The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1909-08-21
WIN. ALDEN SMITH
How Ability, Endeavor
and Pluck Won For Him
Fame, Power and Sue
cess.

neglected and ignored.
rulhilino His Election Promise.
Nheh the victory was won the
neWly-elected senator made a solemn
promise 10 the people OF Michigan:
snail be faithful 10 the trust.
The people. through no act OF mine,
shali ever have cause 10 regret the
work OF the legislature" was his frst
declaration.
Scarcely more than two years have
passed since Eien.
That his record OF achievement as
congressman had preceded him into
the senate was evident from the as.
slgnments on important committees
given him. From the first HIS ability
ana power won for him recognition
In that austere and rule-ridden BODY.
and ne was not required 10 serve the
apprenticeship usually demanded OF
newmade senators.
In recent discussion OF the
methods OF the senate, and the long
years OF experience required TO at.
tain recognition and power, Senator
Beveridge, OF Indiana, said:
Now and then a man OF dominant
personality, OF vast ability, OF tire.
less industry, OF perfect fearlessness
and rectitude develops; and for such
man there Is in the senate. as there
is anywhere In any country al any
time, always an immediate and con.
spicuous recognition"
And such a man, II must be con.
ceded, was found when Michigan de-
cided to send VIM Alden Smith 20
represent her In the senate OF the
nation.
Having won his way to the front
and attained that recognition with.
out which no member or the senate
can hope TO WELD influence or power
In national government, Senator
Smith may fairly be said TO have
entered fully upon his career OF use
fulness both TO the glory and credit
OF his state and the whole nation.
Senator'S Interesting characteristics.
The story OF VIM. Alden Smiths
life is one OF success. little and
big. Whatever he set out to accom-
plish. even in his boyhood days. be
appears to have succeeded IN doing.
II there are any failures chalked up
against him the historians OF his in
teresting life. from boyhood TO his
present exalted position, have neg.
lected 10 record them. His Is a
story OF earnest resolves. unremit-
ting application. shrewd calculation
and ultimate success In every under
taking.
II stands out rs boldly In the Incl
dent which landed him in the legal
profession as in that which paved
the way 10 his election TO the
United States senate
II is told by himself, and as proud
ly as OF the more important ones In
later years, that when as boy
peddling popcorn on the streets in
Grand Rapids, upon entering a law
Office one day. and after gazing upos
the book-laden shelves he solilo-
quized aloud that.
Some day I'll be a lawyer!"
He was youth OF only about IA,
who had forsaken school that he
might contribute his mite TO the sup
port OF a loving mother. an invalid
father and younger brothers.
II was big promise 90 himself by
a little boy but although the path.
way 10 It's contamination was long
and beset with many trials and hard
ships. his boyhood promise found
fruition In 1882, by his admission TO
the bar az the early age Of - That
was an Illustration OF the insistency
OF his boyhood character
When VIM Alden Smith had at-
tanned the distinction OF having
reached congress many familiar with
the life history OF tho boy who had
come from the ranks o. street
urchins; one who had risen success.
siyely from messenger boy hootblack.
newsboy and popcorn Nendcr. i was
opined that he had reached he pin
nacle OF his fame and success. aud
that the future held no further ad
vancement for him.
Just how he reached the desired
goal Is another story showing his
characteristic determination. astute.
ness in planning and persistency in
overcoming obstacles
when the announcement came that
Gen. Alger would not seek another
term in the senate. there was a con-
ference OF the members of the Michl-
gan delegation In congress. IL was
well known that more than one
among them had senatorial longings
which, according 10 their ideas or
diplomacy. were best concealed for
the time within themselves. With
everyone discussing the probable
availability OF somebody else except
themselves. Congressman VIM. Alden
Smith startled his assembled col
leagues with the announcement OF his
candidacy for the position. His bold
ness, and that Is another OF his char
actcristics. had crowded the others
of the track The rest OF the story
IS recent history
when asked after his election why
and how nc came 20 aspire for the
place be natyely replied
well. ! saw | didn't have 10 push
anyone aside n was a free tight,
with victory on the side OF the man
nearest the people. II was hard.
aphin fght. but didn't have 20
drive anyone out OF the place"
How YOUNG Smith Got an Appoint
ment az Legislative Page.
DESTROYS 81 getting of the streets
ana icarnIfAy that tha bOya in the