West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1893-02-16
Indiana's Oldest and Most Valuable
Member Of Congress.

| congress, none are more entitled to
a front rank than William Steele
Holman, whose picture we give
above. His long and watchful SER
vice in the House of Representatives
has made him familiar figure IN
Washington for over thirty years.
He was born in Dearborn county,
Indiana, September 6. 1922, and is
therefore in his 7lst year, having
lived out the allotted age of man,
and bids fair to serve his country
vigorously for several years yet. His
father, Judge Jesse Lynch Holma
was one of tho leading jurists of
Indiana and served for years as a
Circuit Judge before the admission
OF the State into the Union. When
Indiana became State in 1916, he
was appointed one of the Judges of
the Supreme Court of the State,
which office he held for fourteen
years. In 1885, President jackson
appointed him United States Dis
trict Judge for the State, which
position he held till his death in
1912, so that his son, the subject of
.his sketch, worthily wears the man
tie of his lllustrious father. He re-
ceiyed common school education.
spent two years in franklin College.
studied law, was admitted TO the
bar and began the practice Of his
profession at Aurora, in the "Hoo-
sier State" lie was Judge of the
Probate Court from 1913 till 1916,
Prosecuting Attorney till 1849, q
member of the Constitutional Con-
vention of 1850 and of the Legis-
lature in 1912, and was Judge Of
Common Pleas till 1856, and was
then elected to Congress on the
Democratic ticket, and has been re-
nominated and reelected every
time since except in 1864, 1876 and
1878, making over thirty years in
Congress. He has been an uncom-
promising enemy of trckery, aud
is thoroughly versed in the statutes
and takes cognizancc Of every I'M
portant bill before the House. From
his fearlessncss in opposing doubt
full measures and the many schemes
Of lobbyists, he has won the name
of the "Great Obiector," land here
is wheru we think our own DR.. j.
b. Fogle, of Terra Alta, got his
points from and learned to win a
similar title Mr.. Holman believes
in genuine Jeffersonian simplicity
and Democratic economy, and
watches the appropriation bills and
many raids on the Treasury so
closely, that he is frequently spoken
of as the "Watch Dog of the Treas
urY." In his manner he IS very
plain and cordial, and dresses and
looks like a welI-to do farmer. We
had the honor Of meeting him and
having quite talk with the old
veteran last summer a year ago un-
der rather romantic circumstances
II was way out in the heart Of the
Yellowstone National Park. We
were travelling through there with
an excursion party OF newspaper
men, and one warm day in July,
while passing over from the Upper
Geyser Basin to the Grand Canon
Of the Yellowstone River, our
stages stopped for lunch at the
"'Hotel Elk" a summer hotel, con
sisting of two big tents and kept by
Larry Mathews, one Of the jolliest
sons Of Erin we ever met. Ills
place received It's name from n big
pile Of elk horns in front of the
entrance, built mp like q monument.
Larry's main circus tent was the
sitting and waiting room, with some
curtained hooks for dressing rooms.
and the other was the dining hall
with kitchen attached. There was
/ quite - crowd Of u8 aud we had q
| jolly time while waiting here y cou-
pie OF hours IN the heat Of the day
TO lunch and rest, and it was here
we met Congressman Holman. lie,
too, was making % tour OF enc Park
but was going the way we bad come
and had stopped at Barry's for rest
and Refreshments. Some Of our
crowd wore from Indiana and knew
the Judge very well and introduced
the ress Of us. j bad beard aud
read much Of him, aud was glad to
have the opportunity Of meeting
and talking with him. lie was very
friendly and sociable and chattcd
quite freely with as about his trim
which be vas making for his health,
although be looked ~ rugged phys.
ically as be is mentally. 1t was o.
7 pleasant introduction way out there
twenty miles from the nearest habi-
tation, and that q soldiers camp.
and We have watched the "Oid
Watch Dog's' course in Congress
/ ever since with renewed interest