Evening star., 1897-05-08

named "Tama JIM by his associates. AS
a member of Congress this Iowa farmer
performed an act of abnegation, of renun-
citation, every whit as knightly and heroic
as the inspired, inspiring selfiessness and
nerve of the grimy man in dungarees who
''held her nose agin the bank till the last
galoot' got ashore. 1t was an act that
seems, strangely enough, to have forsaken
the memory even of older Americans; the
younger ones, many of them know nothing
of it. 1t was not remembered even before
or after the mighty tribute Of many ma
tions to one of the great captains of his
tory at his final entombment In New York
on Tuesday last. Yet 1t was the renuncia-
ton Of ''Tama Jim" that restored to Grant
the military title that he surrendered when
he became the civil chief of the nation he
had redeemed with the sword.
1t happened during the Forty-eighth Con-
gress. when Grant lay dying at Mt Nc
Gregor. 1t was democratic House. Car
Isle was the Speaker. bill was introduc-
ed restoring to Grant the rank of general.
The originators of the measure thought to
pass it without opposition. But the oppo-
sition appeared, strong and determined.
To throttle consideration of the bill it's an
tagonists resorted to filibustering tactics.
Tama Jim, for several previous terms a
representative from Iowa, now held his seat
Professionally. 1t was contested by Ben.
Frederick, his democratic opponent. A con-
tested election case has the right of way in
Congress. The pretext was seized by the
opponents of the urgent measure to give
back to the expiring leader his military
rank. The supporters of the Grant bill,
eagerly as they desired to get it through in
time, were not willing to sacrifice their. COL
league from Iowa in order to gain their end,
and thus they were in turn compelled to re-
sort to filibustering to prevent the consider
alton of the election case, which was exact
u = or-tx- -t-l,D e
to do "rama JIM had good case al
though, the House being democratic, what
the outcome of the fight would have been
Is problematical. The tangle became mex
tricable: neither side would yield an inch;
the Grant bill was blocked, with it's bene-
iciary close to death. g..
Surrendered His Seat,
Then "Tama JIM rose to the height of
Arthur in his hall. Did he understand that
the mere question as to whether he was to
be permitted to retain his seat in Con-
gress stood in the way of nations exhi-
bftion of common gratitude to Its preserv-
er? Could It be possible that a mere con-
tested election case was to be the boulder
on which consideration Of SO palpable an
act of justice was to split?'
IF this Is the case, he concluded, calm
ly, amid intense silence, "aS 1t unquestion-
ably appears 10 be, the obstacle is easily
removed. M. Speaker l hereby resign my
claim to a seat in this House to my con-
testant, Mr.. Frederick
The House rang. Every man in the body
joined In the hoarse plaudit that followed
the speech: The anti-Grant men were
stupefied, and the Grant bill passed the
House amid hurricane of cheers. 1t was
rushed over to the Senate and Immediately
passed by that body; and within an hour
after James Wilson, now the Secretary of
Agriculture, had made way for its consider
alton by surrendering his seat in the House
of Representatives the bill was signed by
the President and became law. 'Tama
Jim went back to his Iowa farm.
Among his old associates in Congress
Secretary Wilson is still affectionately
known as 'Tama JIM" The nickname was
conferred upon him because during his
service as a congressman there was in the
House another representative from Iowa