The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-08-06
RrpRrsrNrArlvE PUBLIC MEN
Hon. IohnA. Anderson.

Hon. John 4. Anderson.
Here comes John a. Anderson, the best
uow. the cicmest-heided and the brainicst man In
Congress- The speaker one OF the most brilliant
loun. bohemians In the ranks OF Washington joutnal-
sm The scene was the Reporters alcty, overlooking
he uousoot Representatives, The gentleman thus IN
heated had just entered the Chamber and whics slowly
trolling down the aisle which marks the dividing
inc between the Republicans aud Democrats,
,,tterd his greetings both right anl left Ills
hcnds seemed confined to no particular section HIS
,Iue cycs twukcd moty and suco osslon OF pleasant
,mucs relieved the scdatcncu Of his face, which, IN
oppose, is grave r,tlor than austcre.
Although he has hosts ot friends IN Washington, he
Is mono tho less ivoahly regarded at home IN spite ot
The trusm, which has almost become ON aXiom that
=, A rrophet is not without honor save In his own
rcuptry,v After all, It Is those among whom
man ivos-thoso who familiar with his everyday
ufe with his hopes AMI aspirations, his struggle and
his success-who are tho host Judges of bis manhood
and WORTH For this reason the brief memoir ot Mr.
Anderson which follows Is compiled mainly from |
history of Riley County, Kansas, which contains |
sketch Of the honorable gentleman from tho pen oi the
local historian. but II any other proof Of his pop
,,,ty were wanting It would bo found In his previous
slectioi for two terms rs the representative OF his
htstrid In Congress- aud his denomination by acca-
matim for the same position scarcely fortnight
| ,go ,,.,.
| NJ. Anderson was born In Washington County
| p june 20, 1881 lie Is, therefore, torly.elght
| yirs oid.-a comparatively young age for man "'
| IA correct habits and healtul Organization, Ills
| randfather was u noted Presbyterian Clergyman, as
vas also his father. oprocsslon seomed heritage
n the family to he handed down from father to son.
and Young john became the third OF his line to em-
brace tho sacred calling. Ills first pasoratc was IN
California to which state he removed In 1862, ocat-
ing at stockton. \ few months later he entered tho
Army rs chaplain In tho Thlrd California Infantry
and served Ia that capacity about year. At tile
end VI this pcrcd wider field of usefulness was pre-
scented to him Ivy the sanitary Commission, which ho
accepted His nrst duty that or relief agent ot
The Twelfth Army Corps lie was next transferred
To the New York central onice, and while there II
was portion Of his duties to write up FOR tho news
papers the great fairs held In the Interest ot tho COM
mission In New York, Boston, philadelphia aud
other large citlcs. when Grant began his march
through tho Wilderness MIR. Anderson was made SUI
Iucfntcndont Of transportation. lie had under hls
command half dozen steamers. lie was required I"
have the supplies as convenient to the wounded rs
posslble and the movement of the steamers up one
river aud down another and along the dangerous
coast through torpcdoes aud amid ambuscadcs ncccs-
STATED daring aud SKIN equal to that of any other
possible duty Upon the completion of this CAM
pagn lie olcd for n time paper In philadelphia
called the Sanitary Commission Bulietih. AT the
close Of the war he was transferred to the Historical
Rureau of the Commission at Washington. lie re-
mnined there n twelve. month"; collecting data and
writing a portion Of the Commissions history. In
1866 at the close OF his ahors with the Sanitary Com
mission he was appointed sattican Of the Citizens
Association Of Pennsylvania. This was an orgahiaa-
on for tho purpose OF relieving the suffering result
ing from pauperism, vagrancy, and crime In large
cities lIe served years, visiting 1ails, lehiloh-
tiaries, aims houses asyums, publishing thn results
Of his observations and contributing to the scientific
world valuable Information aud some important con-
| clusions on the great social questions Involved.
| Early In 1865 Mr. Anderson removed to Kansas,
where In 1873. he made President of tho Kansas
| state Agricultural College ut Manhattan. When MI.
