The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-10-20
DOLLIVER HAD NO FEAR
# THAT DEATH WAS DUE

Sandwich, Ill, where he was principal OF
the high school. In the spring Of 1878 the
Dolliver boys invested all their money In
| law books and came to Fort Dodge. where
they opened a law office. They were not
denied that valuable schooling which
comes from the struggle of vigorous youth
to gain professional footing with but
small financial backing. They had the
usual struggles, such as other young men
under similar circumstances have had. but
| 1t was not long until the people of Fort
Dodge began to know that the Dolliver
boys were made of good stuff and that
there were some things they could do bet
ter than others.
The future senator soon gained a local
reputation as a speaker and 1t spread to
the surrounding counties until he was
frequently called upon for public ad-
dresses. lectures. etc. In 1884 friend, the
late DR.. Charles Beardsley Of Burlington,
who was chairman of the republican state
committee, told the committee about this
wonderful young mar from Virginia with
the gift of oratory and the brains and In
dustry and ambition to put something be-
sides high-sounding phrases into his
speeches. So Mr.. Dolliver was invited to
be temporary chairman Of the republican
| state convention in Des Moines In April,
1884.
Famous in One Speech.
The speech he made then lifted him from
the obscurity of a country law office into
national fame. 1t was the rising of a new
star In the political armament and its
power and brill.ancy were at once recog-
nized by the republican leaders In charge
| of the national campaign. Mr.. Dolliver
was called east and bore a conspicuous
part in that memorable campaign, travel
| ing for q time and speaking with James
| G. Blaine, the republican nominee for the
presidency in that year. In every cam
paign since then Mr.. Dolliver assisted his
party wherever he was most needed. Elk
perience and study ripened him into an
orator who not only appealed to the sem
timent and aroused the enthusiasm of par
| tisans, but convinced the judgment OF
| the honest inquirer who. without partisan
prejudice was seeking the truth.
In 1886 the friends Of Mr.. Dolliver In
the Tenth district concluded to bring him
| out as q candidate for the republican
nomination for congressman. Cyrus G.
Carpenter. of Fort Dodge. former gov
ernor and former congressman from the
Tenth district, took a leading part In this
movement. He was a devoted admfrer
Of Mr.. Dolliver. who was then less than
20 years old. In the campaign which fol-
| lowed Mr.. Dolliver developed more
strength than any other candidate. but
was unable to secure enough to nominate.
| The opposition succeeded In combining
| against him and renominated A. j.
Holmes of Boone county for third term.
Two years later, however, Mr.. Doliiyer
was nominated in the convention at Web
ster City, and at no time subsequently did
he have any serious opposition for renom-
| nation He was renominated by acclama-
| ton every year up to an including 1900.
The death of Senator John III. Gear July
| IA, 1900, left vacancy In the Senate which
| the friends and admirers of Congressman
4 No al IA xua
and able service In the House. to receive.
Governor Shaw rendered to Mr., Dolliver
on August %, 1900, the appointment to be
United States senator to I'LL the vacancy
caused by the death of Senator Gear. and
the Appointment was accepted. Mr.. Dolr-
yer at once resigned as member Of con-
gress and Judge ]. p. Conner OF Craw-
| ford county was nominated and elected to
succeed him. The appointment of Mr.. Dol
| liver was at once found to be so strong
with the people that all thought of oppo-
sition faded away and he was left clear
| field, both for the vacancy and for the full
term following, and for reelection In 1905.
Mr. Dolliver was married November 70,
1896, to Miss Louise Pearsons. daughter of
George r. Pearsons of Fort Dodge. who
while she was born In Vermont. has lived
| In Iowa practically since she was years
| old She is a graduate Of Wellesley coll
J lege in the class of 1859. and Is a woman
\ of great intellectual vigor, who co-operat-
| ed with her husband in his work and
rendered him most valuable assistance.
They have three children.
The late James G. Blaine said Of him
while he was yet In his youth: He is
| the most eloquent orator l have ever
heard"
The Honorable Sam Clark wrote the fol-
| lowing sketch of Senator Dolliver. 1.-TWO
days passed with Mr.. Dolliver at his home,
/ a. haf 0ra
in a way we have desired When we last
met Congressman Dolliver he was tall
| and slight; now he is filled out almost
massively, and he moves and looks every
! inch a king of the platform. When he
was younger his head was smaller, after
the fashion Of Shelley, Byron and Keats,
but now 1t is large and proportionate to
| his body. He was born February 6. 1858.
| on West Virginia farm. Ten years later
his father moved to Morgantown to edu-
| cate his children. ]. p. entered the pub
| lie schools at once; at IL he passed into
i the freshman class of the the state uni
versity there, and four years later he
4 graduated. He read law and taught school.
was admitted to the bar In 1873, came to
Iowa in 1881, and settled at Fort Dodge.
Since then his growing fame as an orator
, and as a congressman Is part Of the pride
and present history of the state. AS we
| expected, you can not put out your hand
| at his home without putting 1t on book.
He is surrounded by them.
1--WE all have our times when our
| thoughts go as high as anybody's; we
don't keep them there, but let them come
| down and 60 commonplace ways. But
the choice souls, great men and women,
refuse to be commonplace. They say with
| Emerson: I am a freeman of the whole
realm of mind; what Plato has thought
| may think And these fashion themselves
into the rare and thoughtful souls that are
monuments and leaders to idle folks. We
4 are glad Of the thoughtfulness and dignity
with which Mr.. Dolliver says everything.
1t shows that he does not have one parade
day of brilliant display and then throw
the blade OF his wit and speech on the
ground or in the gutter to rust there; but
that we have In him q man who viii not
deteriorate. but staring high. will grow
upward and not downward
In recent interview James B. Morrow
asked Senator Dolliver:
How do you spend the time when con-
gress is not In session." The senator an
| swered
ION beautiful farm that Is touched
by two rivers. We go there with the chill
dren and live In tents. IL ever get any
| money ahead I shall huild n housen