Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-09
Sorrow in Washington.

The news of the death of Representa-
I'VE Walter Preston Brownlow came not
Unexpectedly to his friends In Washing
ton, but it hurt none the less for all that.
He had been q sick man for years, seri-
ously so at times, but had managed to
keep going. attending to his public duties
and to his large business interests In
Tennessee, until those who knew him
had almost come to believe as ne did.
rare optimist as he was-that he would
manage to live to a ripe old age.
Having served seven terms in the ma
tional House of Representatives and hav-
ing been doorkeeper of the House In the
Forty-seventh Congress. Mr.. Brownlow
was familiar figure here Few mem
bers OF the body were better known than
he, although he cared nothing; Tor pun.
ncity and for personal advertising. as
such, and there was hardly one more
popular Quiet. reserved-save with his
intimates-big of body. of heart and OF
mind. a master politician. believer In
the perpetuation of political control
first. last and all the time stood for the
interests of the first Tennessee district,
which he represented in the House. Mr.
Brownlow leaves behind him a remarka-
BILE record of successful achievement
A Self Made Man.
: His was no rose and gold career; he
him. He fought his way up from the
bottom and to him obstacles were merely
additional incentives to exertion. Al
though born in Abinfton. Va. where he
attended the public school for only three
years. he had lived most of his life in
Tennessee. He was only ten years old
when his father died. and from that time
q good many things, and. report says,
being good In all Of them. First he was
q timer, serving the regular term OF APP
premiership in tie trade and working
as journeyman for several years: then
a locomotive engineer in the days of the
old wood-burners. and then a reporter on
the Knoxville Wing and Chronicle, which
1t that time was owned and edited Dy
his uncle. the late Senator William G..
Brownlow. Not long after he bought the
Herald and Tribune, republican paper
published at Jonesboro. of which he re-
manned the editor and proprietor up to
the time of his death.
Mr.. Brownlow held a number or I'M
portant public Offices and was repeatedly
honored by his political associates and
followers by selection for places Of honor
And trust within their gift. He was
delegate from his district TO the repub-
Gcan national conventions of 1880, 1895
and 1900 and a delegate-at-large to the
national conventions of 1884 and 1904. In
1850 he was campaign committeeman OF
his district and in 1852 was elected a
member of the republican state committee
and served as such for eight years, in
GLIDING two years as chairman. He was
appointed postmaster of Jonesboro in
March, 1881, and resigned in December
to accept the Goorkeepersnip of the
House of Representatives of the Forty
seventh Congress. In 1884. 1893. 1900 and
1904 he was elected by the delegations of
his state 10 the national conventions as
Tennessee's member of the republican
national committee and was unanimously
elected chairman Of the republican state
executive committee by the managers of
that body for 1s9S-99. He was elected by
Congress as a member of the board of
managers for the National Soldiers
Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers.
Twice he was the republican nominee for
United States senator. In 1908 he was
elected as Tennessees member of the re-
publican congressional committee. His
service In the House included election to
the Fffty-ffth, Fffty-sixth, Fifty-seventh
Fifty-eighth. Fifty-ninth. Sixtieth and
Sixty-first Congresses. Just a couple of
months ago he was unanimously renomi-
mated for election TO the Sixty-second
district was such that he could have con-
tinued in the House indefinitely had he
lived.
Proud of His House Record.
Although so often and so variously hon.
ofed. Mr.. Brownlow was prouder of hi.
recsrd in the House than of any otheI
thing II is a fact attested by cold fig
ures that during his seven terms of serv
Ice the appropriations he secured from
the federal Treasury for his district ae
gregated more than the total secured b,
all of his predecessors put together. In
Vulnerable stories are told Of his success
in getting propositions for the benefit o
his district through Congress and of hi
uberality Of view with regard 10 appro
priations throughout the country for vari
Gus purposes.
II 10 recalled that a couple of years ago
when the uplift magazines began to storm
against Congress and to pick out indi
viduals for comment and possible attack
a representative of one OF them went 4
Mr.. Brownlow for an interview.
MFR. Brownlow." he said you hav
been a member of the House for year,