The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-12-19
THEIR VERY SERvIGEABLt RECORDS
Creditable Successors of Prominent Leg
islators-Men of Strong Minds-In-
teresting Bits of Biographical In
ormation-Where They Stand.

| Der is the new member. Much specula-
# ton has been INDUCED in as to what sort
of house it would be, with so many
b greenhorns just taking up the trade of
3 craftsmanship. Strange tales have been
told of strange men who would appear
at the roll call of the house. and there has
N been much merriment in anticipation. A
"a survey of the house suggests that this as
4 sumption that newness would bring with
n it crudity and awkwardness was entirely
H premature 1t is body composed largely
"A Of average men, and it is easy to see that
\ many of them give promise of develop
ment which will fit them to fiji the places
y of some of the best who have passed from
the public stage.
n YOUNG AND BUSINESS-LIKE
II There are two striking impressions
X drawn from a birds eye view of the as
"A semblage One is that there is an unu-
sual proportion of men under middle age,
and very many quite young. The other
is that there are few posers, who, with a
~ self-conscious air, seem to invite the pub
s lie to look upon them and see what a true
RI statesman is. This class is evidently
much smaller than it often is when there
b are greatly fewer entirely new men. The
new members, for the most part, look like
n earnest, straightforward, matter
N men, most of them young. Neither UNI
N derdressing nor overdressing is generally
noticeable among them. They seem a
4 good average lot of active business men.
al Here and there is an indication that the
n spark of genius burns. If appearances
Y are to be trusted, this ought to be good,
"a substantial congress.
W We design to introduce the new mem
& bers to the public by publishing brief
"A personal sketches.
IA r. G. MCCORMICK.
& Mr.. Richard G. Mccormick of the first
New York district comes to congress with
an cnviable record in many lines. This
is his second appearance in the National
IA legislature, as he served in the Forty-hrst
VI Forty-second and Forty-third congresses
as a delegate from Arizona. He is also
ACQUAINTED with the executive branch of
the government, having been first assist
ant secretary of the treasury i'll 1871.
Mr. Mccormick was born in New York
City and received classical education.
WI Having a taste for business pursuits he
Y entered Wall street in 1852. He went
abroad some years later and upon the
a breaking out of the Crimean war he pro-
" ceeded to the scene of hostilities, writing
Y letters which attracted much attention in
a this country and were subsequently pub
b lished in book form. The taste for jour
n nalsm, which he thus contracted, led him
h to engage in journalistic work in New
n York in 1857. Upon the breaking out of
the Civil war he went with the Army of
the Potomac as correspondent of the
New York Evening Post. His letters
Il were widely quoted and he was one OF the
Y group of war correspondents who enjoyed
X the esteem and confidence of the great
Il generals with whom he came in contact
n Mr.. McCormick's first experience in Off
v cial life was obtained as chief clerk OF the
IN bureau of agriculture lie went west
in 1868 as secretary of the territory of
81 Arizona, and three years later was made
N it's governor subsequently coming to con-
"A gress as delegate from that territory. up
J on retiring at the end of the Forty-third
a congress, he established newspaper,
which he conducted for several years
b He was a delegate to the Republican Ma
" tional conventions of 1872 1876 and 1881,
a and was United States commissioner to
4 the centennial exposition in 1876. After
4 his service as assistant secretary OF the
"a treasury he became commissioner general
& 70 the Paris exposition of 1873, which post
h he filled with honor and ability. He was
B offered the Brazilian mission in 1877, but
X declined it, and also refused to take the
3 Mexican mission in 1879. Mr.. McCof-
3 mick was candidate fol-. congress IN the
First New York district in 1886, but was
defeated by Perry Belmont. His election
to this congress was by majority OF 6OOO
Republican votes, overcoming Demo.
4 cratic majority of the previous election OF
5000 votes This is the first time the dis
Y trict has been represented by Repupii-
81 can in 25 years, and Mr.. McCormck's
( nomination was unsought and unanimous.
GROVE L, Johnson.
Grove L. johnson of California is a
+ man slightly under medium size, bright
/. eyed. quick moving and full of zeal. lie
4 is about "a years old. He is fluent in
Il conversation and fiery and bitter in ms
n style of oratory In his general bearing
he is amiable and courteous. lie was
3 born in New York State. Being left an
orphan when Is years old, he began at
4 thatsearly age to shift for himself, ana
succeeded in carving out good career
for himself. He studied law. and had
4 already gained some prominence IN
"A Syracuse, n. Y, when in '62 he went to
n the Pacific coast. For about 80 years
+ he has lived in Sacramento: He has
served as a member of both branches of
the California legislature with distinc
ton. He has been conspicuous inquire
q in MANY of the great criminal trials in
81 California for the last ten years, and
& was the leading counsel for the contest
s. ant in the famous Martin VIII contest,
where the widow was accused of poison
ing her husband In appearance he is
man of medium size, wears full brown
beard, tinged with gray and black hair.
/, He dresses with some elegance, but with
X a studied neglige, never wearing tie,
+ If opportunity offers he will probably
3 become striking, if not prominent
figure in the next congress. He Will
push to the front from the beginning.
EDGAR WILSON.
Edgar Wilson, the new member from
Idaho, is Pennsylvania boy. He is "a
years old, tall and fine looking, with
4 fresh complexion, mild eye, manly bear
\ ing and sociable disposition. He is fond
4 of outdoor life, and is fisherman and
4 killer of big game. After graduating
in law at the Michigan University in 'S4
he went to Boise. Idaho, and formed a
partnership with Fremont Wood, which
+ still continues He was elected city at
s torney, then district attorney. and was
& a member of the convention which adopt
ed the State constitution. AS chairman
( of the Republican State committee, he
conducted the campaign of '92, and in '94
WAS nominated for congress by accla-
4 nation. and was elected br from 1000