The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-05-23

AAS NASS%-AAOoo anu do OOG l1du LUZ Ills
eloquence or craftsmanship, great as
these are. If ex-senator Bowen had not
been poker player it is doubtful if his
name would have been spread Familiarity
to all parts of the country, and his for
mer colleague, Tabor, is to this day bet
ter known for his two hundred dollar
night shirt than for his millions and his
business ability. Ex-senator Chace, of
Rhode Island, became quickly known
for his Quakerish origin and appearance.
Senator Davis, of Minnesota, though a
brilliant man, has been helped to a gen.
eral reputation by the beauty of his wife.
Even as great and learned man as Sen
ator Evarts would never have become as
familiar to the common people as he has
but for the joke about his Unfortunately
long sentences and the popular notion
that his hat was left in the ark by Noah.
A good deal of statesman is Senator
Hiscock, but his personal beauty has
carried his name further than his ability
could have done, had it been twice as
great. The fact that Senator German
was once page in the senate and after
ward ball player has contributed much
to the ease and rapidity with which his
name has become as familiar as O house
hold word. Senator Ingalls, is more ia
nous for his invective than for his states
manship and eloquence.
Senator Morgan is not well known the
country over, but in many places that
he is known, it's for his long, continued
in-our-next speeches and not for his
general worth as q senator. Minister
Palmer is known as the man who gives
such ENJOYABLE dinners and tells SO many
good stories. Ex-senator Riddleberger
has become famous for his eccentricities.
Senator Sawyer is noted for his cor
pulency and good humor. Even in a
really great statesman like John Sher-
man, his alleged characteristic of frigidity
of manner is the first thing that comes
to mind when his name is spoken. Who
has not heard of Martin, of Texas? His
name is known from Maine to Oregon
because the newspapers have told stories
of his peculiarities, some of them apoc-
ryphal. When asked, recently, how to
win fame, Martin replied: elbow out
the gas"
Morse, of Massachusetts,, was in con-
gress number Of years and enjoyed but
local reputation till Mckinley illus
trated his tariff speech with a suit of
clothes bought for $40 in Morse's Boston
store. An able and admirable man is
William Walter Phelps, but his bang
and red necktie are better known than
anything Phelps ever did or said. Allen,
of Mississippi, has won fame as story
teller and not as statesman, and his
namesake of Massachusetts will go down
in history, not as the brilliant young
member from the Old Bay state Though
this distinction he may be fairly entitled
toy, but as the man who carried a camera
under his vest and took snap shots at his
fellow members of the house in all their
various and undignifed attitudes.
A witty, brilliant, eloquent, useful
and industrious man is the Hon. S. s..
Cox, but his fame is twice as broad with
the nickname "Sunset" as it would have
been without it. So great is his reputa-
ton as wag that one of the trials of his
life is to convince people that he is sin
cere. Springer, Of Illinois, is known to
fame as the man who always wears a
pink boutonniere, though he, too, is a
hard working and useful legislator. Con-
gressmen Bayne and Adams are known
as the men who sit side by side in the
house and look like a pair of twins.
Frank Lawler, of Chicago, very clever
Irishman, has had his name sent to the
four corners Of the country on account
of his peculiar use of the presidents
English. Bacon, of New York, came
down to congress and became known
almost instantly and very widely as the
man who looked like Shakespeare. "Some
men are great, some achieve greatness
and some have greatness thrust upon
them"
Gibson, of Maryland, is well known
as the Adonis of congress, Spinola as
the man with the wide collar, Jehu Ba-
ker as the statesman with suit of
clothes of the pattern Of Henry Clay's
day. Bland, Of Missouri, will live in
history as "Silver Dollar Bland" Sow
den, of Pennsylvania, became national
figure because President Cleveland We.
toed his bill to build government post.
Office in Allentown. Foran, of Ohio,
won more fame as the reputsd author Of
"The Breadwinners," which he didn't
write, than as a molder of his country's
laws in the halls Of congress. Holman,
of Indiana, will be celebrated through
all time as the great objector. John
Wanamaker's strides toward fame are
much accelerated by his Sunday school
superintendency and his manufacture of
trousers. Congressman Mason, Of Chi
cago, is becoming famous as story teller
and wit, rather than as a great public
servant, and the fact that all his friends
call him "Billy" helps his progress
amazingly. Weaver, of Iowa, won
much notoriety as a filibuster. Kill
gore, of Texas, had his name printed in
every American newspaper because Of
his stubborn resistance to the bill to
make Sheridan general Of the army
while that popular hero was lying on his
death bed.
Thus it goes through long list Of men
whose names are familiar in the ears Of
the people. You can count on your
fingers the public men now living who
have a fame az wide "a the country itealf