Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1908-04-30
What Prominent Washington Paper
Has to Say About South Dako. !
ta's Big Senator
Exit" As GOOD FARM HAND
Takes OH BIS Coat when He Has
Work to Do-.Tralts Of Character
Which Tell In Public Services

Which Tell In Public Services
Hector Fuller in Washington Her.
ald:-zAmong the most useful menu
bers Of the United States senate. Kilt
redge, Of South Dakota, ranks high.
There are others who are more snowy.
more conspicuous In debate. more
skillful in manipulation, but taken all
in all, 1t Is doubtful whether any SEN
ator has greater capacity for accom-.
plishing results without personal pa
rade. Certainly no other is more ef-
fective in pushing and formulating
legislation which will benefit his state
and the country, or in preventing the
enactment OF laws which would be
harmful to either. Kittredge Is the
one senator who is always to be found
in his seat when the senate is In ses-
sion. He is there when the chaplain
opens the day with prayer, and he Is
there when the presiding officers CAV
ell announces adjournment. Through
the morning hour when new business
is in order. he watches every propo-
sition 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 to
enactment by unanimous consent. he
is there ready to PROFOUND an inquiry
on any measure which seems to call
for further explanation. Other SEN
ators less assiduous in their attend
ance are wont to depend upon him for
information and advice, until this ST..
lent man, always ready, always help
full, has come to have a standing In
a single term. which is rivaled by few
veterans. The other leaders Of the
senate, without exception, have i'm
plicit confidence in his wisdom. his
common sense, his disinterestedness,
and his integrity.
The late o. III. Plat, of Connecti-
cut, one of the really great senators
of his generation, held Kittredge In
high esteem. 1t was he who select
ed Kittredge as member OF the ju-
dietary committee, of which he. was
chairman, and which ranks with
finance, appropriations, and foreign
affairs as one of the four most import
ant 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 dis.
tinction between what may properly
be undertaken by a lawyer in private
life and by one who holds public Of
fee. When he first came to the SEN
ate he was leader of the South Da-
kota bar and had varied clientage.
Like every other lawyer of ability
and recognized standing, his legal SER
vices were sought by railroad COM
panies. but he was never on the sal
airy roll of railroad company or any
other corporation. Since he has
been in the senate he has refused to
accept retainers from any corporation
which might, even in remote con-
tingency, be the subject of federal or
state legislation or inquiry. When he
cheerfully the opportunity to make a
fortune at the bar, and like many
other great men before him. he de-
liberately chose the less remunerative
estate of public servant.
Kittredge was a farmers boy, born
In the little town of Nelson, Cheshire
county, N. H. Until he was sixteen
years old he worked at home on the
farm, attending the district school
like other country lads, about four
months every year. Then he went to
live In the family Of the Congrega-
tiOnal minister In Keene, the county
seat, nine or ten miles away. where
he studied Latin, Greek and mathe-
matics, and fitted himself to enter
Yale college, In 1873. For two years
after graduating In 1882, he read law
Judge G. W.. Weary. then on the su-
preme bench of Vermont, and after
ward interstate commerce commits
sioner. In this way he prepared him.
self to enter the senior year Of the
Yale law school, from which he was
graduated in 1885. after which he
went to Sioux Falls and began the
practice of law.
From the time he entered college
Sioux Falls, he helped to pay his
way every summer by working as a
farm hand. There still lives in New
Hampshire q faithful friend and ad
mirer who remembers how young
Kittredge could work This friend IL
now advanced in years, but he has 9
good memory He recalls the days
when young Kittredge used to try K
set the pace for him when they were
working side by side as farm labor
ers. When this old time friend heard
OF Kittredge's appointment to mem
bershfp on the senate committee OF
interOceanic canals, he shrugged hi.
shoulders and after q moments re
Election, said: That is proper, sure
enough. I remember well when m.
and him dug that well on the OH
farm. He was husky lad, and from
the way he made the dirt fly out O
that old hole. am sure he can di,
the Panama canal. II anybody can.
At least one farm habit contracted b,
the lad clings to the mamie likes t,
work in his shirt sleeves. AS soon a
he goes into his committee room Il
the morning he throws Of his coat, un
buttons his vest. and wades into tn
work before him. whoever calls upO]
him during these hours 81 labor Il
his committee room, whatever his &C
cial or political station may he. And
Kittredge In this dishabille. So. tt,(
1t his room 1t the 1horeham hote
where he spends his oVnninrs. 4