Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-10-31

was christened James Schoolcraft Sher-
man But In nearly a quarter of a century
of public life. "Jm' Sherman he was
to his intimates, and probably half the
nation referred to him as sunny jim
n sobriquet he earned as one well might
imagine by never-faling, all-year-
round sunny disposition.
Sherman belonged to the school of re-
publicanism nowadays popularity called
regular" and he fought his political
battles shoulder to shoulder with men
OF his faith without compromise or
flinching Like every public man. he had
critics. some bitter; but he also had
friends who were match for his
enemies. The events he helped to shape
are comparatively recent that history
cannot assign him to his proper place
until 1t also records the work OF his
contemporaries.
To the House OF Representatives Of
the 50th Congress, he came in the win
ter of 1887, Just passed his 33r1 birth
lay. with the energy and optimism 81
youth. collcge-bred from the nails of
Hamilton which has given to public
life many other statesmen ami public
figures none without some mark of
or of Utica two years before Like
many others who came to lead in the
national legislature. he brought with
him an education In law. He was
well born and we'll bred. His fat1er
Richard L. Sherman, was an edrtor and
public figure in New York State.
TWO sessions OF Congress found
sherman defeated AMI out of office bu.
not for long. Henry w. Bently or
BoonvIlle. Oneida county, beat him bv
less than a thousand votes, in the race
for the send Congress- In the interim,
Sherman went back to Utica, built up
his law practice, and returned to the
53rd Congress with n signal victory.
lie remained in the House without de
feat to the 60th Congress. when he
was nominated and elected vice-pres
iient on the ticket with Mr.. Taft
NUMBER ONE OF BIG FIVE.
His first years in the House brought
him into close association with leaders.
Joseph w. Bailey. later a senator,
breckenridge. Bryan, Bourke Cochran
Crisp. Dalzell, Dingley. Dolliver, Hen
derson Payne, Paynter, Raynor Reed
! w
, n score of others whose names became
household words in discussion of the
tariff and other national policies were
, his fellows. The Senate held such mer
= as Aldrich Allison. Cockrell. Daniel
Frye. German. Hoar, Hill. Teller, Yes
and Wolcott. All were not republicans
but all were Jim Sherman's friends
I and in such an environment he worked
0 to a high place in the councils and final
o ly was number one of the Big Five Il
e the House.
Cannon. Dalzell, Payne Sherman anc
n Tawney were the great quintettc durinl
= the comparatively recent years in whicl
d Congress was republican Each of then
e invariably wore a red carnation for
e boutonniere. and when Sherman went Z
2. preside over the Senate and occupy tn
q coveted marble room in the other win
IS of the capitol he took the custom VIII
him and the flower always appeared a
l. every session Of the upper House
II Any review of Sherman's life woul
Is not be complete without reference
n his work in the House. Briefly. there
= recorded no time when he moved gallcri,
'u to applause by n debate from the iloo
~ or changed any votes by eloquence 81
"a the statutes bear marks of his work
committee and caucus, and the results
his lahurs on the rules committee. II
c. inters' "mmerce committee, and 9th,
at branci he machinery of the IIou
Is where I .cll legislating Is done, viii
ic speeches prevail upon the floor.
It is not to be said he was no can
a. paigner In New York State politics
It, was "A lie ldlng figure. He was known
n other States. His appearances In car
til paigns. state and national, were not i
or frequent. lie was at one time charm,
IN of the republican congressional commit
al tee He always was active In the Ne
or York State republican conventions al
We a figure at all national gatherings OF t
IT'S party.
MADE SENATE BUSINESS BODY
IL sherman went to preside over the Sc
all ate just about at Il time when what pop
ne lary Is known as senatorial dignity W
all beginning to feel It's first break. In I
chair Sherman was dignity itself, fair
IA his rulings. his colleagues said, qul
zen firm, sure and seldom reversed on
OF appeal But dignity so far as the ira,
ID tonal senatorial frock coat and silk
'as were concerned generally was abse
er- He regarded his time presiding over
est Senate as a days business. to be after
mo ed to as II he We're sitting in his bank
IL Utica or at the directors table of one
pe the many enterprises In which he h
III found a fortune and laid the foundatic
ul- Of another for his sons. He usually
rti- peared in a business suit on a hot d
ac- re came In fiannels. on a very hot da
palm leaf fan displaced the gavel a
all perhaps a glass Of lemonade topped
ihu the book OF rules. Other senators,
lol- luctant, perhaps, to transgress staid C
tom, fell in with his ideas, and nowad;
|. on a blistering Washington summer
an the Senate chamber looks quite a b,
M ness body.
of The illness which proved fatal was Ii
yer Nho"" u !" "ash'hs'oh uht'i the
ves few months. Mr.. Sherman was
nm. present during the closing days of
,or last session, and the Senate withou
~. president pro TEN. by the death of Fl
49,, and unable to agree, upon a successor,
oL along by temporary agreements, plaC
some senator In the chair for two we
at time. When he disappeared, seek
,, rest and health in vain, Sherman
-. genuinely missed about the capitol.
-. the departments, at tho White Ho
where he was a frequent caller and
ways exchanged a new Joke with Pr
dent Taft, and on the streets where
"u often walked
In a hurry he used IL motor but A
an occurrence OF an ordinary day
s1ne. "a Gt-