The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-10
SAMUEL w.. M'CALL
 OF MASSACHUSETTS
BY SAVoYARD.

the Potomac, of which they were the Tenth legion, as was proved on a score of bloody fields. I do not know whether he was a relative to the congressman, but as he was from the same state it is quite likely they sprang from a common stock. Sam Mccall was born in 1851, and went with his parents to Illinois when youth in his teens. Later he was educated at New Hampton academy and at Dart mouth college, whence he was graduated at the age of 23.
 He studied law, was called to the bar, and practced that profession in Boston, but after a time he became editor of the Boston Advertiser, a paper long famous for the learning and ability of it's edi- torial columns. It was such men as Me- Call Thomas Jefferson had in mind when he declared that the press was the bull wark of liberty. To one who has the in- estimahle gift of truthful speech, the edi- torial direction of a widely circulated newspaper is the highest office in the world It is the fashion to say that per sonal journalism is a thing of the past, and will die with Henry Watterson. do not believe it, unless the future is to have no Greeley, or Dana, or Raymond, or Ritchie, or Blair or Prentice, or Wat terson. Let the present century produce a crop like these, and they will make personal journalism and a plenty or it, for their clients. Personal journalism is brilliancy of mind earnestness of con- viction, Individuality of character, and an audience. Could a man of the genius Of Jonathan Swift sink his personality? Not If he fled to the uttermost parts of the earth to escape his fame. The same is true of Hazltt of De Foe, and the other giants who have made journalism the ir- resistible power it is in every free land
 sam Mccall could not sink himself in the columns of the Advertiser. He had a doctrine to proclaim and constl- tuency made him their representative in the state legislature, where he served three terms, and in 1892 he was returned to the 53d Congress from the Harvard college district, and is now serving his eighth consecutive term. For a man Of his tastes training, and capacity, MT. Me Call has most desirable committee as- signments He is chairman of the com mittee of ways and means.
 The fault to be found with McCalPs Life of Thaddeus Stevens" is that it Is too brief. Biography is what Charles A. Danna said of newspaper article: "No good one is too long; no poor one is too short" But it is too early to write the story of Stevens, just as it is too early to write the life of Jefferson Davis or any other of the Titans of our mighty
 
 who appears to be cannonized at the south as well as at the north And day will come when the great virtues, the unselfsh patriotism splendid ability, and lofty character of Jefferson Davis will be highly appreciated at the north as they are at the south. But McCalls lit eraly efforts were not confined to a single production. Some years ago he delivered an address to the alumni of Dartmouth m 70 character Of Daniel ter that is incorporated in a volume and is widely circulated. Perhaps no truer estimate of Webster has yet been produced than this.
 Perhaps it would be better if it were the law requiring a candidate for Con gross to stand an examination touching his familiarity with the works Of Ed mund Burke before his name is printed on the ticket of his party. If that were so Sam McCall's name would head the list of the select 20 of this present Con- gress eligible to seat in that body. Burke stands pre-eminent as a enlight- ened stateman, product of parliamentary government-aboVe either Pitt or Fox or Clay, or Calhoun, or Webster. or Peel or Gladstone I do not believe that there is an intelligent man in America who can read and comprehend Burke's address to the electors of Bristol who would touch MT. Bryan's impossible initiative and referendum, even with the tongs. There never lived mortal man who hand greater horror of injustice, or who ut tered more indignant eloquence against tyranny than Edmund Burke.
 Mccall Is a student of Burke, and constantly quotes him, the most quot able of all statesmen. There is school of democratic politicians in our country who loudly proclaim Theodore Roosevelt a democrat He is not half as much democrat as Sam Mccall, who would not feel himself very high ly f1attered when called a democrat. Indeed states rights is all the democracy Mccall can boast-except sound money-and Roosevelt cannot boast even that, Ben Tilman has made the miraculous discovery that Abe Lin coln was fair to middling democrat, and that would have been news to Bens daddy and all his daddy's neighbors. Lin- coin spent his entire political life in a relentless struggle against the democratic party. He worshiped Henry Clay and execrated Andrew Jackson. He was d Copperhead, or next thing to it. during the democratic war with Mexico. He was for the bank. for public Improvements and for a protective tariff. He suspended the