Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-02-08
MEN OF THE HOUR
Members Who Receive Much
Attention IN Washington
RICHEST, OLDEST. YOUNGEST
rhe nens.tiooal oeua Wdsssa About
oe Wealth Of ssnasop = Much
overdmwn.

overdsawn.
WAsHlSeroS, Feb. The youn&ess
member, the oldest member and the
richest member Of congress are always
the subject of attraction. Alas for the
poorest member. he gets no considera-
ton. In point Of fact he - no rara
avis, for there are ten poor men IN con-
gress TO one comfortably we'll OF, and
scores of poor ones 70 one that can Be-
counted rich. The sloppy stun which
is written for newspapers about wealthy
members il very much oyerdrswn-
"Of course there are . good many
men in congress who are we'll to DO.
There ought to be moro Of them, for ~
q rule the fellow who has not the abil.
ity to make some money and take care
of it in private life is not worth sending
to congress TO do business for the pub
lie. There are exceptions TO this rule.
for some of the most valuable men In
congress are poor men. Indeed. some
of them are poor because they are IN
congress. though that pertains 70
those who have been long time IN
the public service. more than II doss 70
the recent arrivals.
The weaithisss Member.
or coarse the wealthiest member Of
congress is Senator Stanford: be 10 not
only the wcalthiest member at present.
but the wealthiest man who has ever
been in congress. Everybody knows
his history, how he began at the bot
tom and climbed up through mercan-
tile career on the Pacific cosst, then 40
q railroad builder, where most OF ms
money was made; then as the owner OF
numerous interests, agricultural and
otherwise. in the great west. Nobody
can make an accurate estimate OF MS
wealth. 1t is said by Californians that
the property with which he has en-
dowed the nniverslty, built by him 40 q
memorial to his son. amounts III value
to 90 or 60 millions OF dollars. The
building itself 10 . marvel, and must Ds
seen to be appreciated. His home
in San Francieco is . palace. His sum-
mer home on his great farm
near this city, which il kept
| in perfect order, although he spends
but q few weeks there each year, Il
| crowded with rare paintings and fur
nishings, and his residence here il one
of the most elegant In Washington,
| and that is saying gos deal. Every
morning the observer may see . team
of spirited blacks driven TO heavy
carriage bowling down Pennsylvania
avenue toward the capitol, with liv.
| cried driver and footman on the box,
and Senator Stanford sitting comfort.
ably back amid the cushions. Every
afternoon about the hour for the ad.
iournment Of the senate the team
makes its appearance At the senate end
of the capitol, the footman takes . po
sition iuxide of the entrance 20 - 70 b(
able to signal to the driver when ths
senator appears, and directly after the
flag is lowered Mr.. Stanford is on hi!
way home, often accompanied BY
some fellow senator. Of course there
are other senators who are "wcll fixed
but none sides up beside Stanford as tc
the question IF wealth.
The Oldest Member.
As to the oldest members. Of course
| Senator Morrill, heads the list. He il
near the end of his SD year. but vet
would not think il TO look at HIM or u
hear hun talk. lie was the first mar
| to make a speech in this congress, and
he made 1t well too. The next to him
| in years is Senator Sawyer, of Wiscon
sin, who is mentioned in the list ol
wealthy senator's, and Senator Dawes
of Massachusetts, 10 about the SAME
age. They are both past 75. There
are probably dozen men in the hous,
and senate who have reached or passed
| the three score line, or at least will d.
go before the end of the present con
gress. There are hundred who hav,
/ paesed the three ecore line; ;1JQ moro whs
have passed so, and couple of hun
drcd who have yet to eeo their 50tl
birthday.
The Youngsst Member.
The youngest member Of the presen
congre IS is Representative Bailey, VIII,
succeeds the long g-haired Martin, whs
achieved distinction by blowing out th'
| gas at q hotel here shortly after his ar
rival ae q member. Bailey 10 unlike
Martin in appearance and manner. III
is well dressed, neat in his personsl ap
pearance, bright and evidently able
| lie made his maiden epeech IN th'
house the other day. and made II well
and was paid the compliment OF bein,
listened to by everybody. He Will nc
be 80 years old until the 9th of Octobc
next. Mr.. Bryan of Nebraska, VIII
look. good deal like Bailey. is anothe
young man who will celebrate his 32ns
birthday on the 10th OF next month
Wagner of Brooklyn. was born IN 1850
and 20 WAS Sherman Hoar, the dlstin
guished nephew OF the celebrated sen
ator from Massachusetts.
good manv Of the men wto hav
been prominent IN public life enterel
congress at an early age, among then
Holman. Randall, Logan, Wood. Conk
Ing. Colfsx, Cisy. Calhoun, Adams an
Randolph. Whether those who are be
ginning their congressional life now q
the early age of 30, or thesesbouts. vii
attain the distinction which those q
early days accomplished. remains to b
seen.
1 xe-ygrEy AND ErMry ppr frvrr