Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-12-23

Anything From a wild Cat TO n Iluzx
1ho Retirement of Nicholas Cox.
sCopyright 1900 by Amos j. Cummings)
ashington, d. c., Dec. 22.--The
\ Aaoi' w lliam Lorimer, of Chicago, sur
7 prised the minority members of the
: n ouse of Representatives on the open
Ing day OF the session. He also sur
prised himself. Mr.. .I.orimer deliber-
ately walked into Democratic caucus
70 was not done with malice prepense.
{ The House adjourned about 4 o'clock,
AIter listening to the reading of the
= lfFresluents message. The caucus was
held Immediately afterward. y con-
stituent had sent in his card and Lori
Z ner mad left the chamber II few min
{; NLeS spefores adjournment. He returned
i Mlthln few moments, fancying the
f1ouse still in session. on entering the
y lobby door near the Speakers desk. APP
parently absorbed in thought. he me-
chanically moved toward his seat.
mere was litter or the door as he
entered the, main aisle. 1t became an
z outpurst of laughter as he still pursued
ms way to his seat. L.orimer heard
Y Strange voice putting IL motion at the
8 desk Of the presiding officer. He
turned on his heel, and seemed dunn
founded when he saw Mr.. Hay, of Viz
gin1a, welding the gavel. Taking in
the situation at glance. he began TO
retrace his steps.
Oh don't go, Lorimer,' shouted
y James "A. Norton of Ohio. You're en-
: " efeefhe.- Were glad to haNe
you with u.s.
Lorimer neither smiled nor responded
to the courteous invitation. Appar-
AhSOrhaH In, rolf la on
he passed through the baize doors lead
ing Into the Speakers lobby. He dis
appeared amid cries OF Come again
when you can't stay so long" and
Send in Mark Hanna"
William Lorimer was placed hors de
combat in the great national political
contest last month He was the only
prominent Republican seriously wound
ed In that battle. For him it was truly
a battle royal. Through sheer pluck
he had won the district from the enemy
Six years ago by a plurality of 4.3t2,
defeating both Democrat and n Popu-
list although their combined vote
showed majority of 4,142 against him.
He retained his grip upon the district
two years later by plurality of G. 1856
and o. majority of 5,5S1. Two years ago
he again won a victory by n plurality
OF 1887 and a majority of 2.16S. These
defeats taught the opposition n lesson.
Last month the Democrats and Popu-
lists united on Al candidate, and car
\ ried the day after desperate strug-
gle, defeating him by over 1000 ma
Jority. Lorimer was then the acllnowl-
edged Republican leader in the city and
county, and was looming up as q power
in State politics.
Lorimer is muscular and well knit
He has light blue eyes and n pure
Saxon complexion. His thick haxen
hair and we'll trimmed mustache recall
pictures of the old Anglo Saxon kings.
a born political leader, he has abso-
Lutte control of his nerves. excellent
judgment and great reserve force a
I master in political strategy, he never
forgets that silence Is golden, and that
eternal vigilance is the price of polifi-
y cal power His career aptly illustrates
the possibilities of political life in
4 America, 1t is peculiarly picturesque
He went ito Chicago poor English
boy when only nine years old. His
father. Presbyterian clergyman, died
a year afterward leaving his family
almost destitute. The hoy promptly
put his shoulder to the wheel. He be-
came a newsboy. His first days work
netted him n dollar. 1t was the first
money he had ever earned. He turned
1t toward the support Of his mother
and sister. From this time on he was
the mainstay of the family. Fancying
he could do better as bootblacll he
went into the business. He made
more money than before, but the bust
ness was distasteful to his mother.
She secured him a place as an GRAND
boy. The pay was so small that he
again took UP the sale of newspapers.
alternating it with his duties as
knight of the brush.
"A regular patron at this time was
the Hon. Michael l<enna who has
since then achieved national reputa
lion under the sobrquet of IIinl1y
pinl. When fifteen years old Iorlmer
becam ea runner for a laundry. and
finally got work with pork packer
The employment disagreed with him
however, and he obtained u sTl,,ntinn
as o. street car conductor. This lasted
FIVE years. He became a member of a
Grade nnion, and became active i'm or
ranking a benevolent association
n :fiaiong the fellows. He also be,yan 10
atlinlrere of James G. Blaine he took
an active part in promotino his aspir-
3 :ations to the Presidency He COM
Jalined bitterly OF lack of organiza-
ion among Blaine's friends. on the
day OF. election for q lonr time he
sought a Blaine ticket in vain. There
were no such tickets in his precinct.
He seached an adjoining precinct, and
finally obtained what he sought
sChagfined Beyond expression, he or
parized q Republican club There We're
thirteen members. For months they
y met In the family Kitchen. This organ
ization is today the foundation upon
Z which the party organization is built.
4 The young men had no experience in
practical politics. All they wanted was
al: oppnrtunity 10 vote for the men of
their CHOICE Embroidered by their
success they made fight at the pri-