The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-12
Unique Figure
Will Be
VERY MUCH MISSED
Brief Sketch of His Private
and Public Career.

With the election of a successor to
Congressman Walker, there passes
from public life in national legislation a
unique personality, and it is safe to say
that his familiar figure will be missed,
not only in the ranks of his own par
ty, but also among the prominent men,
bers of the democracy, with many of
whom he was on the closest terms of
intimacy.
During his long and useful career in
public life, he has been a notable con-
tributor to both by speech and in de-
bate to nearly all OF the great ques-
tons that have agitated the country
for the past decade. With Characters
tic earnestness and vigor, Congressman
Walker has championed what he con-
siders the best scheme to promote
financial reform, and for years, with
bull dog tenacity and untiring perse-
veranee, he has made an aggressive
fight for it's success.
That a banking bill has not been
passed by congress, is not due to any
fault of Mr. Walker, for it is well
known that his plan has been to have
other schemes for the relief of the cur
rency than his own presented to the
house, knowing full well that in the end
the best plan suggested, the one best
| aGapted to meet the requirements of
the bankers and the people alike, would
be accented.
Leaders of both parties have from
time to time endorsed his merit and
| usefulness as a member of congress. In
the face of adverse criticism heaped
upon him by party leaders and the
press, Mr.. Walker has firmly main
tanned his stand on important questions
and no man, whether in congress or out
| OF It, has ever assailed his honesty and
| integrity Of purpose. 1t is greatly to
his credit to be said that at a time
when corruption and tricl1ery are the
rule in political and official life, no one
has ever questioned his honesty of pur-
pose and diligent labors in the interest
| of diversified constituency.
That Mr. Walker has been an untir-
| ing worker on the floor of congress, in
| the committee room and in matters
pertaining to the welfare of the district
which he has had the honor to repre-
sent Tor five successive terms, no one
has ever seen fit to deny.
| Joseph Henry Walker, member of the
! third Massachusetts congressional dis
| lIACL SltlCG 1890, Was Dorm Boston Lee.
| Il, 1929, amid the most unostentatious
surroundings. His father was Joseph
| Walker, a member of an old English
family, and his mother was Hannah
| Thayer Chaplin, a daughter of an old
| Milford family. About 1882 the family
removed to the town of Hopkinton,
| where his father was engaged in the
manufacture of boots and shoes. After
| a few years the family again moved
| this tif11n t0 fha bealt of fba comm on
wealth, and it was here that the future
statesman received his early education
in the public and high schools of the
| city. While yet in school he devel-
oped those traits of industry and at
tention to duties that have character
| lied his later career in business and
public life On the completion of his
| father and for many years worked at
| the bench during the day and kept the
FIRMS books during the evening hours.
In 1850 he was admitted to a partner
ship in the firm of Joseph Walker &
Co., and he continued his connection
with the concern for twelve years, af-
| ter which he was associated with his
brother under the firm name of j. II.
& G. NJ Walker. The Walker boot,
made at the Water street plant, we'll
known all over the country for many
years, was the product of this con-
Germ.
Success having crowned his diligent
attention to the requirements lof his
business, in 1868 Mr.. Walker decided
| to branch out and seek new fields to
/ conquer Following the start of en-
pire. destiny took him westward to
| Chicago, where he established the tan
merry and leather house of Walker, Oak
ley & Co., which is today one of the
largest calfskin tanneries in the coun-
try.
| While yet absorbed in business pur-
| suits. his thoughts were turned to a
nossible public career. When but six
| teen years of age he was diligent
| newspaper reader, and took an interest
| in ali matters of national Importance.
He ascribes much of his early success
in the service of the public TO the bene-
fits he derived from mis- participation IN
1 the affairs Of the young mems rhetoric
| al society, then in a f1ourishing condi-
ton in this city.
| In 1852, when only 20 years of age, he
| was elected to the common council from
what was then ward one. He was re-
| elected to the same board two succeed
| ing years. and in 1859, when he was
again member of the council, he was
| chosen to preside over the delibera-
| tions. During his connection with the
| city government he took prominent
| part in effecting many municipal re-
| forms which are remembered today
from the great good resulting from
| them.
The groundwork of his congressional
] career was service in the state legisla
ture in 1880 and again in 1887. Dur
ing the latter term he was chairman of
the important committee on labor. 1t
was largely through his efforts that the
weekly payment bill was first passed
by the house, and though defeated in
the senate at the time, the impetus 1t
then received at his hands carried it
| through to become a law only few
years later Mr.. Walker also served
on the committees of finance, on re-
trenchnSents and for the reform Of the
public service.