Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-09-04
j. HAMILTON LEWIS.
FACTS REGARDING THE PEOPLES
NOMINEE FOR CONGRESS.
A Seif.Made Nam-IIis Life In GeOr.
gia, Virginia and the New state
of WashingtOn-IHeB Began at the
Lower Round of the Ladder.

Mr.. E. E. Wager, a classmate OF Col.
Lewis in the University Of Virginia, a
warm personal and political friend,
, gives the Seattle Times the following
biographical sketch of one of the Peo-
pies candidates for Congress:
Yes, know Col. James Hamilton
Lewis WELL" said Mr.. Wager. "The
Democratic nominee for Congress was
born in Danville, Virginia, on the 10th
day of May, 1868, and at the close of
the war he moved with his parents to
Georgia. His father had been a Con-
federate officer under Longstreet
Lewis lived in Augusta, Ga, took his
preparatory course of study at Hough-
ton Institute, and completed his COL
lege life at the University of Virginia.
He had at different times H. J. Snive-
ley OF North Yakima, Junius Roches-
ter, formerly of Seattle, and myself, as
classmates.
when his college days were over
and upon his return to Georgia he was
admitted to the bar at Savannah, after
course in the law Office OF Gen. A. r.
Lawton, the latter formerly Minister
to Mexico, and later, under President
Cleveland's first term, American En-
voy to Russia. Mr.. Lewis came to Sc.
attle in the fall of 1885, and worked at
different occupations. Being penni-
less and having his parents, who are
intirm and aged, to support, he ac-
cepted labor at unloading ships and
continued as longshoreman until he
could get in law office. He went
with Judge William ID. Wood, now
Mayor of Seattle, and in the mean
while did work i'll the office OF the
Clerk of the District Court, under
Judge Roger S. Greene. During this
period he also edited, in part, the
Chronicle, an evening publication.
"In 1887 he was elected to the last
Territorial Senate, as q Democrat,
from the district comprising King,
Snohomish and Sksgit counties. He
is the author of the law prohibiting
time checks, and the one giving from
each county treasury, under direction
OF the County Commissioners, a PEN
sion for the iniirm and poor soldiers
OF the Union army. He fought
through the House the eight-hour law,
compelling mines and miners and
manufacturers not to exceed eight
hours as a days work for laborer.
He made his entrance into State
politics by being elected as Permanent
Chairman of the first State Demo-
cratic Convention in 1889 at Ellens.
burg. Here it was that his speech,
upon taking the chair, made him a
State figure and established him as
the orator of his party. He declined
the nomination for Governor, and then
for Congress, at that convention. Like
wise he declined the nomination for
Governor in 1892 at Olympia, giving
as his reasons his conscientious dissent
from the principles OF the platform
also declined the nomination to Con-
gress at the Yakima convention in
1894. He was given his party's vote
for the United States Senate in the
Legislature of 1S94-5, along with Mr..
Wallace. He was his party's State
choice in the Chicago Convention for
Vice President of the United States,
receiving his State delegations vote of
eight, and three from his native State,
Georgia. He WAS made Assistant In
spector General of the State militia in
1895 by Gen. Curry, with the rank of
Colonel, having worked his way up
from q private in Company B, Seattle.
"His standing as a lawyer, and as a
man of refined education, and power
as an advocate and orator, is a matter
Of Pacific coast renown. His speech
made in New York before the Demo.
cratic society last April was reported
at column length by the New York
Sun. and editorially commented upon
as brilliant achievement by the Tri-
bune and Recorder of the same date.
He is member of the Stste-known
law firm of Stratton, Lewis & Gilman,
Mr.. l.. C. Gilman of the firm being
Col. Lewis campaign manager before
the convention just closed at Ellens-
burg"
Col. Lewis is now at the Green river
hot springs for a few days, recuperat.
ing, preparatory to entering upon a
vigorous campaign.