The Washington herald., 1909-02-11
WASHINGTON CHAT.
By THE SPECTATOR.

By THE SPECTATOR.
Senator HaBsbrough. OF North Dakota,
who retires on March I, IS expected ia
Washington this week, and ger the first
time since the beginning CT the present
session Of Congress win make his ap-
pearance in the Senate chamber, where
ne has occupied seat for the past elgh-
teen years, A serious Illness. the result
Of an operation. watch followed a similar
operation last spring. was responsible for
his absence. He left his home a. Devils
Lake last fail for Washington. but was
stricken at Minneapolis. and since then
has been confined TO a hospital there. a
part OF the time lowering between life
and death. and were It not FOR the Won
deTful constitution which was hardened
and toughened BY his strenuous life on
the plains. it is doubtful If he could have
won in this last battle against disease,
the hardest he ever fought
Il viii be remembered that the North
Dakota legislature early IN its present
session elected II. y. johnson 20 succeed
Senator HansbroUgh. who. while Senator
Hansbrough was lying Ill in Washington
last winter, made a fight that won him
his toga; but Senator Hansbrough IS IN
daunted- He has not been the leading
political parsonage IN North Dakota since
she came into the nation as state 20 no
purpose There is not a cieverer OF more
astOte politician il the Upper House than
he. and il was no surprise. therefore.
when the Senator announced shortly az
ter Johnson's nomination that he would
10. q To-
Senator McCumber, whose term expires
two years hence
Since North Dakota was admitted to
the Union It has remained steadfastly
Republican Mr. Hansbrough succeeded
Mr.. Pierce. the first Senator from the
new State. in 1881. and he has served IN
interruptedly since. IN the 1886 campaign
when cheap money" was the shibb0leth
Of many IN both political parties ne as
sisted largely in saving the State TO Nc
Kiniey, for he foresaw the threatened
danger. and at St Louis told the pOliti-
cal leaders that II the convention failed
10 pledge the party 10 the policy OF bI-
metsilism. his State and many others IN
the West would be lost Il was the duty
OF the convention. he declared. 20 deal
with conditions, not with theories. and
On his representation the pledge was
made which gave North Dakota TO the
Republicans By 66o0 majority, while
South Dakota. which had also entered
the Union as e Republican State. went
al that and more the ether WAY. Senz-
tor Hansbro1gh's first appearance after
MS long Illness was on January . az
e~fra
ESpley. OF Minneapolis. to commemorate
MS sixty-second birthday. He was weak,
naturally. after months spent on a sick
bed and in convaiescence. but better than
ne has been in years before. and happy
n the assurance that the disease from
which he had been suffering viii not re-
turn.
Senator Hansbrough is one OF a num-
Der IN Congress who belonged 10 the
Newspaper profession before they entered
politics He began at the very foot OF
the ladder and learned his trade n all IFS
departments. from printers devil I'd. His
apprenticeship ended. he did newspaper
work in California. Wisconsin. and Da-
kota Territory, where he became the pro
prietor OF the Inter-Ocean. published al
Devils Lake. which he stu owns. When
he began his political career the Senator
cast ssJs:c-5 FOR some one 10 take charge
Of his paper, ant finally settled upon a
rowing tpyO EhO, like Eugene Sues De
Croustiilac. was light Of baggage. but
vel supplied with self-assursnce- The
arrangement was that the Senator was to
control the policy OF the paper, MS editor
20 maintain the enterprise. pay the bills.
and take the profits. which were 50 great
Ihat az the end OF ten years this same
editor took IL into his head that he owned
the paper. and began attacking the Sena-
tor. whose name appeared upon the edi-
torisl page as the proprietor SO bitter
ard Objectionable did these attacks be-
come that every possible means was tried
10 Dust the manager from possession.
proceedings failing 70 do this.
receiver was asked for. but the matter
vas finally settled out q court. and the
Inter-Oce8n passed into fr;endlier hands.
Senator NcCumber. as his name indi-
Gates. and as HIS appearance besrs out. is.
Of Scotch origin. He was born II Ill
nois, educated in the public schools there
and in Minnesota. and received his degree
81 law from the University OF Michigan
in 1850. Immediately after which he set
tied in Wahpeton. y. Oak. where he
hung out his single and Immediately be-
came active in politics. He is a quiet
unassuming man. but an experienced and
fsr-seeing politician. and already has be
gun a defense against Hans5roughs
threatened attack