The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-03-19

of my savings, and began the study of law"
 How did you happen to go into poli- tics?"
 Tt was an accident. I happened to be passing by hall in South Boston. on the way home with an old friend, Thomas Crawford, who is now health inspector in the mploy of the city. It was he, think, that suggested that we drop into the caucus and look On- We did so. and, somebody spying me oc- cupying a seat on one of the window sills, called on me for a speech. l re- sponded. What I said l have forgot ten, but it was no doubt some com monplace remarks. At any rate, it caught the crowd and they cheered vo- ciferousfy. While I was speaking the committee was out making up list for delegates to the state convention. When the committee reported the eau GUS substituted by name for one of those reported by the committe. With out any effort on my part l was sent ! as a delegate to the state convention"
 Report has it that when this young man appeared in the state convention he proceeded to undo the slate of the machine and succeeded in knocking. out the man slated to presid over the convention. Who is to be. chairman 1 of the convention, asked Delegate Col lins of some of the brother delegates. Why, MT. So and So." was the reply I he received, mentioning the name of ! one of the big democratic guns of the state. Who says so?'' asked Collins. Why the leaders, of course" replied 1 his informant. wen see about that said Collins. T think that the conyen- tion should have something to say about that" The fight was on. A new leader, a tall, spare, athletic, wiry young man, had arrived and taken possession of the younger democratic his eloquence and turned down the forces. He won over the convention by slate the leaders.
 ! After his speech at the South Boston caucus, the democratic leaders in the peninsula district began to think seri- ously of their new discovery. Without his asking, Patrick A. Collins was nominated for the House of Represent tatives and was elected. Thus, in blaze of glory the young Demosthenes of the South Boston democracy began 1 HIS Of years OI publlC llAe.
 T think may truthfully say that have never asked man to help me since I began earning my own living" ! resumed the mayor T do not say this [ in a boastful way, but it seems to me | that the young men of the present gen. eration are not as Independent or as ! self-reliant as they were years ago. i In my younger days young man I presented himself and applied for a job. His recommendation was his character, his appearance and his abil- i ity to do his work. Now they have got into the habit of depending on some body else to get the job for the. The 1 trouble with the average young man i nowadays is that he is looking for something for nothing.
 T never asked a man to vote for me, 1 I have tried to be sa self7reliant and independent in politics as I was when i was a mechanic"
 { With his $l000 savings and his income of $5 per diem as legislator, the young law student was enabled to go through the Harvard law school. Re- calling this epoch of his career Gen. Collins laughed heartily as he pictured ' HlIllStfl III LIE uudl ipiS VI phG oA tiAN wise men of the state Senate and law student a Harvard
 Did you have to wait long for cli- ents?' queried the reporter
 Not very long. My old friend, Leo- poid Morse, was my best client, Hhe came into my office and said that he wanted to have the honor of being my first client. line gave me a blii to col- feet and left me q retainer. The first case I tried in court was defending a South Boston man who was charged with arson. He was accused of setting fire which destroyed about $5000O worth of property"
 Was he convicted?''
 No" replied the mayor. T did not succeed in convicting him. The jury found him not guilty, after quite a | lenghty trial. Prom An Interview in | the Boston Globe.