Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-28
Ex-Gov. Sidney ;Perham.

one term in a small academy. At twenty
| two he was chosen selectman of Wood
| stock. AT thirty-five he was elected to the
| state legislature and made speaker the
| first days session the only instance in the
history of the state when person with no
| legislative experience was chosen to that
| post He was made a presidential elector
| in 1856. He was twice clerk of the supreme
| court for oxford county.
In 1862 he was elected to the House of
! representa- ves, and was subsequently
| twice reelected by increased majorities.
| During this term of service, and while
| chairman of the House committee on pen
| sions, he superintendent the complete reor-
| ganization of the pension bureau. His
/ election as governor occurred in 1870 and
| was twice confirmed by Predictions.
| The principles championed during all
these years were thoroughly reflective of
ms occupations and interest. While a
| farmer he developed the old farm he had
| purchased from his father into Il notable
| sheep raising establishment and became
thenceforth an advocate of scientific agri-
! culture and stock raising. He was early an
| advocate of prohibitory temperance. He
| was a democrat until 1853. when he fol-
| lowed the lead of Arson P. Morrill,. then
| candidate for governor.
While primarily Of an executive DISPOSE
| ton, Mr.. Perham has always been widely
| celebrated as an orator. Several of his
| addresses in the House-particularly that
on the impeachment of President johnson
| and on Relief from Taxation and the Ma
| tlonai Finances were regarded as excep-
tionaiIy able and effeetfve Stree his with
".
| has served as director in many institutions
Of educational and eelemosynary nature
Among other things, Mr. Perham, while
! In Congress, was the author of the enact
ment providing for the granting of 81 per
month additional pension to each one of the
! minor children of soldier Prior to july
70, 1866, a widow drew no pension on ac-
count of her minor children, and when
| the widow was dead only So was paid
| where there were several minor children
of an enlisted man. This enactment stands
] n ct n 70 hTE.lTc a.
verbiage as he presented it to the pension
committee early in July, 1866
When Mr.. Perham first suggested the
| granting of this additional pension to each
minor child a friend suggested to him that
! he knew cases where the widow OF pri-
vate soldier had ten minor children, which
would give her sos per month
We'll" responded Mr.. Perham, eff the
| widow of a private soldier has ten minor
children she ought to have 500 per month
Let her have It to aid in clothing and edu-
eating the children of a patriot
Gov. Perham also advocated reform in
the Maine Jail system, as to provide for
the employment of prisoners In some in
dustrial pursuit; industrial school for
girls; the establishment of free high
SCHOOLS and arranged for biennial elections
and sessions of the Legislature. He was
appointed appraiser for the port of Port
| land and held the office 70, eight years
when he resigned. In 1891 he served on a
commission appointed by President Harri-
son to select a site for G. dry dock in the
Il
The governor then cam to this city
which he has made his home. On June g.
1902, his wife died, after an Illness of nine
weeks, and her body was taken to Bryant
Point Md. Rev. John Van Schaik jr pastor
of the Church of Our Father, conducted the
funeral services in this city and then ac-
companied Mr. Perham and his family to
Maine for the interment.
Over 200 friends and relatives called last
night to see Mr.. Perham, and he was
touched by their Fluctuations as well as
their good wishes for many happy returns
of the day.
Among the guests were: Representative
Amos L. Allen of Maine Rev. Alexander
Kent, William Van Zandt Cox, Alfred
Wood, Henry Romeyn, Charles w. Otis, W.
w Curry George f. Corson Mrs. Albion
X Paris Harvey, Mrs. J. William Lee
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles B. Bailey, Mr.. and
Mrs. George A. L. Merrifield Mr.. and Mrs
| Louis P. Shoemaker, Mr. and Mrs. Charles
Russell Cleaves Thomas Perley Cleaves,
Miss Eva L. Shorey, Miss Lois May Beach,
Miss Wilma Edith Perham Amos Hadley
Rev. John Van Schaik jr., Dr. Doerman
Dr. and Mrs. c.. w Gallagher. DR.. and Mrs
| Couden and DIR. a. 3. Chamberlain.
The Belgian minister and Baroness Mon
cheur gave dinner last night, when their
quests were the Austrian ambassador and
baroness Hengelmuiler the IRA lillian am