The Washington times., 1906-06-04

In 1881 he entered upon his national
career. receiving the nomination of his
party for the United States Senate.
A boy in the Maryland public schools.
q page in the Senate of the United
States, member and speaker of the lower
house of the Maryland Legislature,
State Senator. and finally four times
elected Senator of the United States.
This is in very brief of the officehoiding
career of Arthur Pue German; the skeI-
eton around which he fi!led in a life
time OF activities. mainly related 10 pub
lie affairs in the widest national aspects.
Mr.. German was a man destined to
domination. He dominated the Legis-
lature Of his State when he was mem
be-. and he early became dominant in
his party5 Senatorial force after he be-
came a member Of that body. He has
been given wider credit perhaps. than
any other man. for the success Of the
candidacy of Grover Cleveland for Pres
ident in 1884 He afterward broke with
Cleveland. opposed his tariff views. and
was largely responsible for the modifi-
cations of the Wilson bill, which moved
Cleveland to denCunce ii as ''perfdy and
dishonor."
Politics His Life Work.
Mr. German resolved. when he was
a boy in the Senate. TO be a Senator: 10
make public affairs a life work He
worked with infiexible resolution to that
end lie met his defeats and discour-
agements; but he succeeded. He was
one Of those thoroughly practical pub
lie men, whose careers have so often
proved that the successful public man
must be taken young and trained for
his work. German was a politician
when in his teens; he was always
politician. for many years one Of the
greatest In the country Some people
many Of them-believe he expanded to
the full title of craftsmanship. His has
been a stormy career. and contemporary
Judgments Of il Will not be a safe one.
He became a national character soon
after he. took his place In the Senate
in 1881. The Democratic party had pull
ed itself together after its defeat of
1880, and was hopeful of repeating its
victory. claimed in 1876 1t needed a can
didate and "A manager. The leader must
be one who would be able, if he won
victory. 70 conserve its results. He
must not permit the experience OF Tilden
10 be repeated.
Led Cleveland's First Campaign.
Germans own judgment was one OF
the first which recognized the peculiar
availability OF Cleveland He took TO
the Cleveland movement he made him
self power In the pre-convention and
convention fights of 1854 There were
some great veteran Democrats-tl1e
Thurmans, Carlisles. Bayards. Wilson's
Breckinridges, MorrisOns - many of
whom had small yll.athy with that
judgment But German dominated
them. His insight was accurate; his
judgment was justified. By right of
conquest he had gained the place Of
party leader. and he was made CHAIR
man of the national committee He
managed the campaign and he elected
Cleveland.
When the election was over. and the
early performance OF the post-COnven-
ton DAYS of 1876 wure repeated. both
sides vociferouSly claiming victory.
German did not make any OF the ms
takes Of 1876. He did not allow his party
10 be beaten at any point. He stuck to
his post and held his followers in line
in all the doubtful States He never
wavered from his insistence that Cleve-
land had been elected. and that he
would be sworn in as President
That campaign marked the high tide
OF German : career as a manager. He
could win victory, but he could not
hold his party together for legislative
achievement afterward. In 1883 he
tariff question. and he regarded the de-
feat OF Cleveland in that year as a
Vindication. But it was a poor vim
dication in the light Of what happened
In 1892 when Cleveland was again nom
mated. the tariff declaration was made
10 suit him, and ne was triumphantly
elected.