The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-16
Congressman Elect From
Nebraska District Thought
Hopelessly Republican.
ECLIPSES RECORD
OF HIS CHIEFTAIN
Leaders Sidestep Nomination and
Jovially Hang the Job" on
Young Henchman.

! LINCOLN, Neb., Nov. 16.-Through-
out the First Congressional district,
: NebraslIans regard the name OF John
A. Mcguire as a perfect synonym for
/ luck
: For he is. Congressman-elect in a dis
| trict hopelessly Republican. Further
/ more. Mcguire. a Democrat, has eclipsed
! the record OF William J. Bryan. the
/ only Democrat who ever carried the
| First. Bryan annihilated weak Op-
p0nents, while Mcguire worsted Z. NJ.
Pollard, Of Nehawka, guardsmal
close 20 the throne of Speaker Cannon.
( Leaders, tried and true. sidestepped
/ the Democratic nomination with laugh
( able alertness. G. ". Berge did not
! want 1t. Eo-thank-y you sO-much." sweet
I ~ responded T. j. Doyle. Other lead
ing bourbons. chieftains in the Bryan
/ wigwam. united in joviaIy Hanging
( the Job onto Mcguire" His name was
/ inserted on the primary ballot and he
was stuck
Now Kick Themselves.
And all of these wiseacres are kick
ing themselves. For Mcguire was elect
ed by a decisive majority Before cleo
ton not even the most chimerical dope
SLeF udIeu 10 intimate tileN vac It H 81
district was in doubt
-Four States have contributed to the
making of John A. Mcguire. They are
Illinois. South Dakota, Iowa, and Ne
bTakLa he was born near Galena, H.,
but while ne was yet baby his parents
took I'D q homestead" near Mitchell,
s. D., and # was there that his boy
hood was passed. his life filled with the
many tasks that fall 10 the lot OF the
piOLeer lad.
Al an early age John Mcguire de
termined 10 obtain an education. Be
tween the periods Of his diligent service
on the farm he succeeded In completing
the course in the graded schools at
Mitchell. Then he taught a country
school for a few terms end later be
c. me superintendent of the city schools
of Salem. =. d. His experience on the
home farm had shown him the need
for scientific knowledge In connection
with agriculture. and as soon as he
found il possible he enrolled as a stu
dent in the South Dakota Agricultural
School. where he did the milking in the
United states experiment station
Hero of Gridiron,
Though he earned his own way. he
found time to become a player on the
agricultural college football team Dur
ing his last year at the South Dakota
lad charge OF all neld observations on
crops. He completed his course at the
Iowa Agricultural College. from which
he was graduated, having won some
distinction there as winner in a hard
fought OratoTical contest All this tine
The young farmer. teacher, and orator
had kept before himself his determine
ton to secure a liberal arts education.
If 1898 he was graduated from the
academic course in the University of
Nebraska, and in 1893 was graduated
from the law school OF that institu-
ton and admitted to the bar. While IN
the university he specialized in Ameri-
can history and political science and
won special notice as q keen parliament
tartan and debater. He was president
OF the State OratOrical Association. OF
South Dakota, and vice president Of the
Interstate OratOrical Association, which
first met In Lincoln in 1893. Young Ma
guire had fun charge Of the arrange
ments and made the meeting a decided
success. He held a captaincy in the coll
lege militia and was a reporter Oh
university paper for a time. In 1904
Mcguire was elected president Of the
University Alumni Association, which he
completely reOrganized along new lines,
putting it for the first time on a sound
and successful basis.
Only Public Office.
During 1900 and 1901 Mr.. Mcguire was
deputy treasurer OF Lancaster county,
the only public Office he has held. Since
then he has been actively engaged in
the practice Of law in Lincoln. The
young attorney has been much in de-
rand as a public speaker, and his
name has frequently appeared on ban
Quet toast lists He has served as chair