The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-23
John sherman.

American political personalities connect
ed with the national life and movements
of the second half IF the century, Very
rarely has career like his been marked
with like continuity, brilliancy. and ma
terial success. Only in its closing days
when the hard measure he had often
melted out to others was applied to mis-
political destruction, and in the disap-
pointment of his ambition to become
President of the United States. can he
be considered as falling to dominate
every party situation Of his time.
John Sherman came CT an excellent an
cestry of hard and clear-headed New Eng
land jurists and scholars. and Of we'll
educated, SENSIBLE women. Both he and
his brother, the famous Union general
were remarkable evidences of what the
young men of two generations ago could
do. in adverse circumstances, IL they had
the brains and industry, in those days OF
rapid development and unlimited oppor-
tunity. One of family of eleven chill
E dren. his mother was left widow and
poor, by the death of his father when
John Sherman was six years old. He was
harbored by an uncle, attended school.
and became a rodTran in an engineer corps
engaged in work on the Ohio State canals.
Then he studied law. was admitted to the
t.ac 1nirfy fourth Congress. From that time
until he resigned his portfolio as Secre-
tary of State under President McKinleys
Administration, after serving about a
year in that position. he was continuous
ly in Office, either as a Representative,
Senator. or Cabinet Minister.
He may well be regarded as one Of the
very ablest legislators and administrative
Officers that the Republican party ever
has produced. His financial ability. which
was signally displayed while Secretary OF
tho Treasury, in the successful resumption
of specie payments by this Government In
1879, ha. been lavishly praised by the capi-
talists and financiers Of two continents.
The rare honor has been accorded to him
OF having his portrait hung in the rooms
OF the Chamber Of Commerce in New York,
and In the parlors OF the Bank OF England
the latter in recognition of his service to
Great Britain in securing the demonetiza-
ton OF silver in the United States.
When thus much has been said in lauda-
ton OF qualities which commanded re-
spect and Arbitration. 1t is due to the truth
of political history to add that a char
acter which. in many directions, was
worthy o. emulation. was seriously marred
by certain insi.-ce-ity. and disposition
to regard the end as sanctifying any
means necessary or useful to its attain
ment. In 1876 It was to John Sherman
mere than to any other living man that
Rutherford B. Hayes owed his elevation to
an Office to which the American people had
elected Samuel ]. TildeE, and his par: in
the nefarious scheme by which the returns
OF Louisiana were juggled with and the
electoral vote counted for the defeated
candidate, In violation OF all justice and
decency, will be remembered against him
by our posterity TO the end OF time. Earlier
in 1s73-he offered sinister evidence of
his indifference to recognized standards of
correct conduct In public life by smuggling
through Congress a bill which demone-
tized our standard silver dollar. disguised
as a simple and innocent act to define the
coinage Of the country. Neither the SEN
ators aud members who carelessly passed
It. nor President Grant. who signed it, had
the -emotest inkling OF what they were
doing. Otherwise it would not have re-
ceived dozen votes in the National Leg
islature. 1t was a reprehensible tric..., for
which the deceased politician has been Sc
verely and justly censured. But 1t earned
him the unstinted applause of London.
which was something dearer 10 him than
anything else in this world except the ac-
emulation Of large fortune and his long
cherished hope Of Presidential nomina-
tion at the hands of his party.
That coveted prize. several times almost
within his grasp. eluded him always. In
the Republican Convention of 1880, it was
lost to him through the treachery of his
representative and manager, James A.
Garfield who secured 1t for himself. The
result was the same in 1858, when he was
again the prime farorite for the nomina-
tf6n. But 1t was brought about in a far
different way Then his representative on
the floor OF the convention was the Hon.
William Mckinley. Chairman OF the Ohio
Delegation, who, had he been willing to
commit the Garfield act, could have been
nominated almost by reclamation; but
who, with a degree Of loyalty which was
everlas;ingly credit to him. declared
that any man who voted for him would
place a stigma upon his name which he
would resent. On that occasion Russell
A. Alger. Of Michigan, who afterward be-
came notorious in connection with the
Spanish war beef, transport, fever camps,
and other scandals. was also an aspirant.
Practically all of the negro. delegates
from the Southern States had been bribed
20 vote for John Sherman. A considerable
number OF them were secretly bought over
again to cast their votes for Alger. But
neither Of them obtained the honor, which
went to Benjamin Harrison. of Indiana
From this time on Mr.. Sherman's star
began TO show signs of waning. Yet, for
q few years longer he still continued to
be commanding figure In the Senate. He |
was prominent In the struggle OF 1893. |
which resulted in the repeal of the pur-
chasing clause OF the Sherman Act, which, |
in eject, sealed the decentralization VI sill
Her by the United States Government. .