Anderson 's name was first proposed In this connec-
tion he declined the ground OF want of experience
as educator. After long and careful considerable"
of the whole subject he accepted, and Instead OF fol-
lowing In tho old grooves with the customary results,
he inausurated new departure " that BIDS fair io
oxert lasting influence on educational affairs. TINS
postiou he retained until his election to Congress at
the close of tho next decade Here his career as q
politician begins but ills fitting before going further,
that his methods as preacher should receive som,
attention may he assumed that his sermons wer,
scholarly rather than Intense; In other words, theN
affected the mind than the heart, but all agree
that they able productions. His manners wer'
| rather uncerlcal, In that he disregaIded many con
ventionalities enormously supposed to hedge about
|
mlsunderso,d nj him. But those who know him wei
are aware that heart Is fun of the real vital spiti
| of ChIistianity-the love of God and man.
, As II took much persuasion to Induce MIR. Ahdef
to temporarily leave the ministry for the college
| It required even more to induce him to allow hi
, name to he used candidate for C"ugres hut hi
friends are satisfied that he is better fitted
succeed In his present sphere than in the one lie La
I heretofore adorned. His first convass was made .
, q trying period In the history Of the party liesump
| tiou had been ordered, but it was not an accom-
r plshed fact, AMI Ills predecessor was one oil III
b. most ultra of tho GIOenback Republicans. We, how
ever, visited and spoke In every organized county
a his district, the largest and most populous In Ill
: United Sates. and received the la"geet majority ihu
!. | ever given In the district.
Great efforts were made by the corruptonsts OF IL
district to prevent his denomination, but when II
convention met ho received the votes OF all but I"
Is counties. o again canvassed his district even mo-
In thoroughly than before and was reelected 10y II
II largest majority received by Republican cand
IA date for Congress.
In debate he is aggressive rather than conservative
Y Is fluent and ready alker, and always fortihes hin
self well with facts before rising to speak On any sui
iect. In the present House he stands Third on Il
e Agricultural Committee and second Oh the Commit
ON Post Onices and Post Roads. During the long di
,c ausson which grew out of the apporionment of Il
House for the next decade Mr.. Anderson's amen'
WDnt nNing the nilnler aJ Js9 was IL
,, considered the fairest and most practicable of Al
= | suggested As a member of the Postal Commit
IS MIR. Anderson labOred zealOusy for the passage o
y bill reducing the rate Of postage from three to IL
fo cents His argument that there is no Occasi'
for the Post Once Department Ia be self snstainin
that greatest gOOdof the greatest number should
the distinguishing characteristics of all government
and that at the present rate of Income the nation
"a debt wOud be entirely liquldated In twenty yea
10 more. In this 1t viii be sean that his sympates
L. with the masseswth The poor rather than tho rich
40 especially In such unjust legislation as the eNtehs
In | of bank charters and the little revenue b puri
the present session Mr.. Anderson has urged the pn
~ | sage OF a hili to compel the anals Pachc Railw
- To pay the Government the cost of location snfvc
nj and patents lands received as subsidy and tn y
taxes on the same to the OF Kansas. Under
ot present law this great monopoly has been given la
NJ | to the extent Of millions of acres from the pub
.n domain and yet tho state derives no revenue fro
m these lands In tho way of taxes until tho compar
~ shall have sold them to private individuals.
Is In the debate the River and lIarl,0r Appropr
re tion u ILL., the passage Of which has been the subj
he Of great speculation during the past fortnight,
re Anderson advocated liberal appropriations for
Y Mississippi and Missouri rivers, while strehuon
rs opposing eXtrayagant expenditures for streams Il
AT are not national In character.
In short, John Anderson Is u useful man In whaie
capacity ho may serve, whether II be In tho minist
50 In the halls OF Congress. AS public educator or
the walks Of private life. should the senior Sena
from Kansas (Mr. Ingalls, decline II renominati'
OO but In no other event, II Is possible Mr. hndei
may b0 the most formidable competition for tho ra