Evening star., 1902-01-11
SHAW A STRONG MAN
Secretary Cages Prospective Sue
cessor Has Rare Executive Ability.
REVIEW OF HIS RISE IN POLITICS
Speech in Answer to Bryan Made
Him Famous.
HIS POP PULARITY SINCE

Written for the Evening Star by James S. Clarkson
| The surprise of the country, and particu-
| larly of the eastern states, over the access
| of Iowa to unusual power in the national
government at Washington, will probably
| lead all students of American development
up to better understanding Of the merits
Of state that contribute such
useful men to the public service-a state
and a people to which nature has given a
soil of almost unequaled richness placed
between two great navigable rivers, and
blessed with q healthful and stimulating
climate. But young as 1t is yet as state,
the adjective great may be legitimately ap-
piled to it. For in it's achievements in all
the greater things that make a state both
eminent and powerful, 1t has earned the
title. The land that is now called Iowa was
naturally so rich and fair that the Indian
owners-the martial Sacs and FoXes-put
their lives between it and the white man s
occupation until the defeat of Black Hawk,
their great leader and soldier, at Bad Axe,
in 1888, broke down the effectual barrier
they had SO long maintained and opened
the coveted soil to the pale faces.
Settlers From New England.
A state settled largely by people from
northern 1atitudes, with a strong infusion
from New England, and with it much Of
the Puritan spirit, and wise enough to pro-
vide for the education Of all it's people, and
having SO rich a soil, was from the first
destined to become a great state and to
have great influence in the nation. 1t had
high ideals from the first. AS early as 1889,
a timid day under the slave powers dom-
neering national rule, its territorial supreme
court refused to return runaway slaves to
their masters, and declared that they had
become free when their feet touched Iowa
soil. In the civil war the state gave all its
able-bodied men to the work Of helping to
save the Union and free the slaves, and
after the war, in advance of the nation and
year ahead of any other state, 1t en-
franchised the negro. 1t has been a mill
tant state in Its whole career, never fol-
lowing, but ever endeavoring to lead In
deed, it has been aggressive at times nearly
to the point of fanaticism as in the severe
prohibitory legislation on the liquor ques-
tion-what Bishop Potter only yesterday
termed IAN impudent moral failure''-and
again in the extreme legislation during the
granger craze against railway corporations
But this temper for extreme things has
been changed the state has matured
and now no community is safer to invested
interests or to liberal men than Iowa in
every way.
Has Produced Strong Men.
In the production of men, too, the state
| of Iowa has proved itself great. Beginning
with the judges Of the early court that
freed runaway slaves, 'long before even
Massachusetts, had found its conscience"
1t had for every hour of great need pro-
vided strong men for great occasions
President Lincoln, in the day of his own
and the republics great need, summoned
to the supreme bench it's strongest member
In Judge Samuel F. Miller of Iowa, whose
career in that high court finds it's only
equal in that of John Marshall. He was
far more unknown to the country in that
day than Gov. Shaw is now. Yet Lincoln
saw In him, as Roosevelt has seen in Shaw
the useful man for a difficult occasion, In
Congress during the war Iowa had men as
strong and useful as those of any state in
its two senators-James w. Grimes, who,
as chairman of the naval committee, was
the real power that brought our navy to
Its efficiency in that war, and James Har-
Ian, on other important committees, rem
dered service as valuable in other ways
while In the House 1t had such able
men as William B. Allison, nthe ways
and means committee: Hiram Price, on ap-
propriations and James f. Wilson, chair
man of the judiciary committee, as CO.
workers with Thaddeus Stevens and the
other great party leaders. Later Lincoln
called Harlan into his cabinet where he
proved one of his wisest counsellors Ever
since that day Iowa has had in Congress a
delegation equal to that of any other state.
Sketch of Governor Shaw.
The Iowa man last called up higher is
deserving Of Roosevet's bold but unerring
selection of a man from west of the Mis-
sissipp1 for the head of the Treasury De-
partment. He Is of the same caliber and
proved strength as Allison, Henderson
Hepburn, Wilson, Dolliver, Lacy and other
Iowa men already in power there. The
President personally knew the man. and
acted with the decision of one knowing he
was making no mistake but that in calling
Shaw from the west for the treasury he
fSJn nf t,,pE 1,, l..
calling Chase from the same section Shaw
in temperament, evolution, nature and pur-
pose, Is much like Lincoln himself Fresh
from the people, guided by the peoples in
terests, and newly risen to a great occa-
sion. Although only four or five years in
politics, he is still far better known to the
| nation than Lincoln was when he was
nominated for President. He had the same
rise as Lincoln, from poverty through man.
ual labor and personal effort up to an ed
ucation and into business. Graduating at
a college on money earned in the harvest
field and on the farm during vacation,
finally becoming a banker. he was content
with the happy round of life in small
town, all the while, however, pursuing his
studies in all material things, keeping up
his personal interest In politics in a quiet
way, making speeches in the country dis
tricts of his own county for the republican
party, yet practically unknown In state
politics.
Answered Bryan's Challenge.
In fepruary, 1870, william j. Bryan hap
pened to. come to Denison and make a
speech in favor of free silver and its kim
| dred heresy. This invasion of Shaw's
home by Bryan led the local sound money
people there, who had been educated by
Shaw in belief in gold. to insist that he
should answer Bryan. He consented, made
the speech. and instantly the state was in
blaze over the discovery of new states
man among Its leaders, as able as the best
of them. and more courageous than any of
md fI4
| this speech quickly touched the intelligence
and the conscience of Iowa, took 1t from
any chance of going to free silver, and put
| 1t firmly In the line In which 1t has ever