The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-09-05
YOUNG MEN IN CONGRESS.
Hon. Claude A. Swanson. One of tho Four
Striking Examples in the House.

Hon. Claude A. Swanson, Ono OF tho Four
Striking Examples in the House.
The Washington Post of yesterday
morning, in publishing an article upon
young men in Congress, has the follow
ing TO say about one of the four striking
examples in the House: Hon. Claude
A. Swanson, who represents the Fifth
district OF Virginia, has never tasted
the atmosphere of office holding until
ne took the oath last mon b. Ii perse.
verance and pluck count for anything in
Congress he will make his mark, and he
can afford to take his time about IT, too,
for he Is but 81 years old, with decade
yet to traverse before the age when
most men begin to realize their political
am billions.
A man who comes to the front in Vir
ginia entirely by virtue Of his own abili.
ties must be very solid man. for no
whore does the Inheritance Of dis
tipguished name confer more pres tige
than in the State of Presidents. Con-
gresham Swanson is q representative
of that large class of Americans the
self made men. His father was
wealthy tobacco dealer, who made
money through succession of years
only to drop it all by an unfortunate
turn Of the market, leaving his son un.
handicapped by any load OF lucre. When
16 years old young Swanson was obliged
to leave school on account of lack of
means TO pursue his studies, and for
the next few years had varied expert
ence as a farm hand, school teacher,
and clerk in grocery store.
While following that last pursuit
calculated to stihe the ambitions Of any
young man, he burned the midnight oil
for two years over Blackstone and
gained fair knowledge OF law. At the
same time he figured conspiciously in
local debating society. and four citizens
of Danvi le who recognized his abilities
advanced money for him to complete
his education. After three years at
Randolph-Mac6n College, where he
took the orators and debaters medals,
he graduated with high honors. During
his college course he partly betrayed
his expenses by editing Democratic
country paper, the Hanover and Caro-
lima News. In one year at the Univer-
sity of Virginia law school he covered
the studies of two years and was awarded
the Jefferson medal.
Since 1856 Representative Swanson
has practiced law at Chatham. and never
ran for an Office until the Congressional
nomination WAS given him last fall,
although he did notable work in the
Oahi pong Wuou dbH. uauOHO was Qe-
feated. The mpaign was hard one
for the young candidate, because he was
comparatively unknown to the people Of
the district, but before election day he
had faced most of his constituents.
speaking three or four times between
each morning and night and driving ad
interim.
There has been no marked dramatic
element in Mr.. Swanson's career, but
he has forged to the front by virtue of
solid ability, brilliancy as an orator,
and personal traits by which every
acquaintance becomes friend His
last notable effort as a speechmaker
was at the recent Virginia convention
which nominated Judge O'Ferrsll for
the governorship, when the youngest
politician in years and experience sur
prised the convention and stirred it to
enthusiasm by fiery speech which sur
passed the efforts of the old political
wheel horses. A gentleman in every
sense of the word, he has no false pride
which would conceal his early struggles,
but on the contrary, talks of Them freely
and interestingly.