The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-14

century is he who has not OnlV
the ability TO do things, but the
ELT1Il foresight to prepare for them; to
80 know a great opportunity and
seize IL. TO fight his battles with his eyes
10 the front. looking far into the future
That is the kind of a man Senator Bever-
tdge. Of Indiana. is. Endowed with the
genius Of success he has acquired the ca
paeIty for hard work, and his tussle with
fortune has made him conservative. At the
same time ne is enthusiastic. His veins
are full OF young blood and he IS wide
awake. How much awake you will see when
YOU consider who he is and what he mas
done since 1888.
Senator Beveridge was born on a farm'
and he had to hustle for his existence Al
twelve he was a plowooy, at fourteen AZ
worked on a railroad, at fifteen ne was "
logger and teamster and at the same tlme
he went TO school. He managed somehO"
10 get an education, graduated at the leau-
ing college Of Indiana, and then stuuleu
law under dear old Joe Mcdonald the Ia
nous Indiana United States senator anu
politician. He had been admitted 10 t"e
bar. and had made a local reputation d. d
lawyer and orator at the age OF tnirty-siA'
when he was elected TO the United states
Senate.
All this was good, but not extraordinary.
So far. many other poor boys had done as
well. Beveridge's opportunity came at the
time of his election. AT that same time
there were eighty-nine other men members
of the United States Senate Every one OF
them painted for a national reputation more
that the hart panteth after the water
brooks; but only this baby SENATOR TINS
farm boy, railroad worker, logging camp
laborer in the wilds OF Indiana, saw the
opportunity and seized 1t.
We had lust taken possession Of the Phil
fppines. and IL was evident that they were
the question Of the future. Henry Cabot
Lodge sat down and studied international
law on the subject; George Frisbie Hoar
went over TO the Congressional library
and investigated the ethnology of the Ma
Law races and their ability for self-govern-
ment; dear old Senator Allison kneeled
down on the top rail of the fence and
prayed the Lord to let him know how to
jump, and John c. Spooner looked up con-
stitutional arguments for his great speeches
of the future.
And what did Beveridge do?
ROSE TO THE OCCASION.
He alone of all the senator's saw that the
best way TO handle a great problem is 10
first learn what the problem is. He realized
that knowledge is power. and took the first
steamboat for Manila. He went out with
our army and saw conditions as they were.
Then he crossed TO China and learned some
thing of that country. stopped awhile in
Japan, and came home better posted on
Eastern matters than almost any other
public man or the United States.
AS he landed he was met by newspaper
reporters. and other reporters asked for his
opinions I'm city after city as he crossed the
continent. He treated all politely. but. like
Brer Rabbit, laid low and said nothing.
Then he came to Washington, and. not
needing the advice OF the old fogies who
counseled him as a young senator to utter
no words I'm the chamber for the first two
years, he arose, and his great speech on the
Philippines went ringing around the coun-
try.
. That speech gave Beverage a national
reputation and put him at the front as one
of the leading thinkers on international
policies. Since then no one has attempted
TO keep him quiet. He does not speak
often. but when he opens his mouth the
Senate and the Nation prick up their ears.
Senator Beverage has not only gained
the attention OF the Senate, but also it's
confidence. Unspoiled by his success, he
went to work. and he has since put in more
hours than most OF the senators in study
ing the great matters which come before
that body. He has gained the respect and
friendship of the older members, and is
to-day one OF the few men who are doing
things I'm our national House of Lords. He
is becoming noted for his conservatism
and Is, / am told. one of the most conserva,
tive counselors OF the strenuous young man
IN the White House.
say this by way of introduction to an
interview on the situation I'm the far East
which 1 have had with Senator Beveridge
to-day. The senator has supplemented his
trip TO the Philippines by others TO China,
Japan, Siberia and Russia. He has met
the leading statesmen of all these countries,
and has actually studied the Manchurian
question on the ground. The interview
took place I'm the senator's apartments i'm
the Portland flats. on Thomas circle. My
FIRST question was:
what are the Russians and japanese
squabbling about?"
''They are not squabbling." replied Sena-
tor Beverage. 1.-The matter is a serious
one to both parties. and l might say of
almost ndtlOnal lie OF ueatn TO one OF
them We can hardly appreciate what this
struggle means TO the Japanese. They re-
gard IL as the salvation or ruin of their
country. The Russians look upon il as the
keystone OF their future. They regard
Aanehuria as the door TO their vast pos
sessions in Siberia and to their prospec-
lively greater ones in China as we'll"
Give me In a nutshell the story of the
trouble. senator" said /.
1T is a matter of history" was the re-
ply. Japan fought its war with China,
il licked China, and as one of the terms OF