The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-21

reached, and the slow, plodding tortoise
comes patiently and Iaborously along
and leaves him ANONYMOUSLY slumber-
ing with the prize almost within his
reach
Abstemious, cautious. careful. plod-
dlng, thrifty. reckless; laundering care
less, brilliant and thriftless-the for
mer comes in, the latter goes out Here
is one of those almanac morals for
rising youth. How to get on in the
world: Be genius, or be an embodi-
ment of all the B. Franklin virtues. IF
a genius, avoid strong drink; be more
c1rcumspect of tongue and act; less lib
efaI In promising and more punctillious
IN payment; keep out of bad company,
and save the sharp arrows of wit for
marks where they will not ranIle and
Tor victims who will not remember
ana repay. Nobody ever accused Hop
klns or biting sarcasm. Hopkins new
er dallied in idle company. His tongue
was always curbed and he boarded
his counsel like a Jesuit his church
secrets. In the train of Mason were
always raft of the unfortunate. the
INSCRIPTIONS, the vender of hard luck
stories and the seeker after a govern
ment job. They all found a ready ac-
cess, and the jolly senator would glad
Iy nave taken care of them all at his
own and the expense of the govern
ment. On the other hand, the patron
age and aims Of Hopkins were as
methodical and discriminating as the
Associated Charities. qablT0-
His Record in the House.
In the house of representatives AL
bert j. Hopkins won for himself a no
s1tion of influence and distinction. For
years he was a cO-laborer of such men
as Dingley, Payne, Dalzell, Grosvenor
and Mckinley. He had traits Of indus
Ixyni cJ15
him to these men. He took his tasks
and performed them and kept his
mouth shut. He was a member of the
committee on ways and means that
committee in which originates all leg
1slat1on affecting the country's reve-
nues. He had part in framing the
present tariff laws, and has always
made special study of those sched-
ules which foster the infanty industry
OF iron and steel manufacture In
these matters his constituents will tes-
t1ty that he has served them well.
Twenty years ago Hopkins was
states attorney for Kane county. This
was his first political preferment He
mas risen to the place by dint of hard
labor. His parents were farmers in
moderate circumstances, living on the
outskirts Of Aurora. Albert went to
the public schools, and later saved
enough money to start him in a. college
course. Ih1S he completed at Hills
dale, Mich, by dint of a great self
denial and by working at anything to
which he could turn his hand to help
pay board and buy necessary books
and clothes. Returning from college.
he studied law in Aurora, and there
began his practice.
The sheriff Of Kane county, who is
now in one of the departments in
Washington, recalls an incident Of that
yy-hi &c
torney Hopkins was trying a case be-
fore Judge Wilcox, and had been argu-
ing long and earnestly a motion of
some sort. All through the trial the
judge had been ruling against the
states attorney, and on this final mo-
ton he indicated that he could not see
it in the light for which Mr.. Hopkins
was contending. But the latter was
not to be baffled. He announced to the
court his conviction that the court
was in error, and said he proposed to
make the court see this point as he did.
ThereupOn he laid on the table a pile
of law books about four feet high, and
announced that, with the patience of
the court, he would cite a few authorf-
ties
IT'S all right" said the court. put
away your ammunition. The court now
sees it. Such persistence will some
day land it's possessor in congress-"
Wanted to Be Speaker.
For many years Hopkins cherished
the ambition to be speaker of the
house of representatives, and when
Reed refred it seemed to him that his
time had come. Cannon, who had
cherished similar ambitions, was in
duced to step aside, and the Illinois
delegation met and Endorsed Hopkins
for the place. A considerable follow
Ing rallied to him, but his support was
not very cordial, and before he could
get the West thoroughly pledged to
him, TaWney, of Minnesota, and Minor,
OF Wisconsin, had stolen his strength
and rounded up the West for Hender-
son. 1t was a great disappointment to
Hopkins, and for six weeks afterward
he was scarcely the same man. Pri-
vately he talked seriously of resigninR
from congress and reiring from politi-
cal life. He had received an offer from
big corporation which would assure
him an income of $4,000 year, and
he was disposed to accept it. But the
chance Of the political game still fas-
cinated him, and with the soreness of
defeat somewhat healed, he dreamed
again of being senator or governor OF
Illinois, after which-the presidency,
why not? What man in political life
does not ask himself: Why not?
SO, for six years at least if he lives
and the government goes on, it will be
Senator Albert J. Hopkins, of Illinois.
Then perhaps there will be discussion
OF presidential candidates for 1908.
Roosevelt will be through; Hanna viii
have succeeded Gompers as president
of the American Federation Of Labor:
Beveridge will have lived down the
charge of extreme youth, and the ner-
~ game will be on and wide open. For
whom will Mason take the stump?