The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-17
BUTTERwoRVH STORIES.
Opposed Mckinley Tariff and a Hard
Debater on the Floor.

Opposed Mckinley TariR and a Hard
Debater on the Floor.
No building in Washington second to the
Capitol, is viewed and inspected with great
er interest by multitudes of visitors than
the Patent Office, in which the accumula-
ton of models is prodigious. Over the busi-
ness of the interesting and important de-
partment known by this name Benjamin
Rutterworth until his fatal illness seized
him few months ago, discharged his oner-
Gus duties at a salary of $500 year. No
officer in the long list of federal appoint
ments enjoyed a reputation for diligence and
efficiency superior to that of the chief of the
Patent Office The fatal illness of Major
Butterworth caused genuine sorrow in
Washington among persons of all classes
and occupations and of every political COM
plexion. He belonged to the small group of
public men whose following is almost wholly
personal, and Independent of their particular
views or conduct. Warm hearted, free
handed charitable in judgment elo1uent to
the point of being often ungovernable in
speech, but never willingly inlicting a
wound, he had a way of winning the hearts
even of his partisan enemies, and those
whose minds he could not influence in the
least degree Nature cut him out for en- in
dependent of the freest stripe; his prophetic
instinct was always marvelousy sure,
too; but he was rarely able to bring his ac-
tion up to the level of his impulses. His
speech against the Mckinley tariff bill IN
1890 was a nine days sensation. Nearly
every one believed that the warning of dis
aster which he shouted in the ears of his
party associates on the floor of the House
would have some effect Several members
did go to Speaker Reed and ask him wheth-
er there were not some danger of Butter
worth's starting a stampede when the bill
came to a vote; but the speaker smiled as
he answered, dryly: "Oh no; Ben has only
been showing himself off. He'll cool down
now, and when the day comes he'll vote
for the BILL
If he had done an opponent an uninten-
tional wrong in debate, Mr.. Butte-worth
was always ready tc make a manly and
frank apology; and it was no uncommon
thing to see him. after a stormy wrangle on
the floor in which not few hard words had
flown from side to side, go up to his chief
antagonist and hold out his hand, or take
him by the arm and lead him downstairs 10
luncheon chatting and joking by the way.
When he was once twitted on this apparent
inconsistency, he answered: oh I'm IKE
the person who pounds his pulpit in denun-
citation of sin, but can't help loving the SIM
ner ali the while You can't kill all human
sympathies by opening breach between the
Some one who had noticed Mr.. Butter
worth's changes from severity to gayety IN
the treatment of an adversary asked MN
whether there was not in this relic or his
early training in the Society OF Frie1ds.
Possibly" he answered. Many years
ago when l was still new to politics, went
into campaign in which personalities were
the chief missiles, and OF course, ! ol9 my my
share with the rest In the mi. MIDST OF l.e tne
fight. my good, old tatner calIeu me &parl
one day and said
THY mother and myself have thought
well to give thee some q aoHiGf Hette fer thee to
deal severely with bad principles ana PAD
practices than to deal severely with, bad
men, now living, who might be angered ana
No congressman was ever more ready to
"call buff''-if we may borrow favorlte
larry. Once when he was in the midst OF
speech describing the excellence or the
work done by Ohio in 81 the public life Oh the
Nation. somebody called out:
How about Hayes?"
"A good man and a good President. We're
ready to back him against the field on his
own record answered Butterworth,
promptly.
But you had to steal the presidency for
him." shouted the interrupter.
yes" was the audacious retort. we
had to steal it because there was no other
way of getting our own. And 1t was the
best thing the managers of the grand old
party ever did,
Mr. Butterworth was always a stanch
champion of civil-serVice reform on the
floor of the House; yet when he first came
into the Patent Office and found that
number of appointments he would like to
have made were barred by the rules, he was
strongly tempted to bolt" and in his
first heat even prepared a written state
ment of rather vigorous character in OPP
position to the reformed system. which,
when his mind became calmer, he concluded
was foolish, and destroyed.
A writer in the Boston Transcript, re-
Gently. in conversation with an Ohio con-
gressman expressed some surprise at Pres
ident McI<inley's choice of Butterworth
for office when it was known that they
were not strictly lovers. THE difference
between them" answered the Ohioan, lis
temperamental more than anything else.
If the two were boys and walking along
which had still dozen apples left on the
say oh, Bill. look at those apples You
boost me and I'll climb over and get them,
and we'll divide But Mckinley would say:
No. Ben we haven't time now to stop and
pluck fruit. Besides they belong to some
body else, and it would be wrong to take
them. Then, too, raw apples are very indi-
gestible. But at the next turn of the road
Mckinley would propose o brief rest and
going back alone. and filing his pockets,
reused from his nap. that If the owner of
those apples really valued them he would
rot have left them on the tree so long. and
that he knew an excellent remedy for in
digestion caused by eating fresh fruit And
where do / come in?' Ben Butterworth
would ask. oh, you may have the rest
this apple; I've had all care for"