The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1907-01-26

Studied Law as Cab Driver-Ma1kes
Business OF Hand Shaking and Let
ter Writing.
Congressman Charles Curtis, who
has been named by the Republican
caucus Of the legislature to succeed
Joseph r. Burton in the United States
senate, has had career out Of the or
dinary, says Kansas City (Mo) cor
respondent Of the New York Sun. Not
the least Interesting thing about him
Is that he has Indian blood In his veins
One afternoon In the days of the old
Kansas City Interstate Fair associa.
ton there came surprise in the speed
ring. One Of the entries was known
to most of those In the crowd, and
they knew him as crazy horse who
bolted at certain point Of the track.
II he could only be taken past that
point he seemed sure to win. This aft
ernoon new rider was handling the
bolter, a thin little fellow with dark
skin and coal black straight hair, the
hair Of an Indian. He had been bor-
rowed from another stable.
Away they went, and when the dark
skinned boy and his outlaw mount
reached the bolting place there was a
short struggle, and the horse was CON
quered. He sped on with the others.
Half around the course there was an
other struggle, but it was more sud
den and unexpected. Against high
board fence boy and horse went In q
heap, and when the dust cleared the
little dark skinned fellow was picked
up covered with blood and dirt.
Charles Curtis bears the marks today
more than thirty years after.
He's a man who has kept things
moving in nearly all Of the forty-six
years Of his life, making friends most
Of the time and camping on the trail
of his enemies In spare moments.
whatever l have accomplished has
been due largely to the loyalty Of my
friends" he said In his Office In To-
peka recently.
"Hard work, tireless work, made
Curtis" Is what those who are friend
ly to him say. His enemies-lots of
them-have many ways to explain his
advancement, but all of them admit
that he works every minute and wish
he wouldn't.
Curtis mother was a quarter blood
Kaw Indian, the rest French, and his
father was a captain In the Fifteenth
Kansas cavalry. The mother died
when her son was a boy, and then
young Curtis went to live with his
grandfather and grandmother in North
Topeka, making living by selling pa
pers and fruit at the railway station
and riding race horses In the summer
months. His father died some years
later.
In his last year at school young Cur
tbs drove hack most Of the time.
When he was not driving he was sit
ting on the box reading book. He
was sixteen years old when he quit
racing for good and entered a law Of
fee. Two months later he was trying
cases in Justices courts, and In two
years he was admitted to the bar.
Then, in 1884, he was sent as dele
gate to political convention, and his
political career was begun.
When twenty-four he held his first
Office, prosecuting attorney Of Shaw
~ Nv Tn, fny n fnr
his admission to the bar, he was a
candidate for congress and lost. Two
years later he tried again and won. 1t
Is said he shook hands with $4,000 men
In that campaign and remembers to
this day the name Of each. He has
served fourteen years In the lower
house.
"Yes, know most Of my constitu-
ents," Curtis has said, "and have al
ways made it point to do so. One
day was in the home town of a state
senator in the Fourth district, and he
took me around to introduce me to
some of the men In the town. It's a
fact that he'd forgotten the names OF
some of the men he'd lived near for
twenty years, and I had to tell him
who they were. He enjoyed 1t, and SO
did his friends. When ! meet man
put him and some particular instance
together. The next time l lay eyes on
him l can call his name and tell the
circumstances of the meeting. don't
forget faces or names"
Another title this congressman and
future senator has earned Is "the let
ter writer" 81 never fail to answer
letter." he said, sitting ut his desk.
Here are two baskets-one for the
mail to be answered and the other for
mail that has been answered and Is to
receive further attention-some matter
10 be looked up In department, for
instance.
'If man makes request that can't
be fulfilled tell him so. II he has
any chance write him and then go to
work for him. In my campaign for
nomination two years ago I wrote 90
600 letters, suppose. It's work Of
course, lots OF 1t, and It's still not SO
Y,uch ms Ia rau,1irnf1 in WASHINGTON