Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-25
Surprise ira This city.

minutes longer the tlfle Tor
sine die of the legislature would have ar
rived.
Surprise ira This city.
The news of the election Of George w.
Mcbride as United States Senator from
Oregon vas a great surprise to the con-
gressional delegation from Oregon. Mr..
Mcbride. though well known in his state.
had not been in any way mentioned for
Senator, and it was supposed. besides, that
his health would not permit him to be a
candidate for any Office. He was in this
city about a month ago, on his way back
to Oregon from New York, where he had
undergone surgical operation.
In speaking of the matter Representative
Hermann of Oregon said: Il have known
Senator Mcbride intimately for years. He
was Il competitor of mine in 1854, before
the republican convention. for the nom.na-
ton to Congress. Before that he
member of the state legislature and speak
er of the state house of representatives.
In 1887 he was elected secretary of state
and reelected in 1891, serving altogether
eight years His term has just closed.
He had suffered so much from infiam-
matory rheumatism that he had practi
calIy Withdrawn from politics, and was no.
elected TO any Office at the end OF his
term.
Senator Mcbride took no part in the
recent senatorial fight, and 1 suppose was
ticClcd tS q popuitT candidate
to prevent the legislature from failing to
elect and leaving the place vacant
\ Sketch of His Career.
The new Senator-elect is a son of DR.
James Mcbride, one of the earliest pioneers
to Oregon territory, who was afterward
minister to the Sandwich Islands in 1854
George w. Mcbride was born in Yamhill
county, Oregon, in March, 1851, and was
the youngest of four sons. He was COM
PEELED in his early youth to give up study
On account Of poor health. His bad health
resulted in his abandonment OF the idea OF
practicing law, but upon his recovery he
engaged in active business, becoming the
leading merchant Of st. Helen's, the county
seat of Columbia county. In 1850, when but
twenty-siX years Of age, although the
county in which he lived was a den.ocra tic
stronghold, he was elected as a republican
to represent it in the state legislature. He
was Immediately chosen speaker of the
house OF representatives. He was several
terms a represen tative and also speaker
and in 1887 was the unanimous choice of
the republican party of Oregon for secrc-
tary of state. 1t was in this year that the
democrats first elected Gov. Pennoyer by
majority of 1000, while at the same time
an even greater republican majority was
given to Mcbride.
During his first term he suffered a severe
accident. being thrown from wagon, and
much of his life has been passed in bed
but, even when wasted with sickness and
tortured with pain. his indomitable energy
and iron will have enabled him to accom-
pish more than most people in perfect
health could do. His constant ill-health
from boyhood has shut out from his mind
all thoughts of assuming the responsible
ties of matrlmony, and at the age of forty
one he Is still unmarried. He caused one
of the rooms at the state capitol to be fitted
up as chamber, and at times for months
from his sick bed he transacted the bust
ness of the state with punctuality and ac-
curacy.
He was reelected as secretary of state
a much mere important and lucrative office
in Oregon than that OF governor, by a ma
jority of >a.bout 1O.oGl, although at the same
time the democrats again elected Pennoycr
governor.
He has never been identified with either
the gold or silver men, but knowing the
strong sentiment of the people of his state
in favor of silver coinage, however, it is
believed that he will join the ranks of the
silver party in the United States Senate
He is of medium height, complexion
neither decidedly dark or fair; has blue
Before the accident of several years ago,
since which time he has been compelled to
walk with crutches, he was a great lover
of outdoor sports, an excellent horseman,
ard dead shot with the rife. Land own
ing and dealing is passion with him, and
his landed estates in Columbia county,
Ore, are extensive beginning in some
cases at the river front and reaching back
into the coast mountains for miles. re-
cent surgical operation upon the diseased
hip and spine. which was the result of
the fall from the wagon, has left him. it
is said, in much better health than he has
had since that time, and it is possible that
his coming to the Senate will mark not
only the beginning of q new career OF USE
fulness, but also of a restoration to phys1-
cal health.