The Minneapolis journal., 1904-09-30


was q member of the electoral commits
sion which decided that Hayes was
elected over Tilden.
Mr.. Hoar was so constituted that he
could not be an abject follower Of his
party, however great his respect for it,
but was destined to do some indepen-
dent thinking even tho it carried him
counter to his colleagues. Having once
espoused a cause, he had persistency
born of,7convictron and splendid ability
to pursue it. He did not think himself
gifted with oratorical powers, but be-
came one of the most forceful speakers
in the senate.
A high sense Of justice always actu-
ated him. During his service in the
state legislature he became a student
of factory legislation, and was one of
the first in this country to advocate
the shortening of the hours of labor
| to ten. He was one Of the earliest
advocates Of woman suffrage and civil
service reform. It was his conception
of justice in ,theedealing of oar govern
ment with the Philippine islands that
caused his famous break with the Nc
Kinley administration, and later which
led him to antagonize President Roose-
welt in hiss prompt recognition of the
republic of Panama. ....
His stand as an anti-imperialist goes
back to the time when he supported
Sumner in his opposition to President
Grant s policy for the annexation Of
San Domingo. While. not possessing the
brilliant qualities Of Sumner, he was
like that illustriors statesman in that
during the last few years Of his life
he was aligned against his party. But
he never lost its respect, retaining to
the end the chairmanship Of the judi.
ciary committee. 4,
One cannot help but admire the argu.
ment by which he iustifes his course
in not leaving the republican party, al
tho bitterly opposed to what he deemed
it's imperialistic policy. In his autobi
ography he says in substance that he
was not willing to forsake the party
in whose principles he believed. but
which was wrong on& a. single, question
for a party whose principles he believed
were bad, which party he was not sure
would act right on the single issue ir
question. He. had the, complacency, tc
believe that the republican party will
eventually come around to his way co1
J thinking, as he claimed it had done or
previous occasions. Such absolute con
fdence in the rightness of his position
is admirable. He hated the mugwumT
and expressed the conviction that he
, had accomplished tenfold the good BY
remaining in the republican party thai
men with ten times more ability ani
capacity had who had left it.
While occupying q prominent position
in the councils ofsothe nation Senate,
, Hoar was able to'gratify his taste fo,
intellectual and scientific. pursuits H,
was regent of the Smithsonian Institu
tion, president of the American Anti
quarian society, trustee Of the Peabod,
Museum of Archaeology and member o:
the Massac achusetts Historical society
He was a. frequent contributor to cur
rent literature. His most extended lit
erary work is his recently =. published
autobiography which is "reminiscences O.
fifty years. of public life. He was hon
ored with the degree Of doctor of law
q by the college of William and Mary
= which. institution he was instrumental
y in reconstructing and Amherst, Yale an
Harvard. G:S,:iJ@2f 80 .tz : T: # !. Z: z
There is a certain grandeur in th
declaration of this noble Roman whic
;, echoes the Apostle Paul g 81 hav
fought a good fight" when he says: I"
! have never in my life cast vote O
' done an act in legislation that I di
. not at that time believe to be right
. and that I am not now willing to aavo1
and to defend and debate with an
I champion, of sufficient Importance, VIII
/ desires to attack it at any time and i
8 any presence To live in such goo
conscience is to die in universal respect
/ While admitting the possibility sof; mi
t. takes, ..snchG high devotion to duty. d
e admirable and warrants the characte
o ization of Senator Hoar as "an. e.
e alted type Of an American idealist. = 4