Arizona republican., 1903-10-11
rlr. Vest on John Sherman.

Former Senator George Graham Vests charming "reminiscences of the statesmen with whom he has associat- ed in the senate of the Confederate States and in the senate Of the United States would be altogether delightful were it not for the pathetic feature connected with them. Knowing that the author is blind, ir feeble health and suffering pain. the imaginative reader cannot repress regret that statesman of such breadth, a man of such engaging style and flashing brightness of intellect is to be seen no more in the arena of which he writes with such undiminished brilliancy and keenness of wit.
 In the current number of the Satur- day Evening Post. Mir. Vest gives some of his recollections of John Sherman. As a matter oi course. sitting in the twilight of life's evening, Missouri's great senator turns a kindly, mellow light alike upon his former po- litical comrades and upon his political antagonists. and we find none of the biting. waspish comment which was the delight of his friends and the discomfort of his enemies while he was the demo- cratic champion in the senate. There is now none of the acid tang that pe- culiarly characterized his style in po- litical debate, but his sharp sense of humor makes it impossible for him to talk of Sherman with out touching upon some of the most noted weaknesses of the Ohio statesman. For example, every body knows that Sherman had no sense of humor whatever-in his coldly logi cal mind the element of imagination was altogether lacking. MT. Vest cites the following among his proofs that Senator Sherman could not see a joke:
 Or another occasion Senator Zeb Vance. of North Carolina, a famous raconteur, told Senator Sherman and myself of his having recently purchas- ed yoke O. oxen to be used in clear ing his mountain farm, from which he had just come. "I had some difficult ty,' said Vance. "in finding a pair of oxen that suited me. but finally sue ceeded in purchasing two oxen exactly matched and thoroughly broken. Ali ter paying for them, I inquired of the seller what were their names and he replied that the oxen were full broth CTS and had been raised by him. "The off ox,' he said, I named Pete and have never named his brother, because he does exactly what is done by Pete. and when l speak to Pete they move together When I found this to be the case" said Vance I named the nameless OK myself and now call them Pete and Repeat
 Senator Sherman looked solemnly at Vance and said: Vance, you have made a mistake These names are too much alike and the oxen will be con- fused by the similarity of the sound. B
 But, in the judgment of Mr. Vest, John Sherman was one of the country's s really great statesmen. According to his view Any history of political events in the United States during the last thirty years which omits the name and career of John Sherman is imper- feet and unreliable. No man played a greater part in public affairs during the time named, and especially in the legislation that brought about the re- sumption of specie payments
 Mir Vest thinks that Sherman's great success as politician lay in his self control under attack and his refusal tC have his attention attracted by tn; picks and darts of criticism.
 Mir. Sherman cared nothing for the aesthetic and sentimental Music, poe try, painting, sculpture and the beau ties of nature had no charms for him He regarded everything from the prac- tical and material standpoint, ant when looking at the Falls of Niagars would have thought more of utilizin, the water power than of the majestic rush of the maddened river He Wa handicapped by no vices and his self control was perfect. When he address ed the Senate both sides of the cham Der gave him the closest attention, be cause his speeches were always logi cal and full of information. He neve spoke to the galleries, but to the senate and what he said was pertinent to tn subject under consideration. In on respect he differed from the immens majority of his colleagues by never no ticing the attacks of his enemies, n matter how severe or unjust the might be. I heard him declare on on occasion that the public man who per mitted himself to be placed on the de fensive was lost. He did not preten to nave been consistent and treatc with contempt all assaults upon hi record.
 ''The late Senator John E. Kenne of West Virginia. d brilliant and ambi tious young Democrat, made q deliber ate attack upon MT. Sherman in tn senate, speaking for more than tw hours. and reviewing his record as
 member of both houses of congress an secretary of the treasury under Have! The speech carefully prepared an very severe. MT. Sherman listened at tentively, and when Kenna concluded addressed the presiding officer an simply said that in his long career l;