The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1900-01-25

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pravity have been absorbed from the
omnivorous and carnivorous reading
newspaper man finds it necessary
to pursue to keep up his lick" This
has taken wide range In my case.
1t has included the persistent and
insane devlltry of some of the Re-
publican press of Lentz's own dis
trict. Lampblack and rags are po-
tent agents in forming the accepted
characters of public men, There is
nothing in print so mean or so un-
likely that it does not make an in
dentation If it is persisted in
1t is real joy to find, after close
observation of his course in congress
and several personal meetings with
him, that Mr.. Lentz has been ma
ligned. / have often wondered how
a man who had been in a law part
nership for l3 years with 50 lawfully
nice" a man as Governor Nash
could be as utterly reprehensible as
he has been represented to be by the
ribald opposition press. 1t Is a sat-
isfaction to know, on close acquaint-
ance, that he is able, truthful. indus
trious, conscientious and self-conf1-
dent. About the only charge against
him that "goes" is that he is pesti-
ferrous. He is righteously so, though.
He has the distinction of being the
man in congress which is worst hat.
ed by the administration. He is the
man who. in 1897, the executive pow
er of this great government was the
most anxious to beat at the polls.
He is in many respects the sort of a
Democrat great many of us have
been yearnlng for. He is always
ready for an intellectual encounter.
He is quick to take sugge estion and
prompt to work it out. He is fertile
in invention, too.
| llO hlOll w ilo haNO bCOh iiioot uoC-
full in congress for many, many years
have been those who have been most
cordially dislilIed by the leaders of
the party opposed to them. This
hate finally turns to admiration.
What at first seems audacity finally
resolves itself into perseverance.
Lentz has about passed over the CEN
ter. A great many of his constitu-
ents, 1 am credibly informed, have
learned that his zeal in public life is
not prompted by the personality or a
struggle for party advantage. He is
one of those men who feel that he
must be a reformer to justify his call
to public life. His reformatory spirit
is along party lines, but that is one
thing to be admired about him. A
man without a party is of not much
account in our system of govern
ment, except, perhaps, to wreck the
hopes of men who have parties, and
accomplish nothing for anybody.
Lentz's physical proportions are
typical of a robust mentality. His
voice has sufficient volume for the
business of an auctioneer. But has
gentler modulation. His temper is
we'll in hand. He is not coarse in
his conversation, and in his private
and public utterances seems to be
without temptation to the sort OF
storytelling and illustration that,
alas, too many men deem important
to make themselves forceful. Lentz
is fighter. There is nothing on the
floor of the house, verify believe
that he will not "tackle" if the oc-
casion arises. He is the sort OF
Democrat that is needed. Somebody
has to do the disagreeabie things,
and the Columbus congressman lie
the man to put into the breach. He
has supreme confidence in himself
a confidence that some people are in
clined to call egotism; but it is not
to be noticed that every day other
people are coming more and more to
share that confidence. 1t has be-
como subject of comment that he
is as prolific in speech as Colonel
Bryan himself, and almost as afflu-
ent in speaking engagements. He
has good flow of language. He
has an advantage over other speak
ers, in that he is not diplomatist in
oratory. He does not burn much
midnight oil over the coming of
phrases that shall cloak his meaning
or lay corduroy road for retreat.
He is direct and adventurous, and it
is rather surprising that he does not
make more mistakes Than are as
cribed to him.
/ asked Mr.. Lentz If 1t was true
that he was going to make a speech
in Boston.