The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1882-08-17
4 REPREsENrArIvE PUBLIC nEN
Her. John A. And~rssn.


..IIerr comes john 4. Anderson. the beat frIloS.
the rlrsfrrst-h-acd and the brainiest man in Con
grcss.- The speaker was one Of the most brilliant
young bohemians in the ranks Of Washington iourn-
alism. The scene the Reporters Gallery, over
lookins the House Of Representatives The gentle
man thus indicated had just entered the Chamber.
aud while slowly strolng down the aisle which
marks the dividing line between the Republicans
and the Democrats, scattered his greetings both
right and left. His friends secmcd confined 10 no
particular section His blue eyes twinked merrily
and succession Of pleasant smiles relieved the
datrness Of his face which, in rrr"se is grave rath
rr than austrrc.
Although he has hosts Of friend. in Washington.
he is the less favorably regarded Mt hOInc in
spite Of the truism. which has almost become
axiom that "a prophet is not without honor save In
his own country After ALL il ia those among whom
9 man lvcs-those who are familiar with his every
day life with his hopes and aspirations his struggle
and his sueecss-wbo are the best judges OF his
manhood and worth For this reason the brief
memoir of Mr. Anderson which follow. is complied
mainly from . history Of Riley county, Kansas,
which contains sketch Of the honorable gentleman
rum the pen of the local historian. But any other
found in his previous selection for two terms the
representative of his district in Congress, su. his
rrnomnstion by reclamation for the same position
scarcely n fortnight ago.
Mr. Anderson was born in Washington county.
Ia, Jure II. 1884 He Is, therefore, forty eight
years old-a comparatively Young sge for man OF
his corrrct habits and hcathful organization. His
grandfather was n noted Presbyterian clrrsymau,
also his father. The profession seemed a hcrit
age in the family to he handed down fru,n father To
son. and young John became the third ct his line To
embrace the SACRED calling. His first pasturtr
in California to which State he removed in ls 10
eating at stockton. few months later he entered
the army rs chaplain in the Third California nfin-
try, and served in that capacity about one year At
the end Of this period wider field Of usefulness was
presented to him by the Sasitary Commission which
he accepted. His first duty was that of rrcf agent
Of the Twelfth Army Corps He was next trnnsier-
rcd to tn the New York central office. and vhila
there il was portion Of his duties To write up for
he of
the Commission in New York, Boston, Philadelphia,
and other large cities. When Grant began h- march
through the Wilderness, Mr.. Anderson WAS made
master Of transportation. He had under his com
mand half dozen steamers He was required ."
have the supplies as convenient to the wounded ~
possible and the movement of the steamers up one
river and down another, and along the dangerous
coast through torpedoes ant amid afnbu-cades, ne
cessitatrd a daring and skill equal to that Of any
other possible duty. Upon the completion of this
campaign he edited for time paper in Philadel-
phia called the SaHifary Commission Bnliet,H AT
the Close Of the war he was transferred To the HIS
torical Bureau of the Commission at Washington
lie remained there n twelve-mouth. collecting data
and writing portion of the Commissishs history.
In 1856 a the close of his abors with the Sanitary
Commission, he was appointed statisiician Of the
Citizens Association of Pennsylvania. This was an
organization for the purpose of relieving the suffer
ing resulting from Paupcrism, vagrancy, and crime
in large cties He served two years. visiting jaI>,
pcnitentiaries, amsbousrs, asyluus, publishing the
results Of HE observations, anil contributing To the
scientific world valuable information and some int
portant conclusions ON the great social questions
involved.
Eariy in 1888 Mr. Anderson removed to Kansas.
WHERE in lS.3 he was made President of the Nan
sas State Agricultural College At Manhattan. When
Mr.. Andcrson's name was first proposed in this con
nec;ion he declined the ground Of want Of expert
ruec "a an educator. After long and careful cunSid
Grafton OF the whole subject he accepted aud instead
Of following in the old grooves with the customary
results, he inaugurated new departure that bids
fair TO exert a hstD: influence on educational at
fairs This position he retained until his election
Congress the close Of the next decade. Herr his
a politician begins, but IL Is lifting, before
going further, that his methods ms preacher should
receive some attention. Ii may be assumed that his
sermons were scholarly rather than intense: IN 9th
er words, they affected the mind morn than the
heart but all agree that they able productions
Ills manners were rather unclerical, in that he dis
regarded many ronventionalitics erroneously sup
posed to hedge about clerical life For this reason
there were some who misunderstood him. But those
who know him well aware that his heart Is full
Of the real vital spirit of Christianity-the love of
God and man. And occasionally woman-Prl
A il took much persuasion to induce Mr. Amber
to temporarily leave the ministry for the college
il required to induce him to allow his name
to be used rs candidate for Congress; put hts
friends satisfied that be is even better fitted to
succeed in his present sphere than in the one he has
heretofore adorned His first canvass made at
n trying period in the history Of the party. Resump
ton had been ordered but it not accomplished
fact and his predecessor one of the most ultra
of the Greenback Republicans. He, however, visit
trict the largest and most populsus in the United
States and received the largest majority then ever
given in the district.
Great efforts were made by the corruptionists of
the district to prevent his denomination but when
the convention met he received the votes Of all but
two counties He again canvassed his district even
more thoroughly than before, and was reelected by
the largest majority received by Republican
candidate for Congress.
In debate he is aggressive rather than conservs-
tive IL fluent and ready talker, and always forti-
es himself well with facts before rising to speak on
any subject In the present House he stands third
on the Agricultural Committee, and second on the
~. IluFfn
the long discussion which grew cut of the aPpor-
tionment Of the House for the next decade, Mr. An
derson's amendment fixing the number Mt 20 was
adopted il being considered the ftircst and most
practicable of any suggested. As member OF the
Postal Committee. Mr.. Anderson labOrcd Lralously
for the passage Of bill reducing the rate Of postage
frum three 10 two cents. His argument that
there no occasion for the Post Office Department
to be self sustaining that the greatest good Of the
greatest number should be the distinguishing char-
ncterscs Of all governments, and that nj the pres
ent rate Of income the national debt would be en-
tirely liquidated in twenty years more, In this u
will be that his symPathrs with the mhSseA
with the poor rather than the rich-cspeeinlly in
such unjust legislation the extension OF bank
charters and the little revenue bill. During the
present session Mr. Anderson has urged the passage
Of bill to compel the Kansas Pacific Railway to
pay to the Government the cost Of location survey
and patents lands received as subsidy, and pay
taxes on the same to the State of Kansas. Under
the present law this great monopoly has been given
land to the extent Of millions Of from the pub
luc domain, and yet the state derives no revenue
from these lands in the way Of taxes until the com
pany shall have sold them to private individuals.
In the debate on the River and HarbOr APpropri-
alton Bill the passage of which has been the subject
Of great speculation during the past fortnight, Mr.
Anderson advocated liberal appropriations for the
and Missouri rivers, while -trenuonsly
opposing extravagant expenditures for streams that
are not national in character.
In short, John Anderson is a useful man in what
ever capacity he may serve, whether il he in the
in the halls Of Congress- M public edn-
Gator or in the walks Of private life. Should the
senior Senator from Kansas Mr.. lngnlHl decline n
but in other event. il is possible
Ar. Anderson may be the most formidable eomPet
tor for the place. with the chances greatly fayorng
his selection Warrington Sunday Herud