Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-01-01
#tistetlaneous &eading.
HOW CONGREssMEN BEGAN LIFE.
Many of Them Earned Their First
Dollar by Driving Oxen.

the house of representatives may be
Accounted success. It Is undoubtedly
/ true that other kinds Of success may
rank higher in popular estimation, but
those who gain them are few. To be a
congressman is high ambition for an
American boy and one which many an
American boy cherishes. 1t is seldom
gratified. OF the many congressman
who have talked about their early am
bitions only one began life with the
| firm determination to be a member of
congress. He was southern man and
he educated himself with the house Of
representatives always in his eye.
When the voice Of the people called
he was undoubtedly ready. That
statesman has not risen above the
house Of representatives, but his am
bition may lead him higher.
The new congress has more than the
usual number of new members and
among them the full proportion OF self
made men. That Is one Of the signfi-
cant things about congress. Glance
through the biographies in the con-
gressional directory and you Will ap-
preciate how much more representative
is the highest legislative body in the
land than the law-making body of any
other nation. There are no hereditary
lawmakers. Most legislators began an
active life with hand on the plow or
taught school to earn living in the in
terval of law studies.
The case of Kitredge Haskins, Of
Vermont. is typical: II was born and
reared upon one Of the hill farms Of
Widham county," said Mr.. Haskins,
when asked how he earned his first dol
lars. my father having older boys
at home, he consented when I was u
years of age, that I might drive oxen
to plow for one Of the neighbors who
was not blessed with boys. I received
12a cents a day for my work. While
was studying law I worked at times
peeling hemlock bark and cutting cord
wood at so cents per cord, and also in
the hay field at the then going price OF
81 and SLIPS per day. have always
felt a great interest in the farmer and
his work."
| E. s.. Chandler, Jr., Is new member
of the Mississippi delegation. Mr..
Chandler Is a lawyer, like Mr. Haskins,
and, like the Vermont member he be-
gan serious life behind a yoke OF oxen.
II made my first dollar hauling cord
wood to a country town and selling 1t"
said Mr.. Chandler. "My team was a
yoke Of oxen, with which I continued
the business Of wood hauling for some
little time and so accumulated the first
sum Of money had ever had which I
earned by my own efforts"
Charles F. Scott, Of the Kansas dele
CATION, Is an editor. He is not new in
Washington, for he spent three months
of 1899 in the press gallery at Washing
ton for the Topeka Capital. Mr.. Scott
made his first dollar clerking in a coun-
try store at so cents day.
]. Ross Mickey, Of Illinois, is law
yer.
/ H6VeT Udu ~ elNCh 90"
Mr.. Mickey. "I was raised on q farm
and I made nv first dollar dronping
corn on an old-fa shioned corn planter"
John W. Cassingham. Ohio. busi-
ness man. had start very like that
OF Mr.. Mickey. His first dollar was
earned as a hand on farm at the age
Of 16
1T remember we'll how 7 earned my
first dollar" said w. W. Skiles. anoth-
er Ohio congressman. who Is serving
his first term. II earned 1t assisting
in driving sheep for a neighbor drover
for several days."
Elias Deemer is a wealthy lumber
merchant Of Williamsport. Pa. The
first dollar Mr.. Deemer earned was as
clerk in a general country store.
Joseph B. Perkins is an author-con-
gressman. though a lawyer by profess
sion. 1.-THE first money I earned" he
said, "was for copying papers in the
law office where was a student"
T. L. Glenn. Of Idaho. Is another Of
the many lawyers In the new congress.
1T am not sure just how I earned my
first dollar" he said. "but If my men,
ory Is correct 1t was driving yoke of
oxen for a man named Manion who
was building a levee on the Mississippi
river at Cairo. Ill.,. in 1856"
my first money was made by ordi-
nary manual labor" said Joseph T.
Johnson, of South Carolina. Mr.. john
son Is too modest man to tell all that
this represents of hardship and strug-
gle, but DR.. Smith, his family physi-
clan, has told the story Of his early
struggles. His father died when he
was 2 years old and his mother when
he was IA. II have always understood
that he cut cord wood. picked cotton,
hoed cotton and did what work he
could get to do on Saturdays, and In
vacation" said DR.. Smith. II have
seen many a time the oxen he drove
l Through the streets Of Due West morn
lings and evenings before and after COL
llege hours, in order to make money to
pay his expenses. That he succeeded
lin getting a splendid education no man
will deny. He has made a special
study of economic questions and. in
my opinion, Is the best informed man
lin the state"
Mr.. Johnson says that he formed an
ambition to go to congress when he
visited Washington 20 years ago.
It is interesting to note the causes
to which these successful men attrib-
ute their political prosperity. Mr.. Scott
savs taking good health, average intel