Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-05-28
THEIR OWN STORIES.
TOLD BY MANY MEMBERS or THE
HOUSE OF RePRESsN TATIves.
Began Life In . Very Humble way-soms
ofThem Quite Proud OF It Some
Remarkable Struggles.
fWasbington Post.l


be his lot to win tho presidential prize,
which every American youth is taught to
believe is within the scope of his am-'
bition and the possibilities OF his fu-
turc, but no can easily imagine him.
self member OF the House of Repre-
sentatives at some stage of his career.
however humble may be his lot to-day.
The history of American statesmen shows
that the ajority of those who reach high
Office in this country had humble origins.
The number of instances which are
grouped in the latest issue OF the Congress
sional Directory Is unusual and very
striking-the more SO when it is remem-
bered that the biographies which appear
in the Directory are written by the men,
bers themselves.
Dickens has shown us one man who
made capital of his humble beginning
who proved to be bare-faced fraud.
There are such men in public life to-day,
but the greatest number of hypocrites 10
diligently engaged in concealing early his
tory. because II would contrast too strong
" with the present prosperity. 80 there
IS q delightful vagueress about the bio
graphies OF some of the contributors to
the Directory. and O refreshing frankness
about others.
Here. for example. is Mr.. Champ Clark,
mony he has WORKED as a hired hand,
clerked in country store. edited coun-
try newspaper. and practiced law" There
is no false pride IN that.
LIVED IN PIONEERS CABIN.
Mr.. Northway, of Ohio. says that in his
youth ne occupied pioneers cabin. where
"all the family who were able TO work
assisted in clearing the farm" In his later
youth Mr. Northway taught small school
while be was picking up knowledge OF
law. He is q practicing- attorney to-day;
One of his colleagues, Mir. White, worked
on farm and attended district school
between times until he was Is years old.
Then he taught school and worked on the
farm until he was u. After that he went
to law-school and graduated III that pro-
fession.
Mr.. Richards. Of Ohio also worked on a
farm and taught school alternately, so as
TO save enough to enable him TO take
law course. He "soon acquired large
practice" according to his own statement.
and later he took q course In medicine at
Wooster College to fit him for medlco-
legal practice. Mr.. Hulick. of Ohio, at
tended public school in winter and worked
on his fathers farm IN summer until he
had acquired an education. lie is also a
graduate In law.
Mr.. Robbins. of Alabama, was reared
on the Robbins farm, In Randolph county.
n. c., attending Trinity College during
the sessions and working on the farm
during vacations" Mr.. Robbins Is a law
yer
Mr.. NELL. of Arkansas, testifies that he
was country bred and reared to perform
manual labor" He went through the war
aud then studied law. Very few OF the
lawyers who come TO the new House TOR
their initial terms started out with regu-
L. Lao a.
pendent course of reading in law. Most
of them picked up their reading IN OLA
times, and some of them got their educa-
ton in quite as uncertain fashion.
Mr.. Wheeler, of Illinois. says that his
parents were pioneers, and he lived on
farm, getting three months schooling
wear. His colleague, Mr.. McDannold, tes-
titles that he was brought up on farin.
Mr. McNagny, of Indiana, taught ana
worked on farm alternately for six years.
Then he became statlon-agent of the Penn
sylyanla railroad for four wears, pursuing
the study of law all the time. lie resigned
his position rs station-agent to enter the
bar. Mr.. Hager. of Iowa, says that at l3
years of age no engaged IN farming.
This is almost as carefully phrased
rs the biography of MIR. Latimer, OF
South Carolina, who says that he
was brought up on his fathers farm
and spent much of his life III active par
ticIpation in agricultural pursuits" br.
Apsley. of Massachusetts,, is match Tor
Mr.. Latimer. He was born in Pennsyl-
vania. and he SAYS that ut the age OF 10 ne
went tn Philadelphia land immediately
engaged in active business pursuits, early
identlfying himself with the rubber-goods
trade" Mr.. Apsey is still identified with
the rubber-goods trade-a fact which be
makes no effort to conceal. In fact, the
Directory is used by a half dozen OF the
members to advertise their business.
Mr. Boon, OF Minnesota, who identifies
himself as the youngest of twin bro
Tiers" says that no farmed during the
summer and taught IN the winter months
during his youth. Unlike many OF his
colleagues, he has stuck to farming.
MEMBERS WHO WE'RE DLAcKsMITHs.
There are four members of the coming
House who are 10 make their initial bows
IN September, If Congress meets al that
time. who started in life as blacksmth's
apprentices. and. strange to say, two OF
tnem come from adjoining districts In
California. One of these CailiOrnlans, MIR.
Maoulre. was born in Boston, but ho was
taken to California when he was only
wear old, and there he served term or
four wears rs a blacksmlth's apprentice.
After that he taught for year and mar,
and followed this with two years IN the
bar. Mr.. Cannon. of California was born
IN West Virginia. He was educated IN a
log school-house in country district,
raised on q farm, and learned the black,
smiths trade. When he was Is years old
he started for California and drove an OK
team overland. He mined for twenty one
wears and then moved 10 farm III Nen-
tura, where he now lives.
Mr.. Hicks, of Pennsylvania, had an eA-
u
IL he renamed within the borders OF MS
native State-the one which he now repre-
sents in part in Congress. lie attended
school in tho winter months ana IN the
summer worked among the farmers. and
as soon as be was able, he assisted his
father at the forge at the barre IRON
Works. He was soon master OF the art
of making charcoal blooms from raw pig,
IRON" he says. When his parents moved
TO Ohio he STAYED IN Pennsylvania. and
after going through the war obtained a
clerkship In the offices of the Pennsylvania
railroad and attended night school 80 as 10
complete his education. In TINS way ne
read law aud he resigned his clerkshlp 10
practice his profession.
MIR. Iawney, of Minnesota. also Learned
iron-workIng with his father. Iawney,
Sr., was a farmer and blacksmith near
Gettysburg, Pa, Tawney, Jr.. began lI,e
as an apprentice IN his fathers BLACK
smith-shop. After completing thar TRACE
he learned the trade of machlnlst. lie
went TO Winona. Mimi, when he was ~
wears old aud obtained employment hrst
as a machlnist. After two years he began
TO read law night and morning. and two
years later he gave up his trade ana went
into q law office. A year atterward he was
admitted 10 the bar.
But the banner biography Is that on Jonh
4. Dunn, of New Jersey. 1t Is best tod III
his words-it Will hardly bear condenslng ;
Owing TO the death OF his mother when
he was : years old. and father having .
large family of children, he was placed
with farmer. who agreed 20 give
him three months schooling each
wear until he was 16 years OF age
The farmer neglected his part or the con-
tract, and at IL years he did not know inc
alphabet. Unable longer to endure tue
hardship and abuse he was subjected 10 on
the farm. he ran away and shipped as
cabin-boy on vessel trading with tne
West Indies. Two years later his oder
brother found him on the vessel on us re-
turn to Philadelphia and took MN 10
Gloucester City, where be engaged as a
bobbin-bo in factory. At the age OF 10
he learned iron-moulding, and SUISSE
quently learned brass-turning and SILVER
Furnishing and also painting; Whiie
serving an apprenticeship ut the latter ne
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