New-York tribune., 1908-06-20
JAMES S. SHERMAN
Candidate for Tice-President
Longtime Congressman.


ing OF New Yorker on the ticket of na-
,,o,al candidates headed by a man from Ohio
AS HAYES and Wheeler, Garfield and Arthur and
MCKINLEY and Roosevelt, respectively, repre-
sepfed Ohio and New York, now TAFT aho
sherman are the candidates haing from the
same two states Ability and availa hiiity may
be credited with controlling the choice Of the
running mate of Secretary Taft. Mr. Sherman
is widely known a national figure, haNlhs
been Representative in Congress for nearly
score of years. serving on important commit
tees and representing the Republican party on
many notable occasions. An eloquent speaker
3 master of parliamentary tactics. an able ana
aggressive campaign manager. a successful bust
ness man and banker. as well as lawyer IN
the prime Of life and popular man, with hosts
of friends both in his native state and at the
national capital, he is regarded as an ideal can
didate.
James Schoolcraft Sherman is in his fifty
third wear and is native of Utica. of which
citv he is regarded as one of the foremost citi-
zens His parents were Richard L. and Mary
Frances sherman and the date Of his birth was
October "a 1855 He studied in the Utica
Sc, OILS and went TO Hamilton College. at Clin-
ton, y. Y near his home and was graduated
as a Bachelor Of Arts in 1875, the same year that
Secretary Taft was graduated from Yale He
decided on the same profession, the law. and
was admitted 10 the bar in 1880 He entered at
once on the practice of his profession at Utica,
and at the same tine began to take an interest
in public affairs. He soon made president
Of the Utica, Trust and Deposit Company, a post
he still retains. From speaking in campaigns
he developed a desire for public life, and in
1888 was chairman of the Oneida County Re
publican Committee In 1854, when only twenty
nine years CID he was elected Mayor of his
native city After holding this post two years
he accepted a nomination for Congress in the
23d New York District, and was elected and re-
elected, serving from 1887 TO 1891 For one
term he was then out OF the House. but in 1898
he was elected from the 25th District, and by
successive reflections represented it for ten
years He then became the Representative from
the 9th District, being seated in 1902, and re-
elected in 1904 and 1906. He is now chairman
Of the Committee On Indian Affairs
a great personal friend of Speaker Cannon,
Mr. Sherman has been repeatedly called to
preside over the deliberations of the House, and
especially when it has been in committee Of the
whole has he occupied the chair. He
aspirant for the Speakership when Thomas B.
Reed retired from il nearly ten years ago, hut
David B. Henderson was elected Speaker. The
Office of General Appraiser Of the Port of New
York was offered to Mr. Sherman by President
Mckinley in 1899. but mass meeting of his
against his acceptance. and he decided TO de-
cline after his nomination had been confirmed
Mr.. Sherman has always manifested a deep
interest in the affairs of the and has three
times been called on to preside over Republ-
can state conventions. He was chairman Of
the conventions Of 1895. 1900 and 1908, presid-
ing last spring in Carnegie Hall, although he
had been so seriously i'll a few weeks before
that his life had almost been despaired Of
Perhaps Mr.. Sherman became most widely
known as the chairman of the Republican Con-
eressionaI committee in the campaign of 1906,
and so manager of the proceedings to re-elect
the substantial Republican majority in the
House of Representatives. He was the crigi
rlator of the plan of calling for dollar supscrip-
tions from all Republicans. and the sobriquet
was attached to him Of Dollar Jim" The plan
was successful in raising large fund for the
purposes of the campaign. and the success at
tendart on his efforts made Mr. sherman's rep
utatien as a campaign manager
Besides being at the head of the Utica Trust
and Deposit Company, Mr.. sherman is president
Of the New Hartford Canning Company, in one
Of the suburbs of the city, and is interested in
other enterprises. He is q Of genial tenn
permanent and known among his associates as
-'Jira" He is hearty and conrpanionable and has
much energy and enthusiasm. There was more
or less talk before the national convention that
in case Governor Hughes declined denomination
Mr Sherman might be a candidate for the
Republican nomination for Governor the COM
ing fan. and there was also mention of his name
for the seat in the Senate occupied by Mr..
Platt But when the New York delegates got
together on the way 10 Chicago il found
that Of the possible aspirants for the nomina-
tion for Vice-Presdent from this state Sher-
mans name led all the rest, and il de-
cided to. make united effort 10 secure for him
q place on the ticket, which proved successful.
In 1860 when Mr.. Sherman presided over the
New York State convention he talked of as
a possible candidate for Vice President, Gov
ernor Roosevelt having said that ne would not
take the nomination. Although Mr.. Sherman is
a man Of stout build he is quick and active on
his feet. His good nature is of his chief
characteristics AS d speaker he is eloquent and
forceful, and he has especial faculty of
making friends wherever he goes. The post of
secretary OF the Senate was offered 70 him in
1900, but he declined It to remain in the lower
House, but his opportunity has come to
preside the deliberations at the other end
Of the Capitol.