The Washington times., 1913-06-29
KE|FER, SPRYER THAN
EVER, IN OLD HAUATS
Former Speaker, Young and
Hearty at Seventy-eight,
Visits in Capital.

The youngest old man who has struck
Washington in many moon came to
town the other day in the person of
former Speaker of the House Joseph.
Warren Keifer of Ohio. Uncle Joe"
Cannon. likewise former Speaker. is an
extremely spry youngster. but his rec
ora is not up to General Keifer's, who
pranced up and down Pennsylvania
avenue while he was here quite like
two-year-old colt not broken to har-
ness.
Friends of General Keifer were
amazed when they ran across him about
the Capital. He has been a figure well
known to Washington for many years.
out 1t was the unanimous verdict that
ne actually looked younger on this
visit than he did when he was in Con-
gress.
He spent the daytime seeing old
friends. and regularly along towards
midnight dropped into a well-known
German refectory on the Avenue and
soiaced himself with few huge sand
wiches composed of rye bread and
sweitzer. plus the beverage that goes
naturally Herewith. Many a young 81
man would have had acute indigestion
from what, with the general, was only
little light snack TO go TO bed on
Going Some.
When man fights through two wars
and innumerable political battles and
presides over the House of Representa-
tives as Speaker for goodly spell, he
may fairly be said in the vernacular to
have been going some. The career OF
the redoubtable Keifer is as full Of
nghting as John L. Sullivan's, though
II has been different sort of battling.
He is in his seventy-eighth year, a
native Of Ohio. began study Of law on a
farm, fought through the civil war, en-
listing as private and coming out
with the rank of major general py
breyet conferred on him for his services
under Sheridan in the campaign thar
ended at Appomattox; plunged deep into
politics, gained the Speakership of the
Forty-seventh Congress, was major
general of volunteers in the Spanish
war, commanded the troops that took
possession of Havana January !, 1899
then was returned to Congress and
served three more terms as a member
Of the House.
In ali. he served fourteen years In the
House, the first time from 1877 to 1885
and the second time In the Fifty-ninth
Sixtieth and Sixty-first Congresses He
nnaliy got licked when he sought re-
turn to the Sixty-second Congress. but
this hasn't soured his disposition. II
the opportunity offers. he'll come TO
Congress again, and If it doesn't he'll
be content.
In Business.
No end of honorary Appointments
have been held BY the general. He has
been prominent in business affairs, he
was instrumental in organizing the
Spanish War Veterans, and delegate
to numerous national conventions
The fact that he was badly shot up
in the wilderness and wounded three
other times in the civil war is one of
the pleasant memories of this vet
eran. He came through all these ex-
periences as little harmed as If he
had the measles.
General Keifer is a Republican of
the stanch type. but he has become
insurgent on a good many occasions
One of his claims to fame in Wash
ington rests on the sartoriaI fact that
he has always insisted on wearing a
swallow-tail suit in the daytime,
something not in exact accord with
the latest works on fashion. The gen.
eral has great faith in the regenera-
ton OF the Republican party and is
convinced that its eclipse will be but
temporary and it will then be re-
turned to power once more better and
stronger for the chastening it has re-
ceived.
Inasmuch as his stocky, sturdy
PHYSIQUE and unusual mentality are
mark of life. his friends predict he
will yet see a political change which
will return him to the House to serve
for third period as member of that