The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-06-08
DAVID B. HENDERSON OF IOWA

Henderson, the probable successor OF
Thomas Bracket Reed as speaker OF the
house OF representatives, is the man OF
whom brother congressman said
HE has the exuitant buoyancy aad
hopefulness GARFIELD had; he is as young
and healthy souled as II he were still
looking at the rose-misted hills Of life
with the morning sun new-risen upon
\ him"
| Mr.. Henderson never can be president.
| He was born at Old Deer, in Scotland, in
1s4o, but was brought by his parents to
this country when 6 years old. They set
tied in Illinois. and removed three years
later to Iowa. Young Henderson was
reared on a farm. and, on the breaking out
OF the war in 1861, enlisted as a private
in company G, Twelfth Iowa infantry. He
was elected and commissioned first leu
tenant Of that company, serving with 1t
until he was discharged, owing to the loss
OF leg at Corinth. He had taken part
In the battles OF Fort Henry. Fort Dom
elson, Shiloh and Corinth, and had also
been slightly wounded at one OF the
earlier fights.
Three months after he was mustered
cut, he was appointed commissioner of the
board OF enrolment of the Third district
Of Iowa, in which capacity he served until
June. 1854, when he re-entered the army
as colonel of the Forty sixth Iowa infan-
try. He served until the close Of the war.
~
In November. 1865, he was made internal
revenue collector for the Third district of
Iowa, and, while holding this office, COM
pleted his law studies, so that in 1869 he
became a member OF the firm of Shiras,
Van Duzee G Henderson At this time
he was made assistant United States dis
/ trict attorney for the Northern district of
Iowa, but resigned in 1871 He was elect
ed to congress in the fall OF 1882, and mas
been reelected every two years since.
General Henderson, though not yet 60
years old. appears Older On account of
{ tho physical infirmties resulting from
/ his wounds in battle II has happened
that for several months at a time he has
/ hardly been able to attend to his congress
/ slcnal duties, on account of the intense
! suffering caused by the growth of some
/ thing In the nature Of an abscess near the
line OF amputation. He has been Obliged
to submit to repeated surgical operations
/ TO obtain relief On these occasions he
does not take anaeshetics. He ordinarily
/ wears wooden leg. but al times is coin
PEELED to use crutches without it,
Of late a great deal has been said of the
| Yesterday in Henderson's favor, and
/ Sherman, as young" candidates, and
Henderson as the candidate of the old
guard, In piont of fact. Henderson has
/ served In congress only one more term
than Hopkins, and is ouly six years older
General Henderson is one Of the most
genial Of men, except on those occasions
when his physical innrmties are so great
AS to wear severely upon his nerves. At
a congressional dinner party-and he is
frequent guest-he is often the life OF the
occasion" At Representative Walkers
/ farewell dinner, near the close of the last
session OF congress, General Henderson
/ and Private John Allen Of Mississippi
| kept the table In a roar with their repartee
| Henderson began by saying that there was
, one man In the Confederate army, who
had they been so unfortunate as to meet,
would have left less of him to return
/ home tnan there was now. Allen replied
that this was true, and they bantered each
other en- what would have happened had
they met in battle.
The incident was then recalled Of how
Henderson was once travelling in Mssis-
| sippi and getting near Tupelo, telegraphed
Allen that he was coming TO see him,
The telegram was not delivered. Hendal-
sons visit was not made whereupon Al
len brought suit against the telegraph
company for damages. and was awarded
about $50. This led to further banter as
to whether such a sum was sufficient re-
Qultal TO Allen for the loss Of visit from
Henderson,
His goot fellowship and amability nave
often shown themselves in Hendersou's
legislative career He is very much like
Presiden. Mckinley in his love of pleasing
people and Is disposed to view their re-
quests good naturedly There is a vast
difference in types Of men In the speaker
AZ bottom, this is really question OF
whether the statesmen loves the individual
applicant or the uncounted taxpayers
more. An easy going man in public life
simply divertr money from one purse 10
another, he does MT use his own funds
For example. General Henderson has been
enc Of the greatest champions Of the free
seed distribution scheme. He comes from
an agricultural district and. besides, he
likes TO send out o lot of little presents,
no matter how useless experience proves
them in most instances to be.
He was so conspicuous in the free seed
cause that he received a great many com
murications OF ridicule and protest bur
these he attributed 70 the seed packing
firms, which have always opposed the gra~
iutcu7 distribution by me government OF
the wares they have to sell. One of Mr..
Honderson's postal cards at this time, in
W mans handwriting. bore this mes
sage:
Johns influence can't be bought with
10 cents worth OF FREQ seeds. but II you
will send me box OF hairpins Will look
after him. His Wife"
Another Communication read
WAY not let up on seeds for willis
and send jack knives9 Everybody could
use them. and there would not be so much
waste, In that case radsh seeds would
not come up poor turnps, and the con-
gresham would be saved much ridicule
which he new often gets
~
Another movement with which General
Henderson has been oonspicuously allied
is the award OF pensions. AS severely
wounded veteran himself. he has stood
In his State and district as champion
Of soldiers rights" and one of his notable
congressional speeches was In reply TO a
defense which some one had made OF
President Cleveland's pension policy. In
speaking on the floor, Henderson pos
Sesses more than ordinary power, He is