The herald., 1898-12-24
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SAM WARD
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|
Ward! Well, he was a citizen of New York
city, and for many years an habitue in
Washington during the sessions OF congress
| suppose his full name was Samuel, but
never heard him called other than Sam
Ward or simply Sam.
He was not public official nor celebrated
as politician, journalist, litterateur or IN
any of the professions. Though his wife was
an Astor, he was not rich, nor was he CON
spicuous in high society. Yet he was as
often mentioned in private conversation as
Charles Sumner or other distinguished per
/ sons.
Sam was not one of those political dead
beats who infest Washington. lie meyer
pestered congressman for their influence in
| behalf of this or that, though he associated
much with senators and representatives.
He never dressed fantasticaly, but always
neatly. He was man of good manners and
pleasing address lady who once saw him
with Garfield asked me the name of that
"old German diplomat His Germanlc
physique and good manners would lead one
to suppose that he was a Teuton of some
| prominence.
! In his way Sam Ward was great man.
His philosophy was that the good things of
earth were created for mans happiness and
| that it was true religion to partake of them
! literally; indeed, the highest praise that
can be rendered to the Deity. He was dis
| ciple of Epicurus but he had not the coarse
palate or capacious stomach of a Lucullus.
| His tastes were delicate andrhe did not en-.
gorge himself like gourmand.
! Sam Ward was learned in dietetics. He
was caterer par excellence and proficient
in cuisine. He invented new and improved
menus. He knew how to eat intelligently
and with view to health and happiness.
| His table manners were fascinating and he de-
| lighted guests at his dinners. If he had been
known to the French bon vivant, Brillet-
Savarin, he would have been given a prom
inent place in his literature. He dned and
wined senators and representatives fire.
quently and to their delight. His example de-
veloped American taste for the delights of
the table, and hence he became popular and
the subject of much talk. No man was more
popular among his acquaintances than Sam
Ward.
But, alas! his popularity was attended
with disrepute. He gained the bad reputa-
ton of being lobbyist. When a difficult
matter was before congress, men said "See
Sam Ward; he can help you out" But he
was not a lobbyist. l was once advised to
see him in regard to a contest in the senate
on a matter of confirmation. l saw him.
but he said, 81 have nothing to do with
such matters" I had been in congress four
wears before I knew Sam Ward by sight,
though | had very often heard of him.
When | became a member of the ways and
means committee Ward often appeared IN
the committee room, bringing a bottle Of
fine Baltimore whisky or box of choice
Havana cigars He never seemed to want
anything. except to make himself agreea
bic. | asked Beck of Kentucky what Wards
business was and what he wanted. He said
he had been in congress six years and didn't
know anything that Sam even wanted or
what caused him to remain in Washington
during the sessions of congress.
When the ways and means committee in
vestigated the charge of bribery in connec
ton with the passage of the Pacific Mail
Steamship subsidy Sam Ward was sum-
moned as witness; in the suppostion that
nothing of that kind could have occurred
unless he had hand in it or knew all
about it.
The committe asked Ward ii he were not
lobbyist, to which he replied he was not;
that he had never attempted to influence
tUG passage VI any uutdSuit III NoHEicss.
When inquired Of as to what his business
was, he answered that he represented cer-
tain business men in New York. who desired
TO know about what would be the legislation
in congress on subjects which would affect
their interests, and that he was sent to
Washington for the purpose of keeping
watch and giving his opinion as to
what was likely to happen, and
A. l. -
or oppose any measure.
He said he kept track of bills in commit
tee and in both branches of congress as
carefully as did the vice president and the
speaker, that he might, as far as possible,
forecast results and communicate them to
his clientele. In reply to the question re-
gardIng his compensation. he said it was
tluctuating in amount, all depending upon
how much good he was able to do his
employers, some times being small and at
other times large
He was asked if he did not often give
dinners to senators and representatives. to
which he responded that he did, and that
his object was to make men happy; that he
liked to display his skill and have it appre
cated, and that the extent to which he en-
tertaned depended upon the amount he
received for his services.
Ward then told a story. He said the king
OF Spain was once on a hunting excursion
with a party and got lost in the woods. The
party wandered about till they became hun
gry The king ordered one OF his attendants
to climb tree for the purpose of discover
ing whether they were near a house at
which they could get something to eat. The
result was the discovering of a chateau in
the distance, to which the party proceeded
The king ordered the peasant to prepare
dinner for himself and party. The peasant
said that dinner had just been finished and
he had no meat in the house and could
therefore prepare but an Indifferent meal
but if his majesty would be patient he would
do the best he could and as quickly as pos
sible. In brief time the dinner was pre-
pared and his majesty partool of it with
the greatest satisfaction. The king inquired
what meat that was of which he had par
taken. The peasant said it was taken from
animals which were yet alive, and if his ma
iesty would accompany him to the back
yard he would show him the animals. The
king was shown fortytwo hogs whose ears
had been cut off, and was informed that the
yiands of which he had eaten were the ears
of those swine. The king said that man
who could make a dish so delightful from
such material deserved the highest honor,
and he knighted him on the spot.
Ward concluded by saying that instead
of being suspected of ulterior motives and
charged with being a lobbyist because he
entertained gentlemen at quiet dinners he