The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-07-16
TON" KEARMs.

CANNED young Irishman was toiling up a
steep hill In Park City. Utah. some years
ago, carrying some heavy timbcrs on his
back, says an exchange. They weighed
enough to tax even his Drawn. and lie was
perspiring and putting. 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 yourseif?''
" It's better for a poor man 10 be his
own pack mule now, ana ride In car
riage later" was the reply
That was '',rom" Kearns compSn
miner. He was digging ore eight hours
a day. living In cabin not much better
than shanty. and spending most OF his
time when "off shift In working on
claim OF his own.
A few years later there was "a national
republican convention in ST. Louis in
which there was a 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
chronicled the fact that among the dele
gates to bolt the convention was Hon.
Thomas Kearns. OF Utah. one Of the mil
lionaire miners of Park city"
tom" by this time was able 20 ride
In his own carriage. but his ambitions
had barely begun TO be aroused. lie made
Investments IN many mines and added re-
peatedly 10 his already vast fortune, for
his claim had developed into one OIL the
richest silver and gold mines In the
world. When Mr.. Kearns gave $4,000 10
found an orphtnaee In salt Lake CITY,
and $4,000 toward the building OIL a great
new cathedral. he began 10 set reputa-
ton for liberality. But the general pub
lie persisted In regarding him sun as
only a common miner. lucky. but only
miner4 even though he began 10 build
marble palace in salt Lake city as his
miners cabin"
Tom" was rapidly learning the intr'
cacies OF business politics. IL touched
his pride TO be continually taken as
joke. and he set out TO show the people
that he was great deal more than only
a miner.
kearns would like TO be United States
senator the report passed a. a joke or
the same order as other stories about
him. The politicians pattcd him on the
back told him what line senator ne
would make. and suggested that "A contri-
button TO this or tnat campaign lund
would help his chances-and ali The time
they were winking AT each otfHr, The
people In general smiled at the ldea OF
''sending a common miner TO the senate.
and laughed heartily at some OF his cam
paign speeches.
After the election OF members OF the
legislature tom" made "A formal am
nouncement of his candidacy. fitted
against him were some OF the most IN
fuential men I'm the state. one OF the
candidates was a brilliant lawyer and eX-
perienced politician, who was making ms
fight on his previous record I'm the senate.
Another was a millionaire banker with
powerful business and political backing.
Still another candidate had the support
OF a coterie that for years had ruled the
party in the state. There were halr
dozen other aspirants. and the wiseacres.
In making their predictions as 20 the
result of the balloting, placed the miner
at the bottom OF the list
All the prophecies were ludicrously
astray. The first ba~pSs In the leglslative
MIR. Kearns. on succeeding ballots ne
gained vote after vote that the other can
didates had tried In vain to secure. Iney
stopped laughing at him. The inai ballot
showed that Thomas kearns. only
miner" had won the senatorship. and had
outgeneraled the shrewdest and most eS-
perienced politicians In the state.
Such I'm outline is the unique career OF
Senator Thomas kearns. who mas arisen
In ten years from laborer TO lawmskser.
all I'm less than thirty-nine years atter
his birth in the little town of Woodstock,
ont Before beginning his career as
miner he was farm hand In Nepraska'
Now. among other things, he is direc-
tor I'm a newly organized railroad COM
panv in Utah and Is president or the
construction company that is TO oullu the
road.
In entering upon his career, In Wash
ington Senator Kearns realizes the handi-
cap OF his lack OF schooling, nut ne IL
starting out with his customary determi-
nation TO win despite oil obstacles one
OF his first acts after his election was TO
persuade his campaign manager, VINO is
successful lawyer and former newspaper
man. to accompany him 10 Washington
TO advise him on the legal phase OF me
matters that might come up for his action
or vote.