The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-10-31
FEARED AND RESPECTED.
The True Character and Ability 81
William \. Holman.
His TireIesS and answering Devotion "a
Duty-His UnrivaIIed knowledge of
the Governmental Patr5St
Respected by All.

WASHINGTON, Oct ls.-The Connecticzt
newspaper that recently spoke OF judge
Holman as a cheap dem&gogue knew moth
ING OF the man, or else made a charge that
was as foolish as it was dishonest-fo0lisb,
because every one who knew Hell
man knew it was Sc untrue that it
needed no refutation- Whatever else
may be charged TO Holman, nobody in OK
out Of Congress who has ever been brought
IN contact with him has ever believed that
DE was guilty OF that contemplate vice He
is laughed at because of his simplicity of
habit and his transparency OF motive His
peculiar, almost singular, certainly striking
Characteristic is simplicity. He is simple
almost to carelessness in dress, simple in his
home life, utterly lacking in the all-pervad-
ing seIf-consciousness that nine out of ten OF
the public men take on, and is plain OF
speech. unaffected in manner, and utterly
Incapable Of Discrimination. That he should
have been kept in public life by an Indiana
constituency for nearly a generation is
marvel to politicians, who believe that
man of the character described is bound to
be a dead failure in politics.
Probably no man in public life is so little
understood as Holman. This is partially
due to his own course, partially to the hos
tilitv he has aroused. Holman, except in
the line OF what he believes 10 be duty. is a
timid, modest man, and Is the last man TO
be picked out in Congress as one who courts
personal popularity. He does his duty, and
Is content Herewith He stands among his
associated Congressman as a man who is
feared. respected. and by many thoroughly
slisliked. He is fea'ed because he is one of
the most vigilant we'll as fearless OF men
in the performance Of his public obligations.
He is respected because OF his enormous
knowledge OF public affairs and of his remark
able ability, and, as a coTOllary TO that is
hated because his know ledge, his fearleSsnesS
and his ability have e2abled him 10 protect
the Treasury. or 10 protest when attacks
were being made on IT. Holman has pOEe OF
the petty personal mannerisms that so many
of the little men who have got to the top
nowadays seem 10 think necessary to assume
Men 20 TO Congress, seemingly, consumed
with an ambition to be known as good fell
lows They think that good fellowship goes
further than brains in aiding ambition Gar
field was an expert in the assumption OF
good fellowship Blaine could assume
that Inannerism. Holman never paIaveEs
and never veneers himself with
unctious fyays He is always as plain and
transparent asa window pane. He Is there
fore regarded as a little fresh, and men smile
at bis SIMPLICITY. Public men seem to be
unable 10 understand such a character.
Professions, TO them. are generally only the
b. curtains that hide motives, and hypocrisy is
so common chat it is believed TO be necessary
10 success y on hear men rave and piatitud-
inize about Jefferson, bot when they see
right belouethem one OF the best scholars
that jefferson ever taught they incline to
crack Jokes respecting Holmans freshness
and sheer at his niggardlineSs.
The cheap politicians Hever understood
Lincoln. Recently member OF
Buchanan's Cabinet, who served
in Congress with Lincoln, said
that he only remembered Liacoln as a buff
loon or clown. Glen who knew Lincoln say
that there we're many traits Of his character
that Holman more than any public man re-
minds them of. lincoln had more manage
ment, bet no sterner integrity. In -oimpli-
city of habits of lie the resemblance iG strik-
5Dg. LincOln's freedom fsom vanity
or self consciousness has been spoken
of as something that en-
>deaTed him to men, and certainly thereiis no
man in Washington who has less of the fail
ing now known as the big head" than Hol-
mana failing which EEK Treasurer Gilflnla
once said had ruined saore public men than
any other weakness And to go to the light
4er side of life. Lincoln liked joke and
story spleed Wsth humocf no better than H0l-
man, though t-ae latter's fun takes the fore
of dry Wit or quantity humorous suggestion.
Holman's greatest paiEfortune as q public
man is his voice. If he had voice power
full like GarfieId's- or thuBGerous like J. Css-
6AE DNNIohS. UT sweet ALL ycJ ptucliaJltlS
like Matt CaTpenters, he would perhaps be
better equipped for work in the hurly-burly,
noisy chamber of the House. His voice is
thin, high-keyed and 50 weak that il seldom
reaches the galleries. This, as well as his un-
assuming manner and unrhe&Orical style Of
speaking, prevents him from being conspic-
nous among bis fellows. When
he speaks his habit is to twirl
his speetacles, which is all the eesticulation
he INDUCES in. and he says what he has 20
say in an informal, conversational Eay. The
two words which have given him the title OF
the great objector are seldom heard ten feet
away from his seat. unless the Speaker tries
90 avoid him. Keller tried several times 70
bluff him down by pretending not to have
beard his objection. bat Keifer soon learned
that Holman never permitted himself to be
6lufed out of bis rights. Yet when
Holman rises pending discussion
90 an appropriation bill, he always has
attention, and herein is proof OF his strength
and the measure of the fear and respect of
bis associates he is honored more than
any Of hissfeIlows by being made the object
81 the pleading prayers and requests OF
members who gather about his seat after be
has stated the reasons for his objections, and
often from the gallery an amusing panto-
mime can be seen OF members Who, alter