Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-11-04
The PASSING Of John Jacob Leniz.

lcholy figurI that John Jacob Lcntz.
Hate a member of Congress from the
I::h t,sio district Is now cutting in the
d.. n,;,aiyn in his own state.
HI, has shared the common fat Of
Public men who fail 10 learn the lessons
": ,Asa, walton and experience During
i.;s servi,e r. he National House of
! Representatives. LcntZ was known
! chiefly as an ubstructionist and an ar
dent champion of the Filipinos. IN
d,.,,d, - vccifrr0us was he at times in
/ his admiration for the men who We're
opposing cur forces In the field that
his utierances had dccii. dly treason
able flavor. 1t seemed impossible for
! him to crcn his mouth without being
guilty Of Incorporate and ill-considercd
speech. He was VIGOROUSLY lacking
il tact and III that essential requisite
Of Well-bulauced maahood-gooa horse
sense. He was rahd in all his Views.
and his public Utterances We're char
ac,imony Al the same tim. h. was
exceedingly susceptible to tlattery. ami
there is little doubt but what the
culogistic letters written him by VA
liuus political nincompoops-anti
Americans Of the Edward Atkinson
suipr-accentuated him in his attitude
Heads like his are easily turned.
| Not only did John Jacob blow himself
| National House: but he formed the
ha'it of hing his views 10 the news
raIrr reporters AZ considerable length.
They were charmed with his rare and
lacy vocabulary Of inv"ctiyes. His ut
t-rances w"r" always hot and made
':iicy" copy. As result many OF
theIn--and more especially those Of
tkcln Who wrote matter II space rates
published Ills views at some length.
tion .: 4 f-W dyspe9tic college pro
I,-sol~. men who always see in any
thins that sav,.> Of ratriotisn un-
rais,akabl- -, il,n,oS If tho demnitiIn
low vows THY FASTENED To- make
known ,h,ir profound appreciation II
his peculiar brand &C leadership
Again John Jayoo Lrntz made the
bIundrr II mi-taking th"!r anrmiy
Endorsement for \ rising the II pcru-
lar approval.
If he deluded himself with the idea
tha, his Gisioyal course OF procedure
vas strengthening him with the
American masses he vas destined to 4
lude awakeninr. Men or parties VIII"
advocate the hauling down OF tn"
American nag have never W.T. been size
cessru 1t the polls. Il is always 4 good
rla:rorm-for the other fellow.
Thus il came about that when John
district last fall To ask for the en-
dorscment of his constituents they did
not sacrifice any fatted calf for his en-
tel,ainment. They had grown heartily
ashamed of his un-American attitude,
for they are a brave and intelligent
people yrho. during the dark days Of
Civil War sent thousands of brave
men to uphold the Nations flag on
Southern ba:tlctclGs. Ii made them
sore /" be represented at Washington
by man 50 thoroughly out of sympa-
thy with their patriotic sentiments.
Hence it came about that the plural
ity Of about 1900 votes which he re-
cciycd in 1895 was wiped out. ard
John Jacob found himself elected 10
stay NJ home while a genuine Ameri-
can citizen was sent to represent tn"
18th Ohio district at the National
Capitol.
II he had possessed an analytical
mind Mr.. Lentz might have imbbed a
large amount Of practical wisdom from
this experience; but, unfortunately for
himself. nature did not equip him in
this manner. The result was that he
utterly failed to appreciate the impor-
tant part his own rascible temper. dis
loyal attitude. and envenomed speech
had played in his undOing, and charged
his political Waterloo wholly TO the
political Seneralship OF Senator
Hanna.
Soon after the assassination Of Mr.
Mckinley an alleged interview with
Lentz was published in which he spoke
i'll disrespectful terms Of the martyrcd
President. This interview he subse-
cuently repudiated: but so closely did
il correspond with his well known
sentiments and SO characteristic were,
the terms in which it was expressed