Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-03

was elected by nearly 5000 majority to
the Fffty-fourth Congress. He was re-
elected to the Fifty-fifth, Fifty-sixth and
FIFTY -seventh Congresses from the same
district.
No man ever represented a congressional
district in the city of New York who was
member of the Masonic order, and of
Horace Greeley Post Of the Grand Army Of
the Republic.
His Work in Congress.
In Congress Mr.. Cummings work was
varied and comprehensive. The subjects
that especially attracted his attention dur
Ing this session were naval affairs, labor
measures and the postal service. There
was hardly a single branch Of congressional
activity in which he did not engage He
was one OF the readiest debaters and took
part IN every debate ON great political
measures. Among his principal speeches
are those on Porto Rico tariff, on trusts
and on the naval appropriation BILL
he was not always in line with his party
| although ne was regarded as one OF the
stanchest democrats in the House. He
was specially devoted In Congress to the
cause of labor.
Worked for Horace Greeley.
When Horace Greeley was editor Of the
New York Tribune Mr.. Cummings entered
the employ Of that newspaper as a type
setter. He then lived in Newark One af-
ternoon the Evening Telegram published
report Of the death of william Wright,
United States Senator from New Jersey.
It was an event in the political world and
Mr.. Greeley wrote an editorial on 1t. 1t
fell to Cummings lot to place a portion of
the article in type. Having just come from
his New Jersey home, he knew that the
report of Senator Wrights death was un-
true, and so informed the foreman Of the
composing room, who told him that he
ShOuiQ downstairs and f'fp1i the old
man."
Cummings, with his sleeves rolled up and
still wearing his ink-smeared apron, walk
ed into the Sanctum, and in his blunt way
said: Senator Billy Wright is not dead"
Looking up, Greeley. in his peculiar fall
setto voice, exclaimed: who in are
you?"
Il work upstairs in the composing room, -
was the quiet answer.
Young man." squeaked out Greeley
you're a - fool. Go read the Tele-
grant,
| The young printer said not another word
| but walked upstairs and finished putting in
| type the editorial sermon over the living
| senator's body. Two days afterward the
tribune was obliged to correct its false
statement Of Wrights death.
Another Tilt With Greeley.
Mr.. Cummings has told of a dispute he
had with Mr.. Greeley.
| For two years 1 ran the Weekly Trih-
| une," he said. 'In all that time 1 had only
| one cross word from Mr.. Greeley, who ap-
parently took more interest in the weekly
than he did in the daily Tribune This
trouble occurred over the election of James
Guthrie as senator from Kentucky. Old
Frank Ottarson, then night editor of the
| Tribune, had placed a few lines of agate
| type announcing Guthrie's election at the
end of the commercial report, among the
advertisements. In making up the weekly
| l had overlooked 1t. On the next day Mr.
Greeley saw the mistake and called me a
| id blockhead.'
Fired with indignation, I threw I'D my
situation. A day afterward he sent for me.
i understand he said, that you have re-
| fused to work any longer on the weekly be-
cause called you a id blockhead?
| II nodded.
| Well. now he continued, don't be
FOOLISH Go back to work. wouldn't give
q button for any man who had been on
the Tribune three weeks without being
called id blockhead, I'm a id block
head myself sometimes
| The old mans infantile tone of voice and
| quaint manner softened my indignation,
and again went to work
| Mr.. Cummings was popular as an after