The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-07-25

/ had taught before. Furthermore. Rob
ert. my brother. having come back TO
West Virginia. was offered a $50 school
among the Mormons of Indiana The
brothers Deliver, therefore again Jour
neyed to the West Let me add. paren-
thetically, that I was glad to 60 1 had
talked unwisely and not any too well.
AT the end Of the school year Rob-
ert and l put our money together hay
ing concluded to go farther West and
practice law. We borrowed an atlas and
studied the geography OF the country.
Iowa. we noticed. was between the Mis-
sissippi and Missouri rivers. One Of US
hit upon the phrase that Iowa held a
commanding position. The city Of Fort
Dodge. being in the central part of the
State, would be Tapped. we argued. BY
the waves OF prosperity flowing Inward
from each river. After buying tickets in
Chicago for Fort Dodge, we kept $50 as
working capital and spent the balance
OF our money for law books. which we
shipped by freight. I was twenty years
old and Robert scarcely twenty-five.
My old Sunday school teacher. George
Q. StTgiss. now n Representative in Con.
gress from the Morgantown district OF
West Virginia. gave me an official look
L
young man OF good character. BY
showing the letter and setting up the
oysters 20 the legal lights OF the ex-
aiming committee I was admitted TO
practice law in the State Of Iowa.
Life Alone I'm Iowa.
I'VE were young-Robert and I. A
man would walk critically into our pres
ence with a COW case. look at US for a
moment. and then go away After we
had given the landlady our last cent we
removed our personal belongings TO the
law office. where We slept on the floor
and did our own cooking BY and by
Robert received a letter from father con-
tanning an appeal and an argument that
he turn from the path OF wickedness and
be a preacher. Robert had been thinking
seriously Of his duty. being pious young
fellow. and the letter got on HIS con-
science. He wrestled FOR some time. and
then started for West Virginia 10 enter
the ministry. He had proved his superb
staying qualities and his extraordinary
ability 10 live without provisions
$50 I was left alone 7 had no money
Once 7 worked on the public road for
$50 day, But 7 kept cheerful. and in
the evenings ] would go 60 the tobacco or
drug store and talk politics. Unexpected
" I was nominated and elected corpora
ton counsel al salary OF S2o0 n year
Right there I ceased 10 he an intermittent
day laborer on the streets. and thereafter
Fort Dodge knew me Only as n lawyer
con n windy spring evening. ia the
year 1854. the boys came home from Des
Moines with the surprising Information
that I had been chosen 10 be The tenn
ventlOn. I had been making speeches on
Fourth % July and Decoration Day. and
the boys thought I was prepared 20 pull
on n respectable oratorical stunt az
big Republican meeting. II so happened
that 7 had several months in which 10
write the speech. 7 walked the floor In
the zeal Of nv tweuty-sx years and
thought Il out. little by little
Made n Good speech.
7 haven't read the speech for ages.
but remember caught an idea from a
baking powder advertisement which led
me 20 say that the mugwumps seemed 20
believe they had the only conscience that
didn't contain alum. II was as impos-
sible. 1 again declared. to adjust Demo-
cratic-tartT doctrine to American bust
ness as IL would he 20 NJ a hat on the
tabled dog Of a hundred heads The
speech, ull OF such foOling. was thirty
minutes IoHg. straightaway. including rea-
sonable breaks for laughing. but tie up
roar was so great and continuous that
was on my feet Tor three times the
scheduled distance. To my amazement
and. let me confess. to my delight the
speech was telegraphed over the country.
After my return 10 fort Dodge I was
called TO New York by Mr. Blaine. and
later campaigned with him In the Eastern
States. having the best time OF my life
in the company OF a leader whom l idol
lied as l have idOlzed no other man.
The boys thought I had done fairly
well. and began running me for Congress. /
I didn't become especially interested in
the performance until 1890: then I got out
and hustled. and was nominated and
elected. Ny law practice had been en-
tirely satisfactory ! had been going 10
court regularly in four or five counties, |
but | was more than willing 10 come TO |
Washington I served six terms in the !
House Of Representatives. and al the end /
OF my present term In the Senate viii /
have been IN Congress for twenty-five /
years. I want 10 say that I have never /
spent a dollar. except for my personal ex- |
penses
Each campaign. OF course, I gave the |