The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-02-26
Delays Congress Work.

could believe that he could Out-Herod
Herod in tyrannical enforcement of the
letter of iron-clad rules
Became Himself a Gar.
But these soon found themselves mis-
taken. The genial. sunny. lovab.e man
who for sixteen years had been earning
the good will of his fellows from seat
in the body Of the House. sacrificed II
all in short order. when he was made
Speaker. He failed to rise TO the re-
auirements OF the position. His temper
became violent, he was unwilling 10
brook interference or advice; he ruled
with all the vise-like strength of Reed,
but without lie discretion and Judg-
ment. Reed turned the gavel into
scepter; but at least he welded It as
an emperor should. Henderson made
it a bludgeon.
The simple, unaffected democratic
Henderson early manifested traits that
astounded his friends. He became
aristOcraUc. The dignity of his position
impressed him profoundly; he IeIt
Obliged TO live up to II. his deter InlIld>
tion to make the SpeakeTship of the
House rank as high as any other posi-
ton. under the President. resulted IN
many painful social COntretempS winch
Washington hOstesseS of that day are
Many times he declined invitations
whose acceptance would possibly neces-
state a determination of difhcuit dues~
lions of rank and precedence
And among his old friends the Speaker
was as much changed as on MS social
side. They found him distant naughty,
the body. He had earned and held It's
affection by dint OF certain qualities
which he was unwilling or unable to en-
ploy in managing it; and when he laid
TO -
presently discovered to all who watched
his career that he did not possess the
solid parts of basic ability, commanding
purpose and moral earneStneSs that was
necessary 70 maintain his domination in
such ii body as the House. There were
against him during his first
term: these developed strength during
the second There was grave doubt
whether he could be elected Speaker for
the third term that he wanted.
And then came the solution, from a
quarter least expected. Revolt had been
set on foot in his home district; back
FIRE had swept over the Iowa pTaiTies.
and 1t had swept fairly up to the foot
of the Speakers dais. There was a bit
ter. determined fight on the Speaker in
his home district, the district that
firmly by him. and in which his ma
jOrity had grown from a scant thou
sand to more than ten times that num-
Der.
II was hard 20 believe that any dis
trict would deliberately defeat man
who sat In the chair of the Speaker.
But Henderson knew his district as no
other man did; and he knew that he
was in grave danger of a great humilia-
1On. His district demanded that he
should modify his views on certain
questions. especially the tariff This
he could not do, standing in so promi-
nent a position before the country,
without sacrificing his self-respect: at
least this was his attitude He pre-
ferred to retire rather than enter such
a night as he saw was ahead of him.
and so he startled the nation by the
announcement that he would not again
be a candidate for his seat in the
House
Ended His Career.
1t was the end of his career. There
was n nine-days wonder over the
strange move of the Speaker: then it
was forgotten. He went out of Con-
gress and in broken health and spirits,
an old man who for most of his life