Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-03


didacy, and he said
Nobody holds him in higher esteem than l
do, and nobody appreciates more than / do
what he has done for his district: but his day
has passed. He has secured public buildings;
but we need no more public buildings. He is
honored by the people who have honored him;
but he should voluntarily retire and permit
some younger man to grow up into the business
of national legislation.
Yes, Old Bills issue had passed away: but
Old Bill was still there, hearty, vigorous, and
ambitious What should he dor His political
supporters were all at sea. The wise old man
quiet and undemonstrative. Finally he
gave interview in which he said.
- 1t is true that have secured public build
ings. and that can secure no more legislation
of that character. guess it is now high time
that the people should kick me out of Congress
for being such an idiot as to have succeeded for
them. 1t is about time for the people to send
to Congress an inexperienced man to deal with
the tariff. which will soon be before the coun-
try
Then the wise old man went away on a vaca-
ton for the summer. During his absence there
quietly f1oated into the newspaper offices of his
district marked copies of New York newspapers
containing an interview with the Speaker of
the House of Representatives, in which that
great man was quoted as having said:
Il have just met with Hon. William H.
Gaines of the Blank District of his State, and am
not only grieved but panied to learn from him
that he will not come back to the House of
the country, great misfortune for his district.
and personal loss to me. because / have
learned to lean on him for wise counsel on all
great public questions. l am quite sure that
the tariff will come up in the next Congress. and
there is no man in public life to whom / could
look for honest and sane advice as l should look
to him. l have begged him to reconsider his
determination to retire; but he firmly says that
he will not devote any more time to public
affairs. He very truthfuly says, There is but
little gratitude in the people for man who
serves them faithfully.
OF Course He Was Reelected
GEEWHILIKINSi What a storm that
aroused in his district. when the news
papers reprinted that interview with the
Speakerl The young lawyer found himself
looked upon as public enemy, disturber of
the peace, an interloper.
headlined an article, Fools Rush in Where
Angels Fear to Tread" The editor said,
Young Mr.. Anderson admits that with COM
plete inexperience he is wiser and ADLER than
successful and honorable and beloved dear Old
Bill Gaines. He admits that he is already
shining light. He admits that the people have
been fools not to have discovered him and his
genius long ago.. Well. the people will admit
that they all idiots: but they will not admit
that young Mr.. Anderson is the sine qua of
this emergency. With free raw material threat
ening us. we shall need man who can cooper
ate with the Speaker and other big men that
young MT ANDERSON can never get on speaking
terms with during his whole natural lifetime"
Well, of course Old Bill was not at home when
this occurred: but when he did come home he
received with open arms, banqueted.
toasted-and renominated. Nobody could dis
cover an issue more swiftly and keenly than
that wise old man. He was reelected, of course.
The tariff did not come up in that Congress:
but it was growing issue before the country.
and Old Bill was reelected to meet that growing
and impending issue before the nation. There
was opposition to him from any source He
had become a national figure, after that inter-
view with the Speaker, the great man who had
Learned to lean on him for wise counsel on all
great public questions
Then the tariff did become an issue And
mfrdbfle dictnNthe statesman who had become
Dear Old Bill made the greatest and best
speech of them all. on that tariff bill. After
that, in all the newspapers, he was Grand
Old Man." See?
He was elected and reelected and reelected.
and he would be in Congress until this day but
for that one thing mentioned in the beginning
of this story. The Grand Old Man" did what
so many men, great and small are prone to do.
He died. Then there was chance for am
bilious others. But the young lawyer who " adj
mitted" his greatness opponent of
Dear Old Bill" never went to Congress, and
he never will have that honor. and all because
he was unwise as to oppose Dear Old Bill.