The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-09-05

| back TO his law Office. In 1874 he was
! elected to congress from the famous
| Lexington district, succeeding the late
Senator Beck He remained a men,
Der of the house for five terms, ten
years, in his last term, the Forty
eighth congress, 1SS3-1SS5, supporting
Mr. Carlisle for speaker. He gained
a considerable reputation as an orator
and debater and was during his en-
tire service in the house one of the
leaders of his party.
On March 4. 1885, the day Grover
Cleveland became president, Blackburn
took his seat in the United States sem
ate as the successor to John S. Will
Jams, familiarly known as "Cerro Cor
do" Williams, because of his distin-
guished gallantry on that battlefield
of the Mexican war. Blackburn was
reelected as his own successor, his
present term expiring on March 3, 1897.
Senator Blackburn is one Of the pic
turesque figures of congress. He is
unique in his ways. Southern people
visiting the capital always want to
see him. To them he is an attractive
showcard. For years no Southern
woman has failed after entering the
ladies gallery of the senate to demand
that Joe Blackburn be pointed out to
her.
1t was the same way when he was
member of the house. And if he is in
the range of vision he is not hard to
locate, for certain pecuiarities of dress
make him easily distinguished, not to
say conspicuous. He is nearly as
much attached to his flaming neckwear
as Congressman Springer to the red
rose he wears in his buttonhole. So
seldom iS he Wit II fba%
has become almost as much a part of
him as his big tawny mustache In
warm weather he wears a suit of light
Kentucky jeans; in cold wea Their usu-
ally big, loose, double-breasted brown
sack suit. When he addresses the sen
ate in a set speech, however. he al
ways appears either in a cutaway or
Prince Albert of conventional black
Senator Blackburn is an attractive
and forcible public speaker He has a
fine physical presence, a popular man
ner, and full, round, magnificent bass
voice. On the stump in Kentucky.
among the people who know him and
whom he knows, he has shown himself
the most successful campaigner since
Henry Clay and John c. Breckenridge.
That he is in his own country and
among his own people an antagonist
the nearly unbroken success he has had
in securing the nomination by the Dem
ocracy of legislative candidates who
VIII vote for his reelection to the SEN
ate
one of Blackbrun's peculaTities has
been that he forms his judgment of
the real views and opinions of the peo-
pie on any subject by talking to them
rather than reading the newspapers
which assume to speak for them. He
has been constant visitor to fairs,
race tracks. barbecues, conventions.
political rallies and like gatherings of
the voters, especially of those from the
country and back districts. These, the
solid yoemanry of the state, are the
ones Blackburn is looking to for sup
port. Nor is he looking in vain. That
Blackburn understands them better
than some of his colleagues is shown
by an incident that happened during
the called session of congress in 1899
which was finally coerced into repeal
ing the silver purchasing clause of the
Sherman act.
Blackburn opposed repeal: Lindsay.
the other Kentucky senator. favored it.
RESOLUTIONS faVoring repeal rained
upon congress from Louisville and 9th
er cities of Kentucky. Blackburn main
tanned his position. ash" Caruth. who
represented the Louisville district. was
made spokesman of a visiting delega-
ton of friendly remOnStrants. Caruth
represented that every town that had
held mass meeting had adopted reso-
lutons demanding repeal.
What do l care for those resolu-
tons exclaimed Blackburn. they
were passed by bankers. lawyers and
lnaTnN h.
was not expressed. for no country peo-
pie attended those meetings.
Nor could Caruth convince Blackburn
TO the contrary by showing him news
paper reports Of the meetsings. \ part
OF the sequel 10 this story is that Car
uth was beaten for congress last fall
The rest VIII be shown at the election
this fall.
Blackburn took the same view of the
state convention: that in the monetary
plan Of the platform it did not repre-
sent the real views of the Democracy
and the people Of Kentucky. Besides
the individual counts for much down
there. or, as ex-CongreSnan Thomson
puts it
I'm Kentucky we vote for men, not
platforms
His goldbuC enemies say Blackburn
than on finance. and tell this old story
10 prove it Once when he was in the
house and Beck in the senate an adj
mlreT o. the latter sent him a barrel OF
Bourbon whisky. The first thing he
cld was 20 send for Joe Blackburn 10
help drink il up. The Invita- ton OF
course was promptly accepted. As
soon as he had taken the first sin of the
whisky he smacked his lips. and after
another said thoughtfully, as much
TO himself as 10 Beck:
Yes. there is certainly iron in that
barrel"
What is that you say. Joe?" asked
Beck.
7 said there was iron in that barrel"
replied Blackburn.
Beck poured himself ont a glass sam
pied II With unusual care, shook his
head and said:
Ne. Joe; there is 10 iron in that bar
rel, but there Is leather
\ hot dispute followed in which
many samples OF Bourbon disappeared.
and which finally resulted in a heavy
wager between the two TO be decided
when the barrel should be ernptied
This was accomplished in about two
months; but the bet was then declared
on. Il had 10 be. for both were right.
When the head OF the barrel was knock
ed in there was found on the bottom a
carpet tack with q leather head.
HE-~i'ye been watching FOR 2 chance -
Kiss you Tor the last ten minutes, She
on must - I-aa--si-Issd. Life
Man must be disappointed with the lesser
things of life before he can comprehend the
iuI value OF the grea;er.-Bulwer.