Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-03-15
UNDER WHITE DOME.
a Chat with Senator Withee
hbout Early Days in Maine.
scOrCH-iRIsH STOCK TO WIN.

vray scheme to Change the Pie Coun-
ter into AN Abstract Offce-wisconsin
Falling Behind In Clay Products; whye
Geological Survey Matters.
Madison, Wis, March III found
Senator Withee of La Crosse sitting
alone on sofa at the reunion of the
$40 members OF the present leg
isiature the other evening, given by
George b. Burrows, who was then
speaker
Mr.. Burrows. who is a wealthy lum-
herman, has long record in public af-
fairs. enc one of his best sides is love
OF the old things He came from Yer
mont ever 50 many years ago. and he'll
drop everything at any time to tell YOU
about his boyhood, and the snow that
dr.fted in the window on his bed: AMI
the turnpike that ran past the farm.
He has extensive offices, one room of
which is as big as small hall 1t
was once his sons gymnasium. The
boy graduated at Harvard and is now
New York lawyer.
All Come from New England.
Ex-senator Burrows is president of
our New England society and when he
sits down to the annual banquet with
Rev. DR.. Butler, an octogenarian, to ask
a blessing Of The God of Our Fathers"
ana Judge E. w. Keyes to tel of boy
ish FRANKS down east" he is supreme
ly happy
On TIE evening in question there were
cards for whist, and the eyer-present
billiard table; and an orchestra and a
phonograph, and {. most excellent
spread on long table. The coffee was
supremely good; in fact Charles Pts
ter (who was at the reunion a year
or two ago) says Nr Burrows caterer
can make better cd8fee than can be had
at his million dollar Milwaukee hos
telry. There were about thirty present
the 'old guard"-and though they
were men ready enough to jump at
each Others threats to get pet bill
through in a legislative whirl, all was
peace and comfort.
There was no liquor served-not even
wine, which leads me to say that this
legislature, with all its faults, is the
most orderly boGy we have had of re-
cent years. The saloons are complain
inG b tterly Probably not over a third
of this legislature go to drinking
Places at all. The Milwaukee delegation
and the others drop in of an evening,
but the clubs that were formed four
years ago, the registering and the sus-
picions of graver misdeeds are pleas
antly absent at this session.
Pen Picture of Senator Levi withee.
Pat we were speaking of the Lacrosse
lunberman who is worth millions. AS
everybody knows, Uncle Levi Withee''
is careless in personal appearance and
IN ho
fie may have on a necktie or he may
not. But there is a warm heart under
meath. He looks older, but he is only "a.
We fell to talking about Maine, where
he came from. Mr.. Withee was 10
when he travelled west. His home was
on the Kennebec, THU ty-six mil5s above
Mr.. Blaines Augusta home. Mr..
Withee's GRANDPA her came to Norridge-
wock in 1897 from New Hampshire. and
the greatgrandfather was fresh from
Londonderry not long before that. AS
far as the senator knows all the
Withees in America are from this an
cestor. The name is sometimes spelled
Withers. and General Withers of Ken
lucky was cousin of his father.
Thus the senator was of Scotch Irish
stock said to be the best in the world.
No one ever saw commonplace
scotch-Irish man. They are not always
good nor wise, but each one has stuff
in him, and ideas and mind of his
own.
My youth was work and folly, too
much of it, he sa.d. Il had no edu-
cation, everybody knows that, but
what's good III me l owe in full to my
mother. 1t is no exaggeration to say
1a II
west in 1853, to La Crosse. 1t had then
500 people and l have been there ever
since. Hard work was my life for
icng time For thirty years j worked
on the river"
Thirty Years Near the Logs.
''Rut. senator" / said, that brings it
down to recent times, down to 'S3."
That's right" he said. II wasn't
working for others all that time, but
was close to the logs every year"
Senator Withee has sister living but
MS brothers and parents, who came
west, have passed away. One of the
brothers was located in Illinois when
ne came. He goes back to Maine occa-
siona!ly to see the scenes of his boy
hood There are some cousins there
still, but the senator says when he
strolis in the village cemetery he finds
the names of lots of people he once
knew. Speaking of the good old
times he remarked the advanced age
to which people lived in those little
communities. Young children had less
chance than they have now, with the
advance in medical skill; but when
adults got to certain age they seemed
to hold on wonderfully. People led
simple lives. went to be early and there
was less wear and tear than in our
modern life
A Young withee Princeton Bound.
Senator Withee has but one child,
boy of 10, and the light that came into
the old mans eyes as he spoke of him
showed where his hopes lie. He is a
splendid big fellow of s fit. in. The
boy has travelled widely with his par
cnts-beeE in every state in the Union,
and abroad. He is now studying at the
Green Foundation" in Lawrenceville.
N. j., one of the very best of the east
ern schools, and will go to Princeton
college. though the father says he has
his doubts of the value of the highest
education beyond certain point.
But / doubt if my old friend could
be induced with a two-horse team to
take the boy away from that true-blue
Presbyterian storm-center. That's
curious fact about these self made men
who are quietly proud of what they
have done in the world. They don't
"go" much on college until their own
boys and girls come to the threshold of
opportunity. then they, INSIST on the
best the world affords.
with washburn in Arkansas.
Senator Withee is finishing eight
years In the upper body. The first time
b. was elected $500 citizens voted for
him and the last time over $500. He
was a lifelong friend of Cadwallader
Washburn; was with him in Arkansas
y'crn he died, and like all those who
kew that great son of Maine, thinks
he was the biggest man on whom the
sun Of Wisconsin ever saone.
Senator Withee has a rough exterior
and he votes wrong on soi' g questions.
but If YOU want to see the light blue
eyes lindle under the shaggy gray
lashes and the mouth lines soften like.
a woman's, you get the old man talk
ing about when he was a boy beside
the gentle Kennebec or his early hard
ships in the virgin forests of the Wild
erness which he has done so much to
subdue.
Teuth Week of Session.
This is the beginning Of the tenth