The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-08-19

caA poy III the congressional Directory"
which was recently issued by the Clerk
OF the Printing Records of the Senate. It
may not be his lot to win the Presidential
prize, which every American youth is
taught to believe is within the scope of
his ambition and the possibilities of his
future, but he can easily imagine himself
member of the House of Representa-
uves at some stage of his career, however
humble may be his lot to-day. The
history OF the American statesmen shows
that the majority of those who reach high
Office IN this country had humble origins.
The number of instances which are
grouped in the last issue of the Con
gressional Directory" is regarded by the
Washington Post as unusual and very
striking-the more so when il is remem-
bered that the biographies which appear
in the directory are written by the MEM
bers themselves.
Dickens has shown us one man who
made capital of his humble beginning
who proved to be a baretaced fraud.
Ihere are such men in public life to-day;
but the greatest number of hypocrites is
engaged in cOuceaiing early history be-
cause 1t would contrast too strongly with
present prosperity. So there is a delight
luI vagueness about the Biographies of
some OF the contributors to the directory,
and refreshing frankness about others.
here, Tor example, is Champ Clark of
Missouri. According 10 his testimony he
has worked as hired hand, cIerked in
country store, edited a country news
paper, 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 he was picking up a
knowledge of law. He is a practicing
attorney to-day. One of his colleagues
Mr.. White, worked on a farm and at
tended a district school between times
until he was Is years old. Then he
taught school and worked on the farm
until he was y. After that he went to
law school and graduated in that profess
sion.
Mr.. Richards of Ohio worked on farm
and taught school alternately, so as to
save enough to enable him to take a law
course. tie soon acquired large prac-
uce,' according to his own statement,
and later he took a course in medicine az
Wooster College to fit him for medico-
legal practice. Mr.. Hulic of Ohio at
tended public school in winter and
worked on his faiher's farm Ia summer
IL.
is also a graduate in law.
Mr.. Robbins Of Alabama was reared
on the Robbins farm in Randolph Comfy,
North Carolina, attending Trinity College
during the sessions and working on the
farm during vacations" Mr.. Robbins is
Il lawyer.
Mr.. Neill of Arkansas testified that he
was country-bred, and reared to per-
form manual labor" He went through
the war and then studied law. Very few
OF the lawyers who came to the new
House for their initial terms started out
with regular course in law or even with
an independent course in reading law.
Most OF them picked up their reading in
ODD times, and some Of them got their
education in quite as uncertain a fashion.
Mr.. W heeler of Illinois says that his
parents were pioneers, and he lived on a
farm, getting three months schooling a
year. HIS colleague, MIR. McDannoId,
testified that he was brought up on
farm"
FROM FARMS AND BLACKSMITH SHOPS.
Mr.. McNagny of Indiana taught and
worked on farm alternately Tor six
years. Then ne became station agent of
the Pennsylvania Railroad for four years.
pursuing the study OF law all the time.
He resigned his position as station agent
to enter the bar. Mr.. Hager of Iowa saws
that at thirteen years of age he engaged
in farming" This is almost as carefuIly
phrased as the biography of Mr.. Latimer
of South Carolina, who says that he was
brought up on his fathers farm and
spent much OF his life in active Dartici-
patton in agricultural pursuits" Mr.
Apsley Of Massachusetts is q match for
MIR. Latimer. He was born in Pennsvl-
vania and he says that at the age of 10 he
went to Philadelphia and immediately
engaged IN actlVe business pursuits,
early Identifying himself with the rub
Der goods trade" Mr.. Apsley Is still
identified with the rubber goods trade-a
fact which he makes no effort to conceal.
IN fact, the directory is used by half
dozen of the members to advertise their
business.
Mr.. Boon of Minnesota who identifies
himself as the youngest OF twin broth
ers'') says that he tarmed during the
summer and taught in the winter months
during his youth. Unlike many of his
colleagues, he stuck to farming.
There are four members OF the coming
House who are to make their initial
bows in September, if Congress meets at
that time, who started in life as black
smiths apprentices, and, strange to say,
two Of them come from adjoining dis
tricts in California. One of these Cali
fornians, Mr.. Mcguire. was born in Bos.
ton, but was taken to California when he
was only one year old, and there be
served term OF four years as black
smiths apprentice. After that be taught
Tor year ana a hall and followed this
with two years in the Legislature before
he was admitted tc the bar. MIR. Cannon
OF California was born in West Virginia
He was educated in a log schoolhouse in
a country district, raised on a farm and
learned the blacksmith's trade. When
ne was is years old he started Tor Califor-
MIA and drove an OK team overland. He
mined tor tweuty-one years ana then
moved to farm in Ventura, where he
now lives.
CONGRESSMAN DUNN's VARIED CAREER.
Mr.. Hicks of Pennsylvania had an ex-
perience even more varied, though
through it he remained within the bor-
ders OF his native State-the one which
he now represents in part in Congress.
He attended school in the winter months
and in the summer worked among The
farmers, and as soon as he was able be
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 par
ents moved TO Ohio he stayed in PennsyI-
vania, and after going through the war,
obtained clerkSnip in the offices of the
PENNSYLVANIA Railroad, and attended
night school so as to complete his educa-
ton. In this way he read law, and he
resigned his clerkship to practice his pro-
1eSsiOn.
MIR. Tawney of Minnesota also learned
iron working with his father. Tawney
Sr., was d farmer and blacksmith near
Gettvsburg, Ia. Tawuey, Jr.. began life
as an apprentice in his fathers black-
smith-shop. After completing that taade
he learned the trade OF machinist lie
went to Winona, Mimi, when he was