The Washington times., 1905-04-10
DAVE HENDERSON
A PHYSICAL WRECK
Veteran ex-Speaker Broken
in Health and Spirit.
TIMES HAVE RUN OVER HIM
Returns to His Home to End His Days
Among Friends-His Quick
Decline.
TIMES HAVE RUN OVER HIM

and manner that told of former powers,
an ola man was helped off train from
the West at Dubuque station a few days
ago.
He had spent the winter at Long
Beach, Cal, wheeling himself about III
an invalid's chair. summing himself on
the walks or watching the seagulls from
the piers. He has come home, he says
to be among the friends with whom
he wants TO remain until his last sun
shall go down over the forest-clad bluffs
of everlasting limestone, that stand as
the sentinels Of the city so many years
his home.
Less then three years ago this wan
and faded old man was leader in the
nation. Speaker and car of the Ma
tional House of Representatives, ruling
that turbulent body with gavel that
in his hand was as the scepter of an
autocrat
FOR twenty years he had been one
OF its most popular members, as well as
potent. Then he had been called to
the Speakership; and then, at the sum-
init of power, when his word made and
unmade laws and policies and men.
when the nod of his head or the beck
of his hand was as the elect of an en-
peror, he fell
Ex-Speaker a Wreck.
David Bremner Henderson is TODAY
one OF the wrecks on the strands OF the
ocean of politics. The current that cast
him ashore has swept on, and he has
already been forgotten.
his Is one of the most solemn trage-
dies OF American politics in the last
generation. Three years ago there were
tens OF thousands of, people who re-
GREETED that the accident of birth in
scotland made him ineligible for con-
slaeration as Presidential possibility.
iooay he is struggling against falling
health, lost to the great activities of
WHICH ne was so long and SO large a
part and even the memory of tbem
fading out of his mind.
David b. Henderson probably cou,d
hot pnoer any circumstances have made
. sooq claim to eminenee for statesman
politician than the statesman BiIt he
represented .tip as no other of his genera
with the close of the civil war.
he was gallant soldier winning l5is
Wy 10 command of a regiment He be-
came lawyer and a politician He wa s
me Inc very cry prince of good fellows. and
and the unmaking of him. II made him
legislator. Representative, Speaker, bon
yiVant and the friend of every man, of
Whatever party, IN national public life
Iowa in Revolt
AS Speaker of the House, General
Hendersons views of public questions
naturally were of immense concern to
the country. He was determined in his
opposition to interference with the tariff
In Iowa. and especially in his home dis
trict, there was a rising tide of insist
ence on tariff modification The immov-
able determination of the Speaker clash
ed with the irresistible fcrcc of home
sentiment Constituents petitioned, and
their petitions were ignored
The once genial and kindly Henderson
had been spoiled by power, his friends
said. Not only did he snub his con-
stituents, but he got into the habit of
writing letters 1ecturing them, in no
mild tone, for their presumption. And
the American voter doesn't like to be
scolded by the man for whom he votes
Relations between the Speaker and his
constituency became more and more
strained. The country at large knew
nothing of it. Henderson was supposed
still to be the idol of the district that for
two decades had regularly returned him.
He himself sadly failed to understand
the extent of the forces of disaffection;
County after county was organized
against him. When 1t was too late he
learned the truth.
The Speaker of the House, the ruler
of the commons, must either reverse
himself before the whole country, or be
forced to go back home and make a
hand-to-hand fight for his renomina-
ton.
Henderson Gives Up.
1t was not in the sturdy Scotch make
up Of Dave Henderson TO do either He
came back home and looked over the
district. He learned that his enemies,
Or some of them at least, were preparing
to make a bitter assault on his private
life and personal character
The revelation came with crushing
force and suddenness. He went back to
Washington, and from there sent TO
his constituency a bitter telegram de-
claring he would not stand for re-
nomination He would give up his seat
in Congress and his assured reelection
as Speaker. rather than give in.
IL was a national sensation. All kinds
of explanations were offered None OF
them told the whole truth None i1as
ever been printed that told the whole
facts. Probably none ever will be.
The Speaker retired from public life.
The country outgrew its wonder.
He went to New York and capitalized
his political power and acquaintance and
reputation into partnership in great
law firm. But he did not succeed He
was too old to recover from such blow
as had been dealt.
They move too fast for me- ne
said regsetfully to a friend from home
I'm TOO old TO catch step with this
procession. I'm afraid it'll run over
me-"
Wound Gives Him Trouble.
He spoke both literally and figurative-
ly. vicious old wound, the result of
having leg shot off in the war had
again broken out. and was giving hl.sl
constant trouble.
So he returned to Dubuque, to the old
friends and scenes, intent on settling
down to practice law once more as u
member of the old Dubuque firm, of
which his name had stood at the head
during all his years of Congressional
service,
But 1t was too late His health was
broken and his interest In things could
not be brought back.
A few months ago he went with his
wife and daughter to California to spend
the winter. Although he Is only sixty
five years old, his magnificent constitu-
tion was broken down.
He returns home no stronger; not so
strong, his friends say. The brightness
has gone from his eye, the firm. COM
manding tone from his voice the ag-
greSStyeneSs from his manner