Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-03-22
A MINERS STRIKE
OF SENA TORlAL ORE

A big, muscular, flannel-shlrted anu
broganed young lrlshman was toilinS
40 steep hill In Park city, utah,
about ten years ago, carrying some
heavy timbers on his back They
weighed enough to tax even his Drawn
and he was perspiring and pulling,
when the owner of one of the Park
City mines stopped in passing to say;
Hello, Tom Why don't you get a
pack mule instead Of being one your
self"
"'Tis better for poor man to be his
own pack mule now and ride In car
rIage later was the reply,
This was Tom Kearns, common
miner. He was digging ore eight hours
day, llvl z in cabin not much bet
ter than a shanty, and spending most
of his time when of shift" In working
on q claim of his own.
Six years later there was a National
Republican convention at ST. Louis, az
which there was fierce fight over the
adoption OF plank favoring the free
coinage OF silver The plank was de-
feated, and a body OF Western delegates
left the convention. The newspapers
chrunicled the fact that among the
delegates 20 bolt the convention was the
Hon. Thomas Kearns, of Utah, one OF
the millionaire miners of Park City"
Tom by this time was able to ride
In his own carriage, but his ambitions
had barely begunt0 be aroused. He made
investments in many mines and added
rapidly to his already vast fortunes for
his claim had developed into one OF the
richest silver and gold mines In the
world When Mr.. Kearns gave $4,000
TO found an orphanage In Salt Lake
city, and $4,000 toward the building OF
a great new cathedral, he began TO get
a reputation for liberality. But the gen
eral public persisted in regarding him
still as only common miner-lucky,
but oonly n miner" even though he be-
gan TO build marble palace In salt
Lake City as his miners cabin
Tom" was rapidly learning the In
tricacles OF business and politics. II
touched his pride TO be continually TAX
en- as Joke, and he set out to show the
people that he was great deal more
than only miner" He succeeded.
When It was rumored during the sum
mer that tom" Kearns' would like to
be United States Senator the report
passed as Joke Of the same order as
other stories about him The politicians
patted him on the back. told him what
a fine senator he would make, and sug-
gested that a contribution to this or
that campaign fund would help his
chances--and all the time they were
wlnkng Mt each other The people In
general smiled at the idea Of sending
a common miner to the Senate ana
laughed heartily at some or MS cam
paign speeches.
After the fall election tom made
formal announcement Of his candidacy
Pitted against him were some OF the
most influential men In the state. one
Of ihe candidates was brilliant law
yer and experienced politician who was
making his fight on his previous record
In the Senate. Another was million
aire banker with powerful business
and polltical backing Still another can
didate had the support of coterie that
for years had ruled the party In the
State. There were half a dozen other
aspirants. and the wiseacres, In making
their predictions rs 20 the result Of the
ballotlng. placed the miner at the bot
tom Of the list
An The pronhecles were ludicrously
astray The first ballot In the legisla-
tive caucus showed astounding strength
for MFR. Kearns. On succeeding ballots
he gained vote after vote that the other
candidates had tried In vain 70 secure.
They stopped laughing at him. The
final ballot showed that Thomas
Kearns. "only miner" had won the
senntorshlp and had outgeneraled the
shrewdest and most experienced politi-
clans In the state.
Such, In outline. Is the unique career
of Senator Thomas Kearns, who has
arisen In ten years from laborer to law
maker; all In less than thlrty-nlne
years after his birth in the little town
OF Woodstock, Ontario. He Is Of Irish
parcntage Before beginning his career
as n miner he was a farm hand In Ne
braska. Now. among other things, he
Is a director in newly organized rail-
road company, and IL president Of the
construction company that Is TO build
the road
In entering upon his career In Wash
ington Senator Kearns realizes the ham
dlcap Of his lack OF schooling, but he Is
starting out with his customary deter
mlnatlon TO win despite all obstacles.
One OF his first acts after his election
was TO persuade his campaign manager.
who Is a successful lawyer. and former
newspaper man. to accompany him 20
Washington to advise him on the legal
phases Of the matters that might come
up for his action or ote.--Saturday
Evening Post