Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1899-12-13
David Bremner Henderson.

Few men in America now claim
more universal attention than our own
Gen. ID. b. Henderson, Of Iowa, the
newly elected speaker Of the House Vi
Representatives at Washington. To-
vans are especially interested in him,
because he is product of Iowa. We
are proud of him, and his position az
the third man of the nation in political
honors justifies this pride. But Gen.
Henderson is not only Speaker of the
House. He is battle-scarred veteran,
every inch man, q statesman Of great
ability, and a renowned orator. His
home is northeastern Iowa, and q few
incidents of his early life will be OF
special interest to people ofthis section.
We quote part of sketch of his ca
reer from a recent issue of the Des
Moines News:
"That fall d. B. Henderson, at the age, of lS
years. entered the Upper Iowa University a.
working on the farm In summers and living
with the greatest frugality in winters He
aud a cnum rented Quarters and kept house
3
sweeping their own fioors and making their
Young Henderson got special. standing
dent which had O feature suggestive Of the
episode in which his father anu the earl Of
Buchan were principals His skill as y de-
batter was as great as his superiority as u
wrestler. He had begun when he WAS only
eight years old, his eldest brother 6eor.e
being his opponent generally and has father
the judge. His reputation IN this line had
preceded him at Fayette, and he HAD not been
IN the college week before he was chosen io
lead a discussion before one OF the deb, ting
terrupted by senior who Ask, d fippant
question. Henderson stopped and looked at
the fellow, but soon resumed Three or four
much more fiippanti in tone-insulting even.
This tune the young man from Hendafsoa's
Prairie spoke up;
preserve order in this room, will"
Then he upset the senior aud piled him up
In the wuodbox. There were no more inter
ruptions at Upper Iowa University when
marks.
Though he enjoyed student life at Fayette
Immensely, he did not finish the course OF
study there. 1t was interrupted by the civh
war one of his best friends Was student
named w. w. Warner. In August, 1851,
and Warner spent a sunday evening with
Warmers sisters. Later In the night Hender-
SON told Warner he wns ashamed OF himself
IL
the army OF the north Ut would be piIy TO
leave school, he said, but the country needed
young men Just theh The friends talked
long and earnestly over the situation
which occurred at Fayette on September Is.
Henderson was then "a. a.-,s.,
On the morning or that day, Just ate after
ner and another student named Burr had
been working quietly among the students at
their conspiracy" arose aud asked pernis.
cir fQyv dc IN a m N vi al
Importance to every one present" He had
no complaint, no protest 10 make, he said,
but he wished ear inestly to be heard. This
was an entirely novel proposition, and the
faculty hesitated, but permission was finally
given. Then the youngster stood out upon
the floor and made first war speech"
He dwelt upon the governments need FOR the
services Of its strong young sons, and declar-
ed II to be the duty of all who cuuld to rush .
the front. His effort eliminated in a whirl-
he had finished he read series Of reso utions
sotting forth the situation In sober phrase,
and concluding with this paragraphs:
I'VE therefore drop our books to fight our
To this was appended muster roll bearing
the names of twenty-five students. the flower
OF the schools student body.
Before ne went TO the front Henderson en-
listed l04 more volunteers, and thus the ca
reer Of this typical American soldier. profess
war record is known to all the world.
Though offered a captains place, he said he
was too young, and SO was made second lieu
tenant. Twice he was wounded, once in the
face, when he was first under fire, and once
below the knee, which made amputation
necessary. Ne, ,ertheless, he returned To the
front, though wearing timber leg, and when
the war was over, wasa colonel at 25. After
that he studied law, served as internal re.
venue collector for the Dubuque district, and
seventeen years ago was elected TO congress.
General Henderson Is now only SO, with
what may be the most brilliant part OF his
career before him."