Evening journal., 1913-06-10
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Senator Who Did Credit
to His Ancestry
b. Holland.
By Holland

While making one Of his frequent
visits to New York city, at the time
he was serving at United States Sem
ator from West Virginia. the late
Stephen V. Elkins entertained few
friends at luncheon, and in vivid.
picturesque deicription. portrayed
some of the distinguished United
States Senators with whom he had
become intimate. In the course of
these descriptive narratives. Senator
Elkins spoke of the late George
Frisbie Hoar, who had been for many
years United States Senator from
Massachusetts.
Il sometimes thing that the most
interesting personality in the Senate
is Senator IIoar." he said, "At times
he seems like a mere boy. almost
childlike in his pIayfulness. md
queer. sort of innocent manner. as
though he we're not familiar with the
world. This is intensified by an
almost cherubic countenance. have
watched him often as he sat at mis-
desk. looking dreamily at some
speaker. and have said to myself,
That is the countenance of be-.
head is upon a mans shoulders
Senator Hoar was very proud of
{ G Roger Sherman blood which was
IL his veins. He was a grandstn of
Roger Sherman. as was also William
N. Evarts Chauncey M. Depew is
also of the Sherman blood, through
his mother, who was Miss Mitchell
Soon after Depew entered the
Snnlfn IL
and took a vacant seat next tn the
one occupied by the New York Sena-
tor and said to him: 'Depew, did you
know that there has always been in
the United States Senate c.nce the
foundation of the government some
Senator who had the blood of Roger
Sherman in his veins? have been
here nearly generations time.
am getting old now, and you. who
are a first cousin. once removed, are
still to maintain a tradition of the
Roger Sherman family"
1T was perhaps a year after this
eousinly greeting that an incident
happened in one of the Senate com
mittees which always struck me very
forcibly. There was a resolution be-
fore this committee in which Senator
Hoar was especially interested. But
he was greatly disconnected by test
vote which showed that One-third of
the Republican members of the com
mittee were ready to act with the
Democrats. who were opposed to the
passage of the resolution. III the
support of one-third of the Repub-
lican members, the Democrats had a
sufficient number of votes to prevent
a majority reporting in favor of the
resolution
Senator Hoar made two or three
very strong speeches before the com
mittee. but realized finally that he
was unable to persuade the Republi-
can members to accept his view.
AT last he turned to Depew, who
was also a member of the commit
tee, but who had taken no part in
the discussion. and said in a whis-
per loud enough for all the members
of the committee to hear, I think
we are beaten Depew saw that
Hoar was greatly disappointed. He
thereupon moved that the committee
adjourn without further action un-
Ill the next day. At the meeting the
next morning Depew offered an
amendment to the resolution which
did not affect the vital features Of
the resolution, but suggested a way
of getting around the objection which
the Republican majority felt toward
the original resolution. He showed
this amendment to Senator Hoar. who
did not seem to care much for it.
But Depew offered it and il. proved
to be satisfactory to the Republican
minority. They came back; they
voted in favor of the resolution as
amended by Depew, and in that way a
majority report was obtained.
Senator Hoar came to me a day or
two later and said: Senator. have
found that Depew has really got
the Roger Sherman Blood in him
after all. ! have always thought
that he was something of pun
maker. a lover of humorous anec-
dotes. an attractive fgurehead. These
we're not Rober Shermans qualities.
But what he did in that committee,
inexperienced as he was, and his
skill In persuading an obstinate
minority to give up its position is a
real Roger Sherman gift. Now
recognize and know that the Roger
Sherman influence will be felt in the
Senate. although the time is near at
hand when !, by reason of age, must
retire"
Copyright, 1918. by E. J. Edwards.
All rights reserved.
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell
M ~.