The Washington herald., 1908-04-05

Dakota, ranks high There are others
who are more SNOWY, more conspicuous in
debate. more skillfuI in manipulation. but,
taken all In ali, it Is doubtful whether any
Senator has greater capacity for accom-
pIishng results without personal parade.
Certainly no other is more effective in
pushing and formulating legislation which
viii benefit his State and the country. or
in preventing the enactment of laws which
would he harmful TO either Kittredge
IS the one Senator who is always 10 be
found in his seat when the Senate Is In
session. lie is there when the chaplain
opens the day with prayer and he IS
there when the presiding officers gavel
announces adjournment Through the
morning hour when new business is IN
order he watches every proposition as
closely as he would watch the motions Of
an opposing counsel in court, and on days
when others are trying TO rush bills
through 10 enactment by unanimous con-
sent. he is there ready 10 prOpc .ad an in
quiry on any measure which seems TO
call for further explanation. other .Sena-
tors less assiduous in their attendance are
wont to depend ppon him for information
ready, always watchful, always helpful,
has come TO have standing in single
term which is rlvaled by few veterans.
The other leaders Of The Senate, with
out exception have implicit confidence in
his wisdom, his common sense, his dsin-
Ierestedness, and his integrity.
The late O. II. Plat. of Connecticut, one
Of the really great Senator's of his genera
tion. held Kittredge in high esteem. It
was he who selected Kfttredge as a mem
Der of the Judiciary Committee of which
he was chairman and which ranks with
Finance, Appropriations, and Foreign At
fairs as one of the four most important
committees in the Senate. AS a lawyer
there are few Senators in Kittredge's
class for ability, and still fewer who are
so sensitive to the distinction between
what may properly oe undertaken by
lawyer in private life and by one who
holds public office, When he hrst came
10 the Senate he was a leader or the south
Dakota bar and had varied clieutage
Like every ether lawyer of ability and
recognized standing his legal services
We're sought by railroad companies. but he
was never on the salary roll of d railroad
company or any other corporation. Since
he has been in TIE Senate he has refused
10 accept retainers from any corporation
Which might, even IN a remote con-
tingency. be the subject of Federal or
State legislation or inquiry When he
came 10 Washington he sacrificed cheer /
fully the opportunity 70 make q fortune AT
the bar. and IKE many other great men
before him he deliberately chose the less /
remunerative estate OF public servant
Ktredge was farmers boy. born
in the little town of Nelson, Cheshire !
County y. H. Until he was sixteen |
years old he worked AZ home on the /
farm. attending the district school like /
other country lads. about four months |
every year Then ne went to live in 1
the family of the Congregational min /
lister In keeDe. the county seat, nine or 1
ten miles away, where he studied Latin, /
Greek. ana mathematics, and fitted him /
self to enter Yale College. in 1873. For /
two years after graduating. in 1882, he /
read law part az the time in the /
office of Judge 6. " Veazey. then on /
the supreme bench Of Vermont and aft |
erWard Interstate Commerce Commission
er I'm this way he prepared himself to /
y
School. from which he was graduated in /
1855. after which he went TO Sioux Falls |
and began the practice of law
From the time ne entered college, until /
he hung out his shingle" in Sioux Falls.
he helped t3 pay his way every summer
by working as a farm hand There still
lives in New Hampshire a faithful friend
and admrer who remembers how young
Kittredge could work. This friend is now
advanced in years, but he has good !
memory. lie recalls the days when young
Kittredge used TO try to set the pace for
him when they were working side by side
as farm laboreTs. When this old friend
heard Of Kittredge's appointment TO men,
beTship on the Senate Committee on In
teroceanic Canals. he shrugged his shoul-
CeTs and after a moments reflection said: |
THAT is proper, sure enough. ] remem-
Der well when me and him dug that well
on the old farm. He was d husky lad.
and from the way he made the dirt fly
out of that old hole, I am sure he can dig
the Panama Canal If anybody can" AT
least one farm habit contracted by the
lad Clings 10 the mamie likes to work
in his shirt sleeves. rs soon as he goes
into his committee room in the morning
he throws of his coat unbuttons his vest
and Wades into the work before him.
hours Of labor in his committee room,
whatever his social or political station
may be- finds Kittredge in this dishabi1le.
So, too. AT his room at the ShOrenam
Hotel. where he spends his evenings. he
IS invariably found without coat. vest
open, collar and tie discarded. He Is
Il genial host and is no respecter of per-
sons, He receives the high and the low
with the same defeTenual courtesy, and
none is SO humble as to be denied re-
Bpectful attention while he relates the
object Of his call.
Kittredge's father now in his seventy
third year, has been a stalwart Republi-
ean all his life, and has been repeatedly
elected a member Of the New Hampshire
legislature. Perhaps the son inherited
the fathers inclination 90 dabble in poll
;ics. for he had not been in South Dakota
long until his penchant in that direction
became manifest He was elected to the
first State legislature in 1889. and was
reelected to the second He was South
Dskota's member Of the Republican Ma
tional Committee from 1892 to 1900 He
became closely associated with Mark
Hanna and William Mckinley in the cam
paign of 1886 and was thereafter on terms
of eiesest friendship with both Of these
men SO long rs they lived. When Mark
Hanna lay i'll at the Arlington Hotel IN
1894. Kittredge spent much time with him.
and during the last few DAYS of Hanna's
life Kittredge scarcely left him, denying
himself both sleep and rest until his
great friend had passed away and the
service Of love and friendship was no
longer needed
IT was afD,ost nv cbance tt,,t Lxst,ro,7,-