The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-07-08
Famous Illinois Democrat
Once Made a Speech for
Bryan in This City
HIS PLACIDITY is
EVER IN EVIDENCE
His Manner in Presiding Over Balti-
more Convention Was So Thor
oughly Dignified That His
Rulings Brought Smiles
Nv HUGH w. ROBERTS

Inc most picturesque HSuio dltohNii7
the Baltimore convention, and the only
one which through its peculiar eccen-
tricity gained national noppriety. was
that Of ]. Ham Lewis.
When first the individual with the pink
whiskers appeared in public life, he was
bedecked in the regalia of a congressman
from the state of Washington. When
first they saw. the other congressman
in facetious mood, attempted an extrava-
CANT exchange of keenly barbed bon mots
When, however, the Washington repre-
themselves had shot, there was at once
dismay, and Immediately thereafter a sui
for peace.
At the present time, J. Ham Lewis is
nominee for the Senate from the state oi
Illinois. In Baltimore he indicated that
in his opinion there is no possible man.
ner in which his enemes can conduct
themselves which will result in the shat
tering of his ambition.
Once upon a time Mr.. Lewis was in
Birmingham. Asa a matter of fact, he
made a speech here-and in his choicest
language urged the citizens of this state
to cast their ballots for William Jennings
Bryan and John w. Kern.
He came unheralded The present sena-
tor from Indiana, at that time candi-
date for the vice presidency. was making
the only speech of that presidential cam
paign which was made in Alabama. The
Jefferson theatre was crowded to the
guards. The candidate was in the midst
of his dissertation when a strange light
shone from the place of entrance. 1t was
the reflected brilliance of the whiskers of
]. Ham.
The gentleman had just completed a
tour of Europe and was en- route home by
the way of New Orleans. In The Age
Herald he read of the engagement of
Kern to speak In Birmingham. Impul-
sively he dismounted when the train came
10 a halt and ambled around to the thea
ire.
AS Kern concluded, without explanation
Lewis stepped upon the platform. The
audience was stilled. The people thought
that perhaps he was a republican in dis
guise with we'll laid schemes to undo
all that Kern had done. The first inn
pulse To lHTOW MN Out WIS CntttNet
by the curiosity which his whiskers in
spred.
And then Lewis spoke. His voice was
exceptionally pleasing, strong and not too
strong; his. language was as nearly per-
feet as the too ornate ever gets to be;
his tongue, ready, quick and tunefui.
His manner was as Chesterfields' is alleged
10 have been. Beau Brummel never wore
hacor11ino oi0thaC m harOrpfpplv
In Baltimore, J. Ham attracted as
much attention as William J. Bryan or
Charles J. Murphy. He was always
seated upon the platform. When idle
he stroked his whiskers, complaeently
gazed at the fetching bow in which
his shoe lace was tied. crossed his
ankles. and having done so shifted his
vision to the galleries.
But 1t was as presiding officer that
he shone to particular advantage. He
positively declined to permit noise. The
threat to clear the galleries on the
slightest provocation was one in which
ne INDUCED with delight. His ire was
instantly kindled by the whispering of
a delegate and one unprepared would
anticipate with bated breath a possible
revolution when he reproved a gentle
man who sought to avoid ennui by
standing.
But J. Ham never offended. Hear
his voice not deprived of It's music
by his frown of annoyance-"Win the
gentlemen in the aisles be seated? [
tell you, sirs, be seated. The gentle
man from Wisconsin desires to make a
few observations, and how can he OBJ
serve in the midst of this horrid din ~
Refusal to obey on the part of OBJ
streperous individuals would not cause
1t. l. L.
polite. "Will the gentleman In the Texas
delega ton" he would shout in the mo-
ment of that contingency, pray be-
have HIMSELF" And then, turning his
eyes in all directions at once and strok-
ing those whislxers of Respondent tex
ture, he would exclaim: II hereby with
all the authority in me vested command
hear me, command-all delegates to
keep order--absolute order, If the same
can be accomplished without incon-
venience."
There were a great many smiles at
the expense of ]. Ham, but they were
not prompted by spirit of disdain or
contempt. And the gentleman from
Iowa who cast that one ballot for Lewis
as a worthy man to make the candi-
date of the Stumble donkey" was not
prompted to his action by a spirit of
irony or because he knew that the
announcement of his vote would cause
the impolite to giggle.
When the teller. however, exclaimed.
Lewis. one" j. Ham did not crack a
smile. He did not frown. He heard
and then turned his face upward And
when by force of habit his manicured
fingers stroked his whiskers, max in &
his serious expression even more seri-
Gus, the delegates laughed. But not j.
Ham.
Der for the presidential or any other
lob in the filing of which a gentleman