Evening star., 1895-11-02
Buying Hogs on Commission.


went back home and tried the pony cure.
But 1t was no good. 1 had no object in my
rides, and 1 could not gain strength.
Buying Hogs on Commission.
This was the situation when I went to
Peoria one day. 1t was then, as it is now
quite hog market. 1 met one of the cap
italists, and lie asked me If would like to
buy hogs for them. He offered to pay me
ten cents hog, the farmers to keep the
hogs until they We're wanted, and to be
paid the market prices prevailing at the
time of delivery. 1 accepted the PROPOSE
uon ana started out to buy During the
next few months 1 bought thousands of
hogs. l galloped from one farm to another,
buying all the swine within sight and l
contracted for all the hogs in two or three
countess At the close of my season l
round that L had cleared $500 and also that
had entirely regained my health. 1 took
the money and went back to Springfield. 1
ieSuiheu my studies and was soon admitted
to the bar"
how How did you get into politics, Senator?'
Every lawyer in those days was, to a
certain extent. a politician" replied Sena-
tol Cullom. THE law is. as n ruIe one of
ire stepping stones to politics. I got into
polltics because l tried to use politics as
stepping stone tc the law. 1 was practicing
In Springfield. you know and l thought If
became member of the legislature that
tils would give me acquaintance all over
the state. and would help my law business
me result was that l became candidate
and was elected. 1 was reelected, then
made speaker of the house. and after that
sent to Congress. Later on l was elected
governor for six years. and then sent to
the United States Senate There YOU have
1t all in a NUTSHELL
Lincoln as u Story Teller.
How about Lincoln, Senator? Was he
really such great story teller as 10
claimed?'
Yes was the reply. But he did not
tell stories for the sake of telling stories
HIS stories came out in the shape of Illus
trations of his thought, or to enforce his
arguments. He liked to talk, and during
his life at Springfield there was a drug
store. which still stands there, to which
Lincoln used to come nearly every night to
talk. There was crowd who came there
to listen to him. and many an argument
was sprung merely for the sake of getting
Lincoln to talking. He would brighten up
as he began to talk and 1 used to some
times think that he told stories to get
away from his thoughts and himself. When
he was alone he would often drop into
habits of deep meditation. would seem to
lie gloomy ard it was almost impossible at
such times to arouse him."
Il have heard that he was moody and
blue, and that he lowered at times on the
verge of insanity. Is that sop
He may ha .e been moody at times" re-
piled Senator Culom, but his head was
extraordinarily clear. I used to think, when
l saw him sitting and apparently brooding
over something that he was possibly turn
ing the great questions concerning
the matters which he had to settle in after
life. and that the responsibilities which he
was to have were already before him. He
was. you know, n philosopher, and his great
mind and soul were different from those OF
common men,. nv H
Lincoln and Religion.
WAS Abraham Lincoln a religious man."
I asked.
I'm one sense he was, ard in another,
not" replied Senator Cullom. LAS to a be-
lief in a future state and God, I think
he was. He had religious side to
his nature and 1 have seen evidences that
he had made a deep study of the Bible.
AS 20 being a doctrinal Christian-a be-
lever in certain creeds and churches-he
was not. AS to his study of such matters.
I remember an incident. The Universalist
and Campbellite preachers of Springfield
were holding joint debate upon certain
doctrines. Well, one night. when they were
discussing whether there was hell, Abra-
ham Lincoln attended. He and 1 sat to-
gether and when the two preachers had
fir iShed their discussion, walked out.
I remember Lincoln was disgusted with the
discussion. He swung himself out of his
seat they stated the debate was closed,
and said to me: They have scarcely touch
ed the question He had evidently been
thinking upon the subject, and had 1t all
figured out in his mind
II have book Senator, entitled, Was
Abraham Lincoln a Spiritualist, and try
ing to prove that he was So"
II do not think that he was" replied
Senator Cullom.
what were the elements of his
strength"
"Abraham Lincoln" replied Senator Cul-
lom, had a great sympathy with the peo-
pie He was man Of the people. He
could feel for them and with them. He
had great common sense and great eXecu-
tive ability"
Lincoln n Politician.
WAS he a shrewd politician?"
.Yes; he was a good judge of men and
knew how to move them'
WAS ne ambtious?'
"Yes: very much So" was the reply. But
he was SO wrapped up in the great ques-
tions with which he had to deal that it Is
hard to tell where his ambitions ended and
his convictions began. He was far-seeing.
1 remember the campaign with Douglas.
l was ins with Lincoln, and when the re-
turns came in, though Lincoln had the
popular vote, a legislature had been chosen
which would elect Douglas. l met Lincoln
coming home just after the news had been
received. I said: Well, Mr.. Lincoln, We
are beaten
Yes he replied, we are beaten
81 am very sorry,' said l, and at this old
Abe put his hand on my shoulder, and,
looking down at me with smile, replied:
oh, my boy, don't worry; 1t will all come
right in the end.'
Il remembered his confident tone after
ward and believe he saw even then that
his defeat would make him President of the
United States.
81 got my first desire tors go to Washington
to Congress through Lincoln Mr.. Cullom
went on. 'It was the night before he left
Springfield to go to his inauguration. I was
at this time speaker of the Illinois house,
and al entered his parlor I said:
"'Mr. President, I want to come to Wash
ington if possible before you leave
"Lincoln's eyes laughed as 1 used the
words Mr.. President and he replied, en-
phasizing his form of address: Mr.. Speaker.
I hope you will
IT then began to scheme to get to Wash
ington and was soon elected a member of
Congress-
The Issues of the Campaign.
At this point the conversation turned to
politics, and during it asked Senator Gull
lom to give me short statement as to the
issues of the next campaign.
Senator Cullom replied: 'The issues are
not many, but they are very important. The
republican party will espouse protection
sound money and true Americanism, advo-
eating a strong foreign policy on the basis