Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1892-12-07
KENNA.
A Tribute From, a Republican.

sette, sends his paper the following estimate
of Senator Kenna
A year ago if you had looked out over
the floor of the Senate, from the gallery,
you would have fixed upon Kenna as the
embodiment of health and vigor. You
would not have dreamed that within a year
he would be man marked for departure.
Senator Kenna is tall, broad-shouldered,
smooth-faced man. In head and neck he
is built after the Bob Ingersoll fashion. He
is thoroughly representative of his State
and his people. He is truthful and honest
to the last degree, big-fsted, big-hearted,
square-dealing man.
No shadow of reprOach or suspicion has
ever fallen upon him, either through his
relationship with his constituents or the
country at large in his capacity as Sena-
tor of the United States. He is a politician,
but he is such in its best sense, and he has
been a tower of strength to the Democracy
of West Virginia. Without the refnements
of high cultivation and education, he mod
estly won his way to front rank in the
Senate. His speech against John Sherman,
whom he personally admired, won him first
class consideration and the warmer admira-
ton and friendship of Mr.. Sherman him.
self, who found in Mr.. Kenna foeman
worthy of his steel, and should Mr.. Kenna
be taken away there will be no more sincere
mourner than Mr.. Sherman. Mr.. Kenna
has always been q lover of the gun and rod,
and the sports of the mountains of his ma
tive State. You may 60 way up into Web
ster Court House, which is the jumping of
place of the universe, or up into Logan
county, to the home of the Hatfelds and
McCoys, and there you will find that the
greatest man of all the world they know is
John Kenna.
1t has been Mr. Kenna's custom for years
to organize hunting party every fall to go
up to the head waters of the Elk river and
hunt and fish for weeks down through the
wild mountain recesses and primeval forests
of West Virginia to where the Elk flows
into the Kanawha, at Charleston.
He was devoted to the kodak and became
an expert in photography, and his collec-
ton of photographs of mountain, river and
hunting scenes is a marvel in itself.
Confined as he has been in Washington,
the old line of the life of a sportsman as
serted itself and he built house boat for
use on the Potomac. He not only planned,
but he had the greatest share in actually
building the boat, which is a veritable home
on the waters, with its dining, sleeping and
sitting rooms, and its arrangements for
good living.
Many persons will never forget the pleas
ant experience they have had on board this
house boat under the cheering entertain
ment of its big, handsome proprietor.
Senator Kenna has never been a man OF
moods. He was always the same-the same
to high and low, and his warm hand clasp
was given to all alike.
Senator Kenna was born at Valcoulon,
Virginia (now West Virginia., April 80,
1913; he lived and worked on a farm, and
entered the Confederate army as a private
soldier; he was wounded in that service in
1864, and was surrendered at Shreveport,
La, in 1865. Afterward he attended St.
Vincents college, Wheeling, and studied
law with Miller q Quarter at Charleston.
He was admitted to the bar June 20, 1870,
and continued to practice from that time.
He was elected prosecuting attorney for Ka-
nawha county on the Democratic ticket in
1872, and served until January l, 1877. In
1875 he was elected by the bar in the re-
spective counties under statutory prOyi-
sion to hold the circuit courts of Lincoln
and Wayne; was elected to the Forty-ffth,
Forty-sixth and Forty. Congresses,
and had been elected to the Forty eighth
Congress when he was elected to the United
States Senate as a Democrat to succeed
Henry G.. Davis, Democrat, the fatherin-
law of Stephen B. Elkins, and took his
seat December 8, 1888, and was re-elect-
ed. His term of service would expire
March 3, 1895.
There is not one Democrat or Republican
who does not hope that Senator Kenna will
recover from his illness and resume his
place in the Senate. Should he pass away
the Democrats of West Virginia would have
difficulty in finding somebody adequate to
fill his place as a Democratic representa-
tive of that State.
While he has been an ardent and old
school Democrat, he has not been hide
bound, and has not failed to recognize
changing commercial and industrial inter
ests in his native State, differing much in
this from ex- Senator Camden, who became,
as Mr.. Davis, millionaire through the
protection policy Mr.. KenDas estate will
not figure up much better than did Mr.
Randalls, for he, like Randall, has never
taken advantage of high position and pow
er to make cent, except from legitimate
salary. Kenna, like Randall, has always
been unapproachable with any proposition
for money. getting that involved the use of
his position, and he is to-day as poor a man
financially as Mr.. Randall was when he
died though it is understood there is money
in the family on the wiie's side.
A Tribute of Respect.