Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-22
REPRESENTATIVE DAVID J. FOSTER

The funeral of Representative David ].
Foster of Vermont. ranking republican
member of the House committee on for
eign affairs, will be conducted in Burl-
ington, VT, Monday afternoon. The body
will be sent from Washington on a special
train Sunday morning, accompanied
by relatives and friends. The sergeant
alarms of the House has charge of the
funeral arrangements.
After one hours session the House ad-
DRY Of Representative Foster. The men,
bers are to attend in body tomorrow
the memorial exercises for the dead Of
the battleship Maine. so that there will
Speaker, after a resolution of announce
ment and sympathy offered by Repre-
sentative Plumley of Vermont had been
adopted, announced that a committee of
Representative Foster would be appoint
ed. The committee has not yet been
named.
nDath Comes Suddenly.
Mr.. Fosters death occurred almost
without warning. He had been i'll at
home for two weeks, but the stomach
trouble with which he suffered was not
considered serious. and. in fact, his ply
stefan. DR.. A. X. p. Harvey, considered
aim greatly improved when he visited
Mr. Foster about IL o'clock yesterday
morning. But in the afternoon Mr.. Fos-
ter suffered congestive chill, pneumonia
developed and his heart action failed. At
his bedside when death came were Mrs.
Foster, wife of the representative; Ma
thilde and Mildred, his two young daugh-
Sanborn and Dr. Harvey Miss Mabel
Foster. the representatives. eldest daugh-
ter. reached Washington this morning
from New York.
Story of His Career.
Representative Foster was a resident of
Burlington. VT. He was born in Barnet,
Caledonia county. VT. June q, 1857. He
attended the st. Johnsbury Academy, at
st. Johnsbury. VT, from which he was
graduated in 1876. He later attended
Dartmouth College, receiving his diploma
in 1880. After studying law, he was ad-
mitted to the bar in 1888.
The ability of Mr.. Foster as a lawyer
was recognized. and in 1886 he was elect
ed prosecuting attorney of Chittenden
county. He held this position for four
years, until 1880. In 1892 he was elected
state senator from Chttenden county. Mr..
Foster served in this capacity until 1894.
From 1894 to 1898 he served as commits
sioner of state taxes.
In 1895 he was appointed chairman of
the board of railroad commissioners. He
held this position until 1900 rendering
valuable service. Mr.. Foster entered Con-
gress as representative of the first dis
trict of Vermont March 4, 1901. Since
then he had served continuously in the
House of Representatives. In 1910 he was
appointed chairman of the commission
representing the government and people
of the United States at the celebration of
the first, centennial of the independence
Of the Mexican republic at the City Of
Mexico.
Friend of the District.
The celebration was held in September
Of that year. In May. 1911, Representa-
of the delegation from the United States
to the general assembly of the Interna-
tional Institute of Agriculture.
Representative Foster was elected to
the Fffty-seventh. F1fty-eighth. Fifty
ninth. Sixtieth and Sixty-first Congresses,
and was reelected to the Sixty-second
Congress.
Mr.. Foster succeeded to the chairman
ship of the foreign affairs committee in
the last Congress upon the death of
James Brock Perkins Of New York. He
was its senior minority member in this
democratic House and in the event of re-
publican success next fall would have
again been assured of the Craftsmanship.
In addition to his work on the various
committees Of the House, Mr.. Foster took
a keen interest in District matters, par
ticularly. such as relate to the conduct OF
the public schools, and was faithful
attendant and hard worker on District
days and at other times when local
matters were before the House for con-
sideration. He had a large circle OF
friends in the National Capital to whom
his sudden death has brought sincere sor-
row.