The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-06-06
Thomas B. Reeds
Probable Successor
Washington Letter, Times-Herald.

Washington Letter, Times-Herald.
m AVID BREMNER HENDERSON,
II III the probable successor of Thomas
II Bracket Reed as speaker of the
~ house Of representatives, is the
man OF whom a brother congress
man said: "IIe has the eXultant buoy
ancy and hopefulness Garfield had; he
is as young and healthy soulcd as If he
| were still looking at the rose-misted hills
of life with the morning sun new-risen
| upon him." And said his eulogist: "He
knows the house and men as Blaine did.
| Ills ascendencY is due to his tact, his
fullness Of resources, his courage, his
easy assumption of leadership, his pru-
| dence, his good will, his sanity of judg-
ment, his good comradeship. He knows
what he can and what he cannot do. He
| never affects the foible of omniscience."
Yet again said this man who knew him:
| "IIe will swear with all the pious Scotch
damnatory JUNCTION of John Knox at the
| Democratic members for their resistance
TO Reeds rules, and then he will pass
along one of the aisles on the Democratic
side and the members will rise up to
greet him as If he were the cherished
pride of the household"
To-
His life has been lighting one. The
| right kind Of combativeness is upper
| most in his nature. lie was once called
| a Lorna Doone" kind of a fighter and
the term will be we'll appreciated by
those who know what kind of fighter
| that is. He has been seventeen years in
congress, hailing from the third district
OF Iowa, Dubuque being his home, and
| the Democrats of that Democratic town
| indorsing what he does just about as
cordially as do the enthusiastic Repubi-
cans. This is q high tribute to the
mans abilities, for Colonel Henderson
| Co., 1. ID
| publican party that the Democrats hate.
| He is for d protective tariff, for sound
money, for a broad national policy, was
| n waVer of the "bloody shirt" until
changed conditions demanded a more
| concillatory policy has cordially sup
| ported the president and never lost an
| opportunity to attack and score Demo-
| cratic fallacies.
-:o:--
He is 60 years old and he can never be
president OF the United States because he
was born in Old Deer, Scotland, in 1910.
His parents removed with him to the
United States when he was years old
and settled in Illinois. They remained
| in that state until 1Si9 when they passed
on to Iowa, and thtt has been his home
| ever since. His boyhood was spent on
| Il farm, and he secured mis- education at
the same time that poverty was knocH-
| ing at the door. After being graduated
| from the Upper Iowa university he was
| prepared for the law. but the civil war
called him to the army, and he enlisted
| as private in the Twelfth Iowa infantry
in September. 1861. He was commissioned
| first lieutenant before he reached the
| front, and at Fort Donelson was taken
from the field with his jaw broken. He
gained a captaiEcy and in 1868 was so
| badly wounded in the foot that amputa-
| ton was necessary. Since that several
| other operations have been performed on
| that leg until it has been practically
taken off. and the congressman walks
| with crutches. Despite the injury to
his leg he entered the army again in
| 1864 as colonel of the Forty-sixth Iowa
| Infantry, and remained with the regi-
Inent in the field until the end of the
| war. On his return home he was made
| collector of the third district of Iowa
| for the internal revenue department, and
held that position until 1869. Then came
| two years of service as assistant United
States district attorney, ending In 1881
with his election to congress, where he
has remained ever since. As a lawyer
! he was originally a member of the old
and famous firm of Shiras, Van Duzee &
| Henderson. He is now a member of the
firm of Henderson, Hurd, Lenahan &
| Kiesel.
| To-
| In congress he has been chairman of
| the committee on rules, in the absence
| OF Speaker Reed and is also chairman
OF the judiciary committee, two positions
| which have given him excellent oppor-
| tunity to fit fer the chair OF the speaker.
| In the house the committee on rules
| takes much the place of the cabinet in
| the English and continental governments
| AS a legislator Colonel Henderson has d
! wide reputation as chairman of the judi
ciary committee, which passes upon every
| measure of constructive law, everything
| going to jural or jurisprudentia! policy
| everything going TO the organic legal
| structure OF the nation. No bill IS con-
sldered, no measure acted upon. no ques-
! tun comes to vote unless he and his
| four associates on the committes on rules
so decree. Keeping the house In relation
with the committee, from the standpoint
Of the floor, falls largely upon Colonel
| Henderson. No other man IL the body
| probably could DO II so well as he. When
General Grant redo along the picket
| lines, both the Union and confederate
| guards turned out aaG saluted him. Col
onel Henderson commands that kind OF
respect from his friends and his oppo-
| nents. lie has no Tancor. lie makes 70
| anmosities. Even his critics pay this
tribune to him: 'IIe is an American Of
| Americans; type OF that composite cit
lzenship which is the American people,
and In view OF which so great thinker
as Herbert Spencer concluded that with
all cur faults America win be in the fu-
ture the chief Of all nations"
| -:O:-
Colonel Henderson Is a fine political
stumper. but every second year his state
committee rellEquishes all claim on him
In order that he may devote himself TO
holding his own congressional district In
line. Tho colonel occasionally Exchanges
pulpits." so to speak. with Congressman
Dolliver or others OF the Iowa delega-
tlon, but otherwise he does not so out
side his own district during congressional
campaigns. Ills hold on the affection OF
the party managers, as we'll al on the
rank and file. is so strong that he can
command more campaign help than al