Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-05
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF SEVENTY YEARS. BY
George r. fIoar with portraits. In two vol
umes. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons
Washington; William Ballantyne Sons

| umes' New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
Washington: William Ballantyne * Sons.
Senator Hoar has reached the period In
life at which 1t is entirely possible for MIN
! to tell the story of his career without lhe
suggestion of immodesty. When man
has participated for so long and 10 SO
great a degree in the government of the
country, he Is entitled to considerable ana
respectful hearing whatever may be his
theme however some may regard his par
ticular views. Especially when he under
| takes to describe the influences which have
shaped his life and to recall the associa-
tons which he has formed, does his product
assume Importance and value. There are
today in the Senate only two men who have
served continuously in that body longer
than he, Senators Allison and Cockreli,
| while Senator Morgan entered the Senate
on the same day with him. March 4, 1877.
| Mr.. Hoar has an advantage over Senators
Morgan and Cockrell In that he served In
the House Of Representatives for eight
years Immediately prior to his election to
the Senate, whereas neither of them had
previous congressional experience, and, al
though Senator Allison's actual total con-
| gressional service is longer than that of
Senator Hoar, there was a two-year break
prior to his election to the upper house.
| These two volumes of autobiography are
| in their way the most important matter of
| the kind presented to the American reading
public in long period. Owing to Senator
Hoar's attitude on the subject Of expansion,
| and the consequent part he has played IN
! the solution of recent national problems.
| his memoirs have distinct historical and
| political value. His chapters written in
| a vein Of admirabl frankness. He offers
| no excuses for undertaking to tell plainly
| the story of his life. The recipient of many
| honors, having been repeatedly returned to
| the Senate by the unanimous vote of his
| party, he faces the fact simply and states it
| modestly. He says:
| IF any critic think this book lacking in
dignity, or wisdom, or modesty it is hoped
| that 1t may, by way of offset, make up for
it in sincerity. have SO far lived in this
| world without secrets. If my countrymen,
| or the people of Massachusetts. have trust
+, ed me, they have fully known what they
| were doing. They had eyes and chose me-
Il have never lifted my finger or spoken
| word to any man to secure or to promote
| my own election to any office. I do not
mean to criticise other men who advance
| their honorable ambition for public service
| or exert themselves to get office for which
| they think themselves ut. 1t was the high
Roman fashion, 1t has been the fashion
| in England always. English gentlemen do
| not disdain a personal solicitation for po-
| Htical support and think no harm of it, to
| which no American gentleman would for a
| moment stoop.
| ut has been the custom in other parts of
|
| the government. But what think better
| custom has prevailed in Massachusetts, l
| arrogate to myself no virtue in this respect
I only say that it has been my supreme
| good fortune to be the son of a common
wealth among whose noble and high-minded
people better and more fastidious habit
| has prevailed
1t would be interesting to all readers to
| absorb this large work page by page from
start to fnish for there is something of
value and information in every chapter.
The limitations of this review forbid the
| supplying Of more than the most mea ger
extracts suggestive of few of fits salient
| features. For example, Mr.. Hoar speaks
| thus of himself in an early chapter:
| Il have never got over being a boy. 1t
does not seem likely that I ever shall I
| have today, at the age of three-score and
| sixteen. less sense of my own dignity than
| I had when at sixteen 1 walked for the first
| time into the college chapel at Harvard
| clad as the statute required, in black or
black-mixed coat. with buttons of the same
| color and the admiring world with its ewes
on the venerable freshman. seemed to me to
| be saying to Itself, 'Ecce caudamr Behold
| the tail!'
| Again, after describing how he studied at
| Harvard, and pranked with his fellows and
graduated, with many touches of personal
"reminiscences concerning professors and
| students, Mr.. Hoar speaks again of himself
| thus:
! THE fact that I have been for nearly
| thirty-hve years In public life and likely to
4
| longer, Is an instance Of how
| The best laid schemes o. mice and men
| Gang aft a-gley.'
| Down to the time was admitted to the
| bar, and, indeed. for a year later nv dream
and highest ambition were to spend nv life
| AS what Is called an office lawyer. making
| deeds and giving advice In small transac-
tons. I supposed I was absolutely without
capacity for public speaking 1 expected
never to be married; perhaps to earn twelve
| or hfteen hundred dollars a year which
would enable me to have a room of my own
| in some quiet house, and to earn enough to
collect rare books that could be had without
much cost"
| Such was his personal vista when his first
| opportunity came to stand UP in the place
| of public speech. 1t was accidental. this
| first address to the people. the occasion be-
| ing mass meeting in the city hall in wor-
| cester In the interest of the free soil move
ment. The principal speaker being late a
gap occurred in the program and some one
! set up cry for "Hoari The young Iawvar
was very much confused and arose in the
body of the hall. only to be forced by the
form.
Il made my way to the platform" he
says. hoping only to make my excuses
the people were disposed to be good-ns-
tured and liked what I said Dr. Stone
the famous stenograph1c reporter was
present and took 1t down. 1t was printed
In the free soil papers, and from that
time l was In considerable demand as a
public speaker
That was I'm 1850, and then began Mr..
Hoar's public career. his first Office being
seat In the legislature. to which he was
elected the next year. He felt In duty
bound to ask his father If he should accept
the nomination, being then twenty-five
years of age and the parental advice was
favorable He declined denomination, but
few years later served a year in the state
senate. During the next few years Mr.
Hoar continued at his law practice which
grew to large proportions. and in 1868
feeling broken In health, he set sail for
Europe for recuperation. During his alb
sence some of the leading republicans of
his district issued an appeal recommending
him as candidate for Congress There
were several other candidates Including
the sitting member. Says Mr.. Hoar:
Il had said before went to Europe that
IL nominated I would accept the Office I
thought 1t doubtful whether my strength
would permit me to continue my profess
sional work without interruption 1 had no
thought of remaining in Congress, If were
elected, more than one term, or perhaps
two Indeed, I did not contemplate the
probability Of a nomination as very seri-
Gus one.
But almost before got out of sight of