The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-01-18
LENA NEWTON WRITES
OF DANIEL WEBSTER

Miss Lena Newton, a former hoou
River girl, who is now 10 Eugene,
where she is attending the State UNI
versity, recently wrote one Of the
three best essays 10 a class OF a large
number of students. Miss Netw0n
chose as her subject, Webster, The
Statesman. The essay appears below
On the outskirts Of civilization IN
New Hampshire, Daniel Webster was
born into a poor but highly respectable
family, January Is, 1852. Like so
many of our prominent men, Webster S
family was Of Scottish origin but by
1886 we find them colonizing IN Amer
lea. The stories of the hardships and
triumphs Of forefathers as told by his
father, who himself had served as an
officer in two American wars, when the
family sat around the fireplace after a
hard days work on the farm. left
lasting impression and influence on his
thoughtful mind.
After attending the winters schools
and reading the books in the little pub
lie library which bis father helped
found, he was sent, at great personal
sacrifice to Philips Exeter Academy
and later to Dartmouth. After his
brilliant college course, he alternated
the study of law with teaching school
until he was admitted to the bar, and
he went home with his father, who
was now judge, and started practic-
ing for himself.
After eight years Of particularly
successful and important law practice,
he enteerd Congress at the special
session Of 1873. From that time until
his death, October "a, 1852, with few
interruptions. he gave his great intel
lect and influence to the service Of the
nation through Congress or cabinet
Even in his private practice, his
knowledge OF government and deep
conviction of the necessity of the fed
eral government being paramount did
more. perhaps, by the important cases
he decided, than any other agency to
cause the growth of the new national
ism. Many Of his cases were to decide
questions of conflicting jurisdiction
between the state and national govern
ment, and in at least two of them
McCulloch VS.. Maryland and Gibbons
vs. Ogden-the Supreme Court used his
argument almost verbatim. Although
he is Americas greatest orator, the
address of 1920 for the Pilgrim Society
at Plymouth, the Bunker Hill orations,
and the eulOgy of Adams and Jefferson
were not simply masterpieces of ora
tory, they were the worthy expression
of the patriotic soul of a statesman.
In public affairs, his attitude toward
his political opponents as was unusual
as it was noble. Even Haynes called
forth only few sentences of sarcasm
toward himself
From his very first session in which
he advocated the 'unclenching the IRON
hand of the embargo" and creating a
sufficient navy to insure the respect of
other nations he worked that our
nation united should become a world
power. In the beginning he believed
this would be helped by free trade, but
when IL came to the tariff revisions
of 1920, he stood by the New England
ers whom he represented, maintaining
that capital invited into manufactures
by previous legislation was entitled to
protection against foreign markets and
competition of foreign labor. For the
rest of his life he supported moderate
protection. IL is sometimes said that
Webster was penetrative rather than
creative but both Lodge and Wilson
declare that at least his penetration
led to the creation Of the new senti-
ment and the Encyclopedia believes
that the feeling of the justice of their
cause among the North of the Civil
War was largely due to Webster S
nationalistic arguments.
Webster had a statesman's view of
parties and party spirit, especially in
his earlier years, and always worked
simply for the good of the country.
Still Webster was a politician, and it
was due to him, more than anyone
else. that the Wings were able to elect
Harrison.
1t was largely through his tact that
our foreign relations were so satisfac-
torily disposed Of in Tyler's admins
tration. In the two years he served
on this unharmOnious cabinet he set
tied the fifty year quarrel over the
northeastern boundary, the irritating
Mcleod case, and kept honorable peace
with all nations.
With the foresight or Imagination OF
the statesman he saw the dangers Of
multiplication, and by the same char
acteristic he was able to see the drift
in that direction of any of the southern
orators in their speeches. and in his
absolutely fearless. patriotic, powerful
way, ward off the dangers of the
Union.
Daniel Webster was truly honest il
his purpose in acting as "the defender
of the Constitution. Bighearted anC
noble, tactful and courageous, imagin
ative and patriotic to the highest de
gree surely here IS a statesman.