Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-10-27
OUR NEXT GOVERNOR
Is A SELF MADE MAN.
How Congressman Swanson Climb
ef' the Ladder to Success His
Early Struggle.
Rich mOnd JOuIdal

Z ie man WHO Is soon to succeed Gov
erDOr Montague in the executive chair
OF the Old DOniniOn-the chances are
Judge Lewis, his Republican oppO
nent-is n man who owes all his sue
cess to his own exertiOns, ambition
and unceasing energy.
He is a self made man. in so far as
any man can be the architect Of his
own fortune. His father was highly
respected mer reliant and manufacturer
of tobacco in Pittsylvania county, who
suffered a reverse and lost everything
in the panic of 1876. His son, the sub.
ject of this sketch, then lad of four
teen, had to stop school and go to work;
a fortunate circumstance that we
could hope might happen to many an
other of our young men who need the
hard lesson of self denial, and the salt
tary discipline of working out their
livelihood by their own exertiOns, and
by the sweat of their brow.
He worked two years on the farm.
While tilling the ground and driving
the pillow, his busy young brain was
full of dreams of honor and distinction
to be won by high ambition and IN
firing efforts. At sixteen he taught
school and saved money enough to pay
his way for one session at the Virginia
Agricultural and Mechanical College,
now Blacksburg. He had then To go
to work again, and clerked for 2 years
in grocery store in Danvile. While
so engaged four prominent men of that
city, one leading lawyer, and three
worthy tobacco manufacturers, seeing
that there was something in the young
man. future before him by the assis-
tance of helping hand, went to him
and voluntarily offered to lend him the
requisite money to complete his educa-
ton and equip himself for the practice
of law. After much hesitation, he &C
cepted this offer and gave the gentle
men his individual notes for the
amounts advanced by them, declining
their generous offer to make it a free
gift.
With this money he went for three
years to Randolph Macon College,
taking the degree of A. b., and the
Sutherlin medal for OratOry, and the
debater's medal in the Washington
Literary Society. While at this college
he edited the Hanover and Caroline
News, the organ of the Democratic
party for those counties, thus at tn at
early period actively espousing the
principles and the practical work of the
party to which he has given lifelong
loyalty and devotion. He then by hard
study accomplished in one Year the
two years law course at the University
of Virginia, taking the degree OF
Bachelor of Laws. lie entered upon
the practice of his profession at Chat
ham, PlttsyIyania county, and in two
years had built up paying practice
that enabled him to return every dollar
of the money that had been lent him
by his generous benefactOrs. In 1892,
less than six years after he had lett
college. he was nominated for Congress
| over many competitors. He Was elect
ed, and has since been without Oppo-
sltion nominated and elected for six
terms.
Four years ago he aspired to be Gov
ernor, but was disappointed of the
nomination. He took his defeat in a
manly way, and instead of sulking
like Achilles in his tent he went into
the canvass and made more speeches
than any man in the State for bis sue
cessful competitor.
When boy, working on his father 8
Warren Hastings, who in his day
dreams as d lad conceived the purpose
that never fOrsook him, of restoring
the fallen fortunes of once noble
house and lineage, a purpose that he
cherished and pursued beneath the
burning suns of India. The story fired
the soul of the plow boy with an in
spiratlon which he has never let go; an
aspiration that has beckOned him on
through many a wearisome day of toll
at his office desk and in the committee
rooms of Congress. and has still whis-
pered in his ear in many silent hour
of the night. Now, as he frankly ad.
mits, his highest ambition is about to
be realized.
Congressman Swanson was born at
Swansonville, Pittsylvania county,
March 81, 1862, and received his ele-
mentary education at the public
schools. He had never been a candi-
date nor beld any public Office before
his election to Congress. He was
delegate at large to the Democratic
National Convention in Chicago in
1896, and has been successfully elected
to the SD, oath, 55th, 56Jh, 9th and
5Sth Congresses. In the last mention
ed contest be received 10, 366 votes to
Abs for Davis, Republican, and 267
for Dickerson, ProhibitiOnist
Ten years ago Mr.. Swanson led to
the altar Miss Lizzie Lyons, daughter
of DR.. Peter Lyons and the late Mrs.
Addie Deane Dyons, and gran daugh-
ter of the beloved physician, DIR. Fran
els III. Deane.
Miss Bob Wdite Next Week.
No two comedians have received more !