The Washington herald., 1911-04-30
Successor to Senator Hale Is Friendl,
Man, Whose Laugh Sounds Genuine,
the Grip of Whose Hand Is Hon.
est, and Whose Presence Brings
a. Flood of Sunshine.
By JAMES b. MORROW.

Classical Institute caused all tne StuQents
20 raise their eyes and look in that direc.
tion A tall, dark-complexioned. man, &C.
companied by a youth, came in and sal
down in an old rocking chair by the
stove.
The man was Hannibal Hamlin-once
q printer-who had been Vice President
under Abraham Lincoln. The boy was
his son, now a practicing lawyer at Ellis
worth. in Maine, and the partner OF
Eugene Hale. until recently one Of the
leaders Of the United States Senate. He
was to be left with old DR.. Hanson, the
owner Of the school. and prepared for
college. Among the students in the room
when the Hamlins entered was Charles
Fletcher johnson, the son of a harness
maker over the river at Winslow.
Back in 1851, Hannibal Hamlin came to
the Senate from Maine as Democrat
He changed his politics, resigned his Of
fee, and ran for governor. He was put
on the ticket with Lincoln in 1860. From
1851 to 1sl1-sixty years-no Democrat in
Maine was elected to a seat in the Upper
past appeared Charles Fletcher johnson,
the boy unnoticed by Hannibal Hanllin.
the mysteries held by the future are
some Of the compensations for living, and
give it speculative attractiveness and
value.
Thus Johnson follows Hamlin through
a broken line of succession, and the
Democracy of Maine, marking time for
three-fiftbs of century, emerges from
obscurtty and is again seen and heard
in the Senate. Unknown until recently
outside of New England, except to those
who specialize in party minuitae, John
son is not an arrow that has hit the
mark accidentally. Eugene Hale, his
predecessor, has sad that he 'is a
good lawyer. having the highest rank in
his profession" and that he is of lr-
reproachable personal character" Also.
he has been a leader of his party. locally.
and an educated man.
ITO be a Democrat in Maine" he re-
marked to me across the level mahoY-
ony desk in his Senatorial Office. has
been as uncomfortable in some respects
as to be a Republican in South Carolina -
There are two kinds of cordiality-sron
taneous and counterfeit. Senator john
son is a friendly person, instinctively,
for that is his individual popularity. His
laugh sounds genuine; the grip Of his
tegrity of mind and conduct has becorae
notorious. He is big-shouldered and gray
eyed. Sometimes he chuckles far down
in his throat, if there is any humor In
the scene on which he is dwelling. Tenn
he is a food of sunshine.
Politically he is in sympathy with the
new movements of the time. He believes
in the initiative and the referendum.
he says, is fraud. He is
1eyn~ In
the story he told me of his first efforts
in politics, he unintentionally pictured
his industry. enthusiasm. and pertinacity.
II was born into the Democratic party"
he said My father and l went to the
polls together in 1850. He voted for Gar
field because of the lingering greenoack
ISSUE but ! voted for Hancock. After
that single lapse from the faith my
ia ther returned to his party. When L
began my practice as lawyer at Water
Vile the Democrats were scattered and
dispirited. l thought the party ought TO
be brought together. Ten of us. all
Young man, met a. a dentists office and
fixed III, a slate. Then we quietly possed
the word around that we meant to make
a fight / had been selected for tax col
lector and town clerk. The Republicans
heard of us, but did not dignity US with
any serious notice. Well. we elected our
ticket. our chief selectman getting in by
one vote.
The next year Waterville became
city. Victory had given us encourage
ment We found that many Of the
Canadians working in the cotton
mill had not been naturalized. 1 began
them at night with respect
% American citizenship and taking par
ties of twelve or fifteen to Augusta, the
State capital. where they were examined
and given the right to voc". Ender the
law. first papers were Unnecessary IL an
alien had come into the State before the
age of eighteen and had lived in the
State for five years. No attention was
paid to me in the beginning. but when 1
walked into the Supreme Court near the
day of election a, the head Of forty
and a cloud Of wit
1esses. one of the Republican judges con-
,luded that it was time for him to do
something.
1.-The expense Of my excursions was
Besides the fees, the rail-
-oad fare amounted to about 81 a person.
I had to take all hands,
witnesses included, to a hotel for dinner.
The first man to be questioned by the
court was asked IL he had ever read the
of the United States.
Nav he replied, with look OF sur
prise as he turned to where I was sit
ting
"SHave you ever heard it read?' the
.ourt inquired.
Nav the man answered.
CT cannot admit any one. to citizen
;hip,' the court ruled, who Is ignorant
the American Constitution.
The man will step aside
In vain I argued that II citizens born
n this country and educated in our pub
ic schools were examined about the Or
,anic law Of the republic few would vote
II any time or at any place. The Judge
food nat, to borrow a Republican express
ZION. So I got my forty candidates IN
| room at the hotel and told them 1
meant to read them the Constitution OF
he limited States and to answer such
,uestions as they cared to ask. The Ian
ruage of the venerable and sacred In
,trument was interpreted to these VINO
couldn't understand English by a French
loctor whom / had attacned to mystan
the rendering from English into
French was accurate, do not know.
Along in the middle of the afternoon"
johnson went on to say. Il re-
In court at the head Of my pic
.uresque and expectant procession. With
been there in the morning. told the
,ourt what wanted. The same question
was asked OF the FIRST man who stood up
70 be examined.
ct heard It read,' the man answered.
"'whenr
".At noon to-day
"'whom did you hear read itr
Mr.. Johnson
"'Do you understand nr
"'Oh, yes
"Iet me congratulate you,' the court