Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1908-04-30
SENATOR KlTTREDGE
GREAT WORKER

is invariably found without . coat
vest open, collar and tie discarded.
He Is genial host and Is no respect
er of persons He receives the high
and the low with the same deferential
courtesy, and none is 50 humble as to
be denied respectful attention while
he relates the object OF his call.
Kittredges father, now in his sew.
republican all his life, and has been
repeatedly elected a member Of the
New Hampshire legislature. Perhaps
the son inherited the fathers inclina-
ton to dabble in politics, for he had
not been In South Dakota long until
his penchant in that direction became
state legislature In 1889, and was 70
elected to the second. He was South
DakOtA's member of the republican
national committee from 1892 to 1900.
He became closely associated with
Mark Hanna and William Mckinley
In the campaign OF 1896, and was
thereafter on terms OF closest friend
ship with both of these men 30 long
as they lived. When Mark Hanna lay
Ill at the Arlington hotel in 1894.
Ktitredge spent much time with him,
and during the last few days Of Han
mas life, Kittredge scarcely left him,
denying himself both sleep and rest
/, until LIE III cut 1IlcuQ utu Q0oHCu away
and the service Of love and friendship
was no longer needed.
It was almost by chance that Kilt
redGo came to the senate. After the
campaign of 1900 he decided to re-
tire from politics and announced his
intention to devote himself solely to
death Of Senator Kyle changed ali
that. When Kyle died Gov Herried,
responding both to his own inclina-
lions and to the demands of republic
ans from all parts of the state, ten
dered Mr.. Kittredge the appointment
to ill the vacancy. Kttredge did not
ment, but finally yielded to the de-
mands of his party and took his seat
In the senate December 2, 1901. Ia
1903 he was elected to succeed him.
self, receiving every republican vote
in the Legislature and majority OF
about one hundred over his democrat
ic opponent.
Senator Kittredge probably knows
more men In South Dakota than any
other resident OF the state, yet there
are few, even of his friends, In South
Dakota who know the kind OF man he
really Is. for he Is not given to ex-
plotting his good deeds. Mindful Of
on the lookout for ambitious boys.
and is ever ready to help the deserv-
ing A few years ago one OF his init
mate friends died, leaving q ward
without means of continuing his edu-
cation. The senator enlisted the CO.
operation of mutual friend and to-
gether they furnished the funds nes
cessary to carry him through to grad
uation from the Boston institute of
technology.
AS senator he has very little pat.
ronage at his disposal and such as he
has he has not turned to his own POI
litical advantage. Ever since he came
helpers at least two young men who
were thus given q chance to study
and fit themselves for some profess
sion. Two lawyers and one doctor
already have graduated from George
Washington university through oppor-
tunilies afforded lem by employment
in his committee room. and he has
now with him two more boys who
are studying law by night. Politics
has had nothing to do with their Sc
lection. They were chosen because
| they were ambitious to At themselves
| for their professions and could find
opportunities In Washington which
they. did rot have at their homes in
South Dakota.
The pages in the senate all look
upon Senator Kittredge as their best
| friend He knows the name Of every
one of them, and has a kind word for
them all. Occasionally he turns his
committee room oyer to them for
sports, and every little while he gets
them fatherly talk. He never for
gets the face or the name. OF boy
who has once been page.
There are eight South Dakota boys
in the naval academy at Annapolis.
Most of them are farmers sons. One
90 y, f- h.,
al brigade, picked out from 800 other
midshipmen as the most proficient In
his class. Senator Kittredge goes
over to Annapolis once every winter
and gives, these bows dinner at Car
vel Hall, the village inn. He has
done. this ever. since he has been q
to look forward to his coming as their
chief relief from the monotony Of
academy life. For weeks before his
arrival they are on their good behav-
Tor, SO that academy discipline will
not interfere with t1eir leave on the
eventful day, and for one afternoon,
first classmen and plebs mingle on q
footing with the senator while they
talk over South Dakota, relate their
experiences, and think OF home.
One who watches Senator Kilt
redge In his public career or private
life. cannot help but be impressed
Win MS greatness OF lnJ0ll0CI, MS
kindness of heart, his force Of char
acter, his profound sense of duty, his
great industry, and his absolute sim
certify of purpose. His word needs
no bond. He is absolutely free from
cupidity, and his adherence Of graft
| In any form, big or petty, is manifest
| In his every act. His temperament is
| phlegmatic in appearance only; he Is
highly sensitive, appreciative, con-
| siderate, and possesses the finest SEN
| sibilities. Petty meanness and tricks
| OF deception are foreign to his nature.
| He has none Of the arts OF the small
| politician or petty demagogue, and is
| incapable of the betrayal Of trust,
| deceiving those who place their conf
| dence In him, or willfully inflicting
| undeserved punishment on those who
| despitefully use nm. These are traits
| of a great character which tell In
the life Of public man, and they ac-
| count for the wonderful influence
| which senator Kittredge already
! Yields In congress, and make 1t safe
| to predict that at the close of anoth-
/ er Term OF service In the senate he
will have few peers in that body.
II the Maine should be be raised
from Havana harbor, and 1t should be
found that the explosion was caused
inside the ship itself, and that there