The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-03-30

At the opening OF the extra sission
of the Forty-fifth Congress, in October,
1877, q broad shoulderel young fellow
six feet high and well proportioned,
with a good humored but resolute
counteuance and wide.awake, deter
mined expression on his face, took a
seat on the democratic side Of the
House of Representatives. He had an
easy, off.hand way about him that
captured the attention at first sight,
and his youthful appearance in COM
parison with the grave and reverend
seignieurs who sat around him, at once
had the effect of making him an object
Of interest to the galleries and floor as
"John Kenna, of West Virginia, the
youngest member of the House,"
There was considerable eruption of
young men in public life about that
time, the adage of old men for council
and young men for action having ap-
parently taken hold vigorously on the
body polite. Ten years later the
young West Virginian was a COM
handing and conspicuous figure in the
United States Senate.
The early career of Senator Kenna
was anything but romantic. He had
entered the Confederate service by join
ing Jayhawking regiment in Missou-
RI, and al the close of the war he found
himself without money or education,
and in possession of a wounded shout
der that promised to permanently dis,
able him. Through the personal kind
ness of Bishop Whelan he was admit
ted to st. Vincent's College, at Cincin-
natl. Once admitted. the application
of the youthful aspirant was assiduous,
and entering the school an almost
grown man physically. but with no
instruction in books since his eleventh
or twelfth year, he soon acquired stand
ing in his classes and terminated his
connection with the college after two
years and half of study with distinc-
ton to himself.
His vacations during bis school bis.
tory were not wasted: The rebuild
ing of locks and dams on Coal river
was then in progress and, with four
and six yoke Of oxen, he hauled from
the surrounding hills the. timber that
now constitutes Lock No. OH that
stream.
1t was in 1876 that he entered poll
tics. iu which year he ran for Congress
and defeated the regular republican
and an independent demo
crat. Few men have come to the
front as rapidly. He was elected three
times 10 succession to Congress, and at
the time of his selection as United
State Senator he was a Representative
elect. Kenna is not only ranked
among the leaders in debate, but is
looked upon as man who can be
relied upon to come to the front in any
which may threaten his
party's interest. He has acquired an
intimate acquaintance with the rules
and with parliamentary proceedings,
and his trainings as a lawyer and
quickness to discern the strong points
of his own case and the weak ones of
his adversary make him q powerful
on field days. He combines
a good deal of the ring and dash of Joe
with the cool calculation Of
and the broader reasoning of
Carlisle. He has rapid clear, and
distinct utterance, commanding
figure; and that indefinable something
in voice and manner which constitutes
effective Oratory,
Without doubt he is a good political
manager and has the confidence of his
party. For the second time he has
been chosen as the chairman of the
Democratic Congressional Campaign
Committee, position of no small
or responsibility when the
almost even strength of the two parties
IN the House of Representatives il
considered. Senator Kenna's term
will expire next March.