New-York tribune., 1908-06-20
MR. SHERMAN'S ABILITY.
4n Able Parliame etarian, Qualified
to Preside OUer the Senate.
rFrom The Tribune Bureau. ]


Washington. June 19.-James schoolcraft
Sherman will be an ideal presiding officer for
the United States Senate. Aside from his other
admirable qualifications running mate for
Mr. Taft and fer the Vice Presidency, Repre-
sentative Sherman is most skiful parliament
tartan. There are. in fact. many public men
who regard him the most capable authority
parliamentary practice in either branch of
Congress. The late Speaker Reed was quick to
discern his rare ability a presiding officer.
and no man has been so frequently called to the
chair to preside the committee of the
whole. He has been able to retain the esteem
and friendship os practically every man IN the
House regardless of party affiliation which
stamps him as man of tact and eveuness of
temper
He has a thorough knowledge Of legislative
law and is almost familiar with the rules of
the House and preCedents established under
them as was Mr.. Reed himself Mr.. Sherman
whenever called to the chair and confronted
with tangled questions of procedure has always
been firm in his decisions and lucid in his rul-
ings. He knows, too. how to handle a parlia-
mentary situation without creating friction.
After he had been taken up by Speaker Reed
the New Yorker became a prominent candidate
of his party against the late David B. Hender-
son, of Iowa, for the Speakership in 1892. and
after that contest thought of resiening from
Congress to go on the bench in the I'd District
of New York, for which his legal attachments
especially fitted him.
With such an able pariamentarian presiding
the Senate will be equipped for the proper
transaction of public business. and with the
precedents established in course of the recent
flibuster. with Mr.. Sherman in the chair after
March there will undoubtedly be short shrift
for the useless opposition TO the enactment Of
any important legislation upon which the
jOrity may unite.
Representative Sherman enters the campaign
with a firm grasp upon important public ques-
TONS e: pecially those relating to interstate COM
merce. He ranks next in seniority to Chairman
Hepburn of the House Interstate and Foreign
Commerce Committee. and during the recent i'll
ness of Colonel Hepburn was in charge of all of
that committees work. He has for long time
been chairman OF the important Committee on
Indian Affairs and is one of the best posted men
in Congress on all matters relating TO the red
man. More than any other man in Congress has
he labored to have restrictions removed from
Indian affairs. His efforts in this direction have
resulted in the saving of millions OF dollars
worth of property for them
prominent Western leader tonight ex-
pressed the belief that no other man Of the East
would appeal as strongly as Mr.. Sherman Will to
the men of the West. In matters OF public
lands the natural resources. the Indians and
Interstate commerce, in which the West is
deeplv interested. he is perfectly at home He
is also a man of indomtabe energy. with quail
tiles Of personal magnetism that Will win MIN
countless friends before the close of the cam
paign.
MIR. sherman is genial and happy campaign
speaker He speaks conversationally ana
brightens his serious argument with facetious
byplays At the last Republican state conven-
ton in New York he gave an illustration OF this
characteristic when called upon for a speech as
presiding officer. AS he advanced 10 the plat
form he caught sight OF Senator Depew and then
remarked jovialy II cannot be expected TO
make a speech when such an adept IS on the
platform.
The home life of the Shermans is ideal Be
sides the father. there three bright sons ana
Mrs Sherman. who is an invalid. Representa-
tive Shermans devotion to her is beautiful In
this respect there is something about him that
is reminiscent OF the late President Mckineys
kindness and devotion toward Mrs. Mckinney
There frs about Sunny jim Sherman
His nature is open. frank and natural He is
not ruffied when anything goes wrong and IS
always likely 20 give one the benefit or the
doubt but when his mind is once made up his
| decision In usually hnal