Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-01
TWO TOMS TRIUMPH
Striking Similarity OF Expert
ence of Westerners.
BOTH COMING TO SENATE
Started Political and Legal Careers
in Same Town.
MIGRATED TO WIN HONORS
Biographies of Thomas Sterling and
BOTH COMING TO SENATE
MIGRATED TO WIN HONORS
Biographies of Thomas Sterling and
Dakota. Other of Montana.


Dakota. Other of Montana.
The wh:rlisig of American politics is
responsible for many strange happenings
and none probably more surprising than
these following Kaleidoscope changes
peculiar to western life
On the 4th of March next there Will
come to the United States Senate two
men from the middle west whose noli,icsl
fortunes run singularly almost naraIIe,
One is Thomas Sterling, who will succeed
Robert J. Gamble to the senatorial seat
from South Dakota, and the other is
Thomas j. Walsh. who comes from Mon
tana. Both of these men are products
OF the west. born on farms and are
known throughout their respective states
as plalh rom. and are strisinglv men
or the same type though of different
political schools
Tom Sterling and tom" Walsh We're
opposing lawyers in the little town of
ReoHeld, ). d., back in the early eighties
Do.n men are or bout the same age
both We're men of modest means Walsh
haa SO Ittle or the worlds goods that he
pracuce. bunked in room adjoining
their office.
sterhnss office was on one side of the
main street of the little town and the
ONCE OF the Walsh boys was opposite 1t
happened also that Sterling and Walsh
invariably held opposite positions on
every political and municipal question
that came up for solution 1t was prob
aoly the best bit of genuine fun and
hulnor OF the day to drop into justice
court presided over by the only tailor in
the little village, who held the pos: ton of
justice both by right of conquest and
long residence. to hear these two lawyers
eNpound law for the benefit of their re-
spective clients. When Walsh and Ster-
ling got through with some law suit in
volVihg the loss OF farmers COW or
pig everybody in the tailor Justices
improvised courtroom was quite ready to
go to supper
Equipped for the Future.
Since the town, county and state was
republican in politics, the Walsh boys had
to be satisfied with going to their party
conventions to nominate tickets for Of
nee, whose nominees accepted more for
the honor than the promise of an election
Those We're lively days in old Spink
county, ;. D., but the lessons i'm priya-
tons. the experiences Of the frontier
courts and the close-to-nature studies Of
everyday life developed in the men those
stern. resolute and humane Qualities that
equipped them for their future course
sphinx county was the trying-out field
Tor many men who in later years achiev-
cd distinction and success in many walks
of life.
Sterling preceded Walsh to the little
prairie town four or FIVE years. coming
from the village of Worthwhile. i'm the
same county, where he hung out his
shingle on first locating in the then
big territory. embra cling what is now
North and South Dakota Sterling align
ed himself with the republican party and
immediately took a leading part in the
polltics or that party, both local and
state. AS head of a faction in his party,
he was always a strong factor i'm shaping
things politically. and his foresight and
political acumen helped direct county and
territorial contests with the opposing
parties.
1t was January %, last. on joint ballot,
that the legislature of South Dakota con-
firmed the peoples choice in the primaries
ny electing Mr.. Sterling to the senatorial
seat to be relinquished by Robert j. Gam
BILE
Sterling Born on a Farm.
Thomas Sterling was born in Fairfield
county. Ohio, February 81. 1851. When
he was four years old his parents moved
to Illinois and located on a farm near
Leroy. in Mclean county, and on this
farm he grew to manhood. He graduated
from the Illinois Wesleyan University in
1877. In 1880 he became city attorney of
Springfield and held that position through
1851.
1t was in the following year that he
moved to Worthwhile, s. D., and opened a
law office there. In May, 1883. he was
married to Mrs Emma Thayer
He was states attorney of SPHINX county
from 1886 to 1888. removing from North
Vile to Redfield, the county seat, upon
his first election as states attorney, and
was member of the constitutional con-
Vention in 1883 and again in 1889. when
the present constitution was formed
He was a member of the first state SEN
ate from Sphinx county, 1SS9-90. AS chair
man Of the important senate Judiciary
committee Mr.. Sterling exerted very
strong influence in shaping the legisa-
ton of the new state. