The sun., 1910-05-08

It IL a notable man. a splsndid type OF
American. that Mr. LOUIS A. COOLIDOR
undertakes 20 describe in An Old Fdsh-
toned Senator. OTrlls H. Plan "a. p
Putnams SOnsl. a hook that IL remark
able, apart from the personal interest. for
the accurate and minute description u
gives Oi the activities Of q United States
senator who attends TO his business.
Senator Piatt was 30 marked a character
be eGemplified 20 thoroughly the sterling
qualities which Wsre held up to every boy .
admiration in the Olden days. he lived With
such democratic simplicity that II will
be- regretted that HE bioEraphsr does not
nnKer longer over tho period that pre-
ceded his entrance INTO national politics
and does no, reveal more Of his life away
from the senate chamber. Such details
could not compare In importance with the
political matters which Mr. Coolidge dOus
describe, but they would keep alive a stage
in American civilization. which many look
back 10 with regret and of which even
Senator Platt In his later years was only
a survivor. and which might he recon-
structsd from the papers he left and ths
rscollectiOns Of his friends.
Orville Hitchcock Plat was born in 1907
in the town u Washington. Conn. which
still retains its character az a quiet
country village lie never lost touch
with his birthplace. visited Il frequently
and in later years had his summer home
there. He was of plain New England
stock on both sides og tho family. a
farmers son who worked on his father .
farm, attended tho common schools.
taught for a while and became a country
lawyer. establishing himself in Meriden
He chancsd to have an uncommon teacher
in Frederick ". Gum. later the master
Of the famous Gunnery School. who was
his lifelong friend and wAa much like
him in appearance and in character.
Platt's parents were abolitionists in the
days when that was dangerous. and hs
held 20 the various parties from which
the abolition of slavery might be hopet
tin the Republican party was formed
He took an active part IN local politics
and in State politics after hs had settl,.d
il Meriden. He Was trusted and listen.i
20 in his party. filed several State oFices.
but was nct very well known in Con-
nscticut and wholly unknown outside
when he was elected in 1879 10 the United
States Senate. after a bitter fight among
more noted politicians. Gen Hawley
Marshall Jewell. Henry B. Harrison and
.P. T. Barnum among them. Tie was
reelected four times after that and served
his STATE continuously for twenty-sir
Yeas in the senate. az the end being 1ne
Of the controlling members. the elder
statesmen as Mr. Coolidge graphically
puts H.
Like all newcomers senator Platt
had 20 make his way from the bottom
in tho senate -lle worked ploddinely
on tho committees ~ which he u-s a
membsr until he mastered tho business
q each and investigated with scrurE.-ous
minutsneas every question that came
uD 70 him. Gradually he became known
among his brother senators AZ a man
who could nlways be relied upOn. who had
no ayes Of his own 10 grind. and who
thought and acted trIthfully u vac
not long before they found out that h.
was a gncd lawyer and that his Judgment
was always surs n he nearly right 80 t
came shout that senator's got in the way
0r going 10 him Tor information and
advica. and % saying among themtslvea.
What does Piatt think " itY' before