Evening journal., 1911-03-31
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
How a Famous Senator Put
a Friend on His Feet
Again
BY "HOIIand."

When Daniel W. voorhees,, tho
Tall Sycamore Of the Wabash" as he
was popularity known not only in In
diana, but throughout the United
States, entered the Federal Senate in
1877 as the successor of Oliver p.
Morton, the great war Governor Of
Indiana, he was probably the most
widely known Democrat in Indiana,
and certainly the most popular mem
ber of his party in that State.
He was especially familiar TO Wash
ington, for he had already served II
years as member OF the lower House
of Congress. He was one of the con-
spicuous figures in the Senate from
the day he took his seat there until
the last day of his third and final
term. Voorhees, was a man of mas
sive figure, very broad shouldered,
the tallest member of the Senate,
with a very large head set firmly and
with graceful pOise upon his shoul-
ders, n shock of sandy-brown hair.
and a reddish beard. He settled down
into one Of the most solemn Of
Senators. but he did not maintain the
reputation as a public speaker which
he had gained In Indiana, reputa-
ton greater 10 the voters u that
State than that Of any other Indiana
politician Of his generation.
In the Senate Voorhees, was care
full not 20 indulge in humor of any
kind He could be sarcastic, hut
never humorous; he always resented.
although not publicly, the statement
that his full name was Daniel Web
ster Voorhees,, whereas his middle
name was Wooisey. However In his
private conversation with friends.
and often with his Republican asso-
ciates in the Senate. he frequently In
dulged in humor that had more or
less biting sarcasm in It.
or such humor was an incident
which occurred in the Treasury De-
partment There lived In Indianapo-
lis at the time Voorhees, was United
| States district attorney of Indiana, in
\ the Buchanan administration, n law
yer. who was thought by many per-
sons to give promise Of very brilliant
career. He was a friend of Voorhees,
! Voorhees, used to say Of him, however
that he was one Of the men who
strike twelve the first time and then
run down, When he was completely
on his uppers, as the term Is, he
sought Voorhees,, who was man OF
very tender heart saying:
Dan, | wish you would get me a
position IN Washington. am fiat
on my back. haven't penny in the
world, and no prospects"
WELL" replied the Senator. "I will
do what can on one condition. and
that is that you put yourself into
harness al last. The trouble with you
has been that you were never willing
/ 10 put on The harness Every man
who gets along In the world has ia
do that. I mean, put yourself under
discipline. Quit being appy-go-lucky.
Put an end TO your philosophy of.lot-
ting the morrow take care Of itself"
The friend did not take this advice
in bad part. but promised to put on
harness, and Senator Voorhees, got
him a place in the Treasury Depart.
ment that carried salary OF four.
teen hundred dollars year.
Some months after the friend went
10 work, Voorhees, visited the depart
ment upon some business one day
and while wandering through the low
or corridor he saw q man drawing \
! AfAANf i'Nihs uINl WiliM were lNdUNu
canvas bags, evidently containing
specie To aid tho employe I'm this
work, a series Of straps that went
over the neck like a horses collar and
that had traces encircled the shoul-
ders and body OF the man As Voor-
hees passed by and glanced casually
at the human beast of burden. he dis
covered that the man was none other
than the friend for whom he had got
an appointment I'm the Treasury De
partment Voorhees, stopped mo-
ment and. after greeting his friend
said
We'll. 7 see that you have obeyed
the letter Of my iniunction-you have
actually put on the harness Now II
you will harness your mind equally
we'll, you can get back on your feet"
Il am going TO-" said the friend
And he did.
Copyright, 1911, by f. J. Edwards
All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell
"a Story Of the Panic Days of 1884,