Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1904-11-18
Charles Warren Fairbanks.

Always a Jealous Republican. Vice
President-elect Charles w. Fairbanks,
even at time when his law practice
was a most exacting one, found OPP
portunity to lend his services to Re
publican campaigns in Indiana. His
counsel was sought by party leaders.
and before he ever held office he had
spoken in every county of the State
and was known personally to the vot-
erS.
tive force in the national Republican
party from the time of the ST. Louis
Republican convention in 1896.
Mr.. Fairbanks leadership i'll Indi,
ana was still more generally recogniz
ed after he returned from the St. Louis
convention: From that time until the
present he has been the dominant fig
ure in al political movements within
the Republican ranks in the State.
President Mckinley at one time in
vited Senator Fairbanks to become
member Of his Cabinet
Vice President elect Fairbanks
comes from long line of New Eng
land ancestry. About a dozen years
before the town OF Boston was set
tied there arrived from England one
Jonathan Fayerbanke, his wife, four
sons and two daughters. They were
Puritans and for many generations
their ancestors had been farmers. In
the struggle between the Crown and
the people they had been followers of
Cromwell. They came to America in
search of greater religious liberty.
Fairbanks at college was a type
of the country lad, 6 feet tall, rather
awkward, slow of speech, and ambi-
tious to get through college and be-
come a lawyer. He was of serious
turn Of mind and was not given to
college pranks, and seldom joked.
After leaving college he went to Pitts
burg, Pa, where for time he acted
as agent of the Associated Press, then
i'll its infancy. After remaining at
Pittsburg for year or more, during
which time he applied himself to the
study of law. he went to Cleveland,
Ohio, completed his studies and was
admitted to the bar of the Supreme
Court of that State after one term at
Cleveland law school.
1t was then he married Miss Cole.
whom he had known in college, and
decided to locate in Indianapolis for
the practice of law, which he began
in 1874 Prior to going to Indianapo-
lis it was suggested that he accept
nominations as prosecuting attorney Of
his home county. in Ohio, and enter
politics, as did William Mckinley. But
he had no political ambition at that
time and declined the offer
From 1874 until he was elected to
the Senate Mr.. Fairbanks was devoted
to his law practice. He accumulated
one of the most complete law libra
ries of the country His fees were UNI
usually large for lawyer of his day
He accumulated a comfortable for
tune.
Mr.. and Mrs Fairbanks are mem
bers of the Meridian Street Methodist
Episcopal Church, of indianapolis, and
the Senator is a trustee of the church
Senator Fairbanks mother is still
living, being nearly So years of age
She spends her winters with the Sen
ator's family.
Mr. Fairbanks is president of the
Benjamin Harrison Monument Asso-
citation of Indianapolis and trustee
OF the Mckinley Memorial Associa-
ton.
The life of the Fairbankses in Wash
ington has been characterized by gen.
erous but transformations hospitality
They occupy the Van Wyck house
near Dupont Circle. Mrs. Fairbanks
is regarded as one of the social lead.
ers of the city She is president-gen.
eral of the Daughters of the American
Revolution, and has for many years
taken very active interest in that
society.