The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-03
LONG RECORD IS THAT OF CON.
GRESHAM FLETCHER

II
Term as Representatfve-O
ed to Annexation, but u Strong
Supporter of a Declaration of
Cuban Independence-A TireIess
Worker When Measures for the
Benefit of the Mill City Are Mt
stake-His Committees and Some
OF the Bills Before Them.
Correspondence The st. Paul Globe.
WASHINGTON, March 31.-The Hon.
Loren Fletcher, member of congress
from Minneapolis, enjoys the distinc-
ton of not having been born in that
city. According to that, dessicated BIZ
ography, the Congressional Directory.
his nativity was aboua as far down
East as it is possible to descend with
out getting very wet; namely, at
MT. Vernon, kennebec county. Maine
He was educated"-so the record runs
IN public schools number not given)
and the Maine Wesleyan seminary. :"
In 1888 he removed to Bangor where
he was employed as clerk by mer-
camille ana lumber company ii. e., by
country store); in 1856 he removed
(again the redundant ret is to be
hoped that this was not an eviction
TO Minneapolis, Mimi, where he has
since resided, engaged in manufacture
ing and mercantile pursuits, largely in
the manufacture Of lumber and flour;
was elected to the state legislature in
1872, and Reelected seven tines Chow
many times must we forgive our
brother for his fault? the last three
terms served as speaker, having been
unanimously elected the last term; was
elected to the Fifty third and Fifty
fou1tn congresses, and reelected to the
Fifty fifth congf esS." Thus it appears
that iii his case westward the course
OF empire took its way; and that by
following Greeley's advice he has grad
ually developed into the good old pub
lie functlonary that he is.
from such synopsis it Is evident
that Mr.. Fletcher has long since ceas-
ed to be an underliNg in Uncle Sans
university. This is his third term; he
is a Junior, entitled to smoke his pipe
and sing his giees; and after another
electiCn-which likely will be unani-
mous-he can join with the Imnortals,
Allen, Bland, Boutelle, Ketcham
Payne, Reed and Grosvenor, and eat
the ambrosia of arrogance, and sip the
nectar OF nctoriety.
To employ another figure, more
n1assy than classy, congressional non
age may be separated into three
stages. In the first term the congress-
man begins to take notice; in the sec
ond, to talk. and in the third, to walk
that is, to attend to business. Such in
fantile characteristics are not hide
bound; some congressman never take
notice, though they take almost every
thing else; others reach the second
stage in a leap, and stay there Mr..
Fletcher, on his part, is exceptional; he
passed directly from the first sub
division into the third, and there he
remains constant. Congressional life
is an old story to the honorable gem
tleman, which, unlike the person in the
hymn, he does not love, to tell. 1t Is
only by infrequent breaches in his wall
of taciturnity that one is able to make
a foray, and thus catch a glimpse of
the wonders Withfn.k+
His Committees.
AS a member of proved and acknowl-
edged standing, Mr.. Fletcher has been
well placed on committees. He is sec
end member on Interstate and foreign
commerce." and holds the fourth place
on territories Both of these COM
mittees are properly deemed important;
while his position on each, like light
ed match, is not to be sneeZed at; for
congressman make much of the order
CT their going and coming, and stick
to precedent with the adhesion of the
Danes of all the Revolutionary, Co