Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-10-24
DuLLIvER CAPTURES EAST
Story of How IOwa's Dead Senator
Broke Into Politics,
OPENS CAMPAIGN IN EAST
neIivered - speech that NJ once
placed HIN 'AmonR the Great
orators Of the Republican
rarty.

MARSHALLTOwN. Ia. oct @,-(Spe-
ciaLl--The story Of how senator J, p.
pouiver broke" into the inner circles OF
politics and how hts fame as an orator
first reached the east. ana how u resulted
in his becoming widely known az once az
fluent and persuasive speaker was told
here today by r. e. sears, WIN got Il
first handed from,J $ GARRISON. a former
prominent Iowa politician. commonly known
as Ret Clarkson, Years ago Mr. sears
was Influential in Iowa politics himself
some fifteen years ago said Mr..
SEARS, 81 spent half a day on train be-
tween New York and Washngtou with
MI GARRISON. lie told me many reminis-
ccnces - Iowa and the nation and among
them OF Eolliver Il was TN the Blaine
campaign OF 1854 when Clarkson was the
national committeeman from Iowa and
member OF the executive committee. that
Doliver eaped suddenly into fame as an
orator and campaign speaker The eXecu-
tive committee was selecting speakers for
tho east and Clarkson suggested Doliver.
""Who is Dolliver?' the other committee
members asked. Ciarksou explained that
he was a young Fort Dodge lawyer ana
persuasive speaker The other members
had not heard OF him aud they very much
doubted the wisdom Of bringing an up
hlAbWh 70 Nllt east WHICH Was dtNuaAuNlNu
to hearing the most famous speakers OF
the land. Clarkson, however, was nsistent
and as q courtesy TO him the other mem
bers finally yielded and Dolliver was tele-
graphed for.
Two days later said Clsrkson, a card
was handed into the executive COMM tees
room bearing the name J. p. Deliver, Fort
Dodge, la
lie was shown IN. a tall unshaven youth,
his clothes covered with the dust OF travel
for he had come straight from the train
with gum shoes on his feet and a hat OF
ancient vintage on his head, and in his
hand he carried one Of those wonderful eX-
pansive and collapsble carpet bags.
His How are you, Ret? was followed
by his Introduction to the committeeman.
Of whom there were Quay. Hobart. Fessen-
den and others present, Garrison noted
the look and smile with which the appear
ance Of his protege was greeted, and the
smiles that passed between the members
Of the committee. But Dolliver apparently
saw nothing. He was entirely unabashed
and entirely at his ease
Soon afterwards Clarkson and Doiiiver
LETT the committee room and the former
steered the young lawyer TO an Outfitter
who clothed and shod him IN keeping with
the times.
Aut next nihnt ndu poen selected to
open the campaign with a great meeting
at Paterson, N. j., Hobart's homo Sew
eral United States senators and judges OF
local fame were on the program and at
the bottom of the long list was the name
Of j. p. Doiliver The executive commit
tee went over to Paterson to lend the
prestige of their presence to the occasion.
Mechanics hall. with It's thousands OF
seats. was filled to its capacity.
Senator No. 1 in dreary speech Of an
hour succeeded only in emptyinR a third
OF the seats. Senator No did even
worse, and when It appeared that the
meeting was going to fizzle out entirely.
Clarkson suggested that Doliver be al
lowed to speak next. The chalrnan's con-
sent was secured and Dolliver was told
that he would speak next
He talked for an hour and the enthusi-
asm grew louder and louder to the finish,
when the crowd yelled, More, morel'
Ret Clarkson said II was the proudeHt
moment OF my life when my unknown
orator, at whose countryfied appearances
my oO-members had smiled. had saved the
day aud turned failure into a brilliant sue
cess
"Dolliver was then selected to accom-
pany Blaine on his memorable campaign
trip and was pronounced by him to be
the prince of epigramatists.' "