. !
nd both inextricably confusing their I
lights and duties as administrators. heirs,
nd agents. Principals counsel, and audi /!
ors struggled vainly with it. Out of four
r., e