The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-22

tion to the ethics Of reorganization.
He grew to gigantic political propor-
tons, and finally became the master
workman of his party in Chicago. IN
congress Lorimer promptly made his
| mark-not as an orator, but as
| shrewd and tireless worker. He as.
| tcnished the veterans by teaNling old
dogs new tricks. An appropriation for
| the construction Of a new postoffice
| In Chicago had been passed at q. pre-
vious session. 1t was evident that the
plans and specifications would be de-
| layed four years in the treasury de-
| partment. owing to Il pressure or
work Lorimer managed to crowd
| through the house bill appropriat.
| ing $4,000 to expedite the work OF
| the architect. II was done while the
| house was dazed in discussion over
the rules. and SO deftly that the vete-
| rams OF legislation are even today en-
! tirely unable to analyZe the parlia-
mentary process by which 1t was ac-
complished.
| Lorimer seldom takes the floor. but
| when he does enter the realm of argu-
| ment talks slowly and deliberately,
measuring his words with great care
| and stating his propositions tersely and
explicitly. He makes no gestures and
| resorts to none OF the arts OF ora tory.
Such Is an epitome of the career or
the man from Illinois treadng in the
footsteps of Thomas &. Platt and
Matthew s. Quay. He bids fair in time
| to rival IL not surpass both in political
power. He has developed all the quail
| ties required in the business depart
ment of true political leadership. Like
| Platt and Quay. he may lose his seat
| in congress and travel the multifarious
avenues of politics unshorn of power.
| Indeed. he may gather strength from
| defeat. and become stronger than ever.
| The minority of the House lost many
| killed and wounded in the late fight.
| The one most deplored is John j. Lentz.
| of Columbus. Ohio. 1.entz has more vim
| mentally and physically, than Lorimer:
| but he lacks Lorimer's balance and
| judgment. Figruative1y, he will attack
| anv thing from u wildcat to a buzz
saw. He is fully as handsome as Lori
| mer. and far more self-conscious. His
| face is Il picture of determination and
| he has the frame of an athlete. Above
| everything else. he is an orator. He
| can soar into the ..lue empyrean and
| return to earth without dropping a
| feather. When political discussions are
| the order of the day. he roams the
| floor. looking for a fight. and usually
| gets one. In hot discussion. he is a
! picturesque figure. There is nothing
| grOtesque about him. He fights like a
| man iniamed with passion and burst
| ing with Indignation. Paul Cassagnac
and ROchefOrt combined could not
| create more excitement in the French
Corps Legislatif than can Lentz in the
United States House of Representatives
| His bouts with his colleague. General
| GrosvenOr, have been singularly fire.
| quent and sanguineous. His abhor-
renee of Imperialism surpasses that OF
either Wellington or Carl Schurz.
Early in the year his magnetism was
so great that he fairly hypnotized an
audience in Cooper Institute. They
broke into loud cheers for Aguinaldo,
| and stirred LentZ to the acme of ora
tOrcal effort. 1t is sa,d that it was
| this speech that converted George S.
| Boutwell, to the faith, and led to the
stirring prOnunciamento of the anti
| Imperialists The loss of such man
| is irreparable to those wearied with
routine work and dreary discussion.
Mr.. Lentz has not appeared in the
iiouSe up W the pheseHt "IltIuS. II
has been said that he is editing some
country newspaper. Certain is it that
he is as great in the newspaper field as
| in the oratorical field. Two years ago
| it is said that the editor of a small
country newspaper printed in his dis
| trict asked hm to contribute q brief
article on free silver. Within a few days
Lentz sent in the article When put in
| type it made forty columns. The edi-
| tor was paralyZed. He was unable to
print more than IA column and Il half
at Il time. After Il consultation with
his foreman they decided to print it
in sections. The pages OF the manu-
script got mixed up and they printed
| on one week section from the Begin
ming of the article and the next week
| a section from the end of it, This was
| continued for several months, until all
was printed. Whenever advertising
was short and there was a vacancy
in the news columns, the editor shout
ed to his foreman. Snip Il piece off
from Lentz and fill in with 1t. It's a
dandy, and everybody is buying the
| paper to find out what it MEANS"
I.entz. however, like a true gentle
man. never complained. and sent the
| editor. in recognition of his kindness,
copy of President Clevehnd's last
message Lentz has been q close fighter
in the Twelfth Ohio district. He won it
in 1894 by plurality of 40 votes. Re-
elected two years afterward by a plu-
rality of 7O2 votes. he lost the district
last month by 2 votes. When President
Mckinley was governor of Ohio he
appointed Lentz trustee of the Ohio
| University.
Nicholas n. Cox, of Franklin. Tenn.
is not among the killed and wounded.
He has released himself from vol,ln
tary servitude in the House. Judge Cox
is the successor of Washington c.
Whitthorne statesman of national
renown. Cox is said To have sought
the place for ten years. He seems to
nave enjoyed the service, although at
the end of ten years he voluntarily re-
llnquishes 1t. He serves on the military
committee with Lentz and Sulzer. and
Is regarded as one of the breeziest
| characters In the House. He is also an
esteemed member of the committee on
banking and currency. Joseph TT.
Walker was its chairman after Cox
appeared upon the committee. Mr..
Walker had keen appreciation of Mr..
CoN's services, and Cox reciprocated.
Both thoroughly understood the finan-
cial situation and neither found a
panacea. The only satisfaction thew
derived from consideration of the
Subipct WAS the an iounant 80