Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1892-03-11
PRACTICAL POLITICIANS.
senator Lyman +. Casey Of NORTH
Dakota.

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES O4NOAtS. s.S S-tEt.r. EgtDaElEE.
New York Tribune: When Lyman r.
Casey was elected to represent the am
bilious young commonwealth Of North
Dakota in the United States senate, it
was announced that the Office had been
captured by a farmer, and one of such
a thoroughly practical character that
the advent to Washington Of a veritable
s'hayseed;;" since Mr.. Casey has never
held public office before, was generally
expected. AS might be supposed, all
sorts OF little ~pleasantries at his expense
were INDUCED in by those who became
his contreres. But this was done prior
to his arrival; there was none after he
came. His personality was a surprise,
an agreeable surprise to the members of
the august body of which he now forms
no Insignificant part.
There was nothing Of the rough,
untutored ploughman, or even the CON
ventional westerner about him. Scarce
Is suggestion of rusticity wal observa-
BILE in his. manner or appearance. On
the contrary he had all the dignity, self
control and urbanity Of a thorough man
of the world. He had more than that
Behind his agreeable, u~nassuming ex-
terror his colleagues Don discovered q
mental grasp and readiness for work
which entitled him at once tq%a superior
place in their consideration. That
respect which he instantly challenged on
his entrance into congress has been
growing ever since: An illustration OF
this wal given last December when, not
understanding his young experience, the
party caucus paid him the high compli-
ment of making him chairman of the SEN
ate committee on railroads, besides Civ
ing him places on other important com
mittees. 81 ..|
It is hardly necessary to say that SEN
ator Casey has been a republican since
the party existed, although he was only
a boy when it was born. He is a strong
pr~otectionist, seeing in that policy the
safeguard of the w~age-earners and the
creation of a home market which may be
expected at an early day to render the
granger independent of English buyers
He was an earnest champion Of protec.
ton to wool, barley, Haxseed and other
farm products in the Fifty-frst congress
Never has he doubted the soundness OF
republican doctrine in a policy which
has found its expression in the Mckinley
bill.
Like many other western leaders the
senator halls from the east. He is a ma
tive of this state. He was born in York.
Livingston county. His ancestors set
tied in Rhode Island about the middle
Of the seventeenth century. The senator
passed his early life on hisfather's farm
From the district school he wentto TEN.
pie Hill academy, thence to Union
seminary at Ypsilanti, Mich, to prepare
for o course in the famous university Of
the state. This course, however, he was
compelled to abandon, for the same rea.
son that caused Thomas G. Platt to give
up his studies at Yale-ill-health, due to
sedentary life. His system demanded q
greater physical activity than was at.
forded by a students life, so he left col.
lege and entered upon commercial pur'
suits. which he followed for many years
In 1872 ill-health again same to inter
rupt his activities and he was forced to
abandon business entirely. Then fol
lowed eight years of health-seeking in
the old world. With his wife he spent
several years in foreign lands, returning
to find his complete restoration under
the influence of tho stimulating climate
Of the northwest. In 1882 he went tc
North Dako ta. At that time the influx
of immigration wal at it's height. Large
crops and good prices had made farming
agreat success and attracted to it men
Of every calling. Not only experienced
farmers, but merchants, lawyers, doctors
even preachers, jostled each other in
their haste to file on public lands. I'm,
migration Of such quality had never
been experienced elsewhere. When,
after a while, many Of the sentimental
farmers had dropped out, then remained
those practical men Of energy and. de.
termination, possessing also a knowl-
edge Of men and things, who now con-
stitute the farming population Of the
state. Mr.. Casey settled on . quarter
section OF land, which he now owns. He
soon became interested in q tract OF
land owned by eastern people, among
the principal Of whom were M. D. Car.
riDgton Of Toledo, Ohio, and T.B. Casey
81 Minneapolis, and the corporation OF
the Darlington and Casey Land compa.
ny being formed, he became the mana.
ger Of that property, putting under cul-
tivation some thousands Of acres.
The senator is an enthusiastic farmer,
and believes that il it is not now, farm
ing is to become the ideal calling. He
sees the disadvantages under which the
farmer as yet lsbors. In his view the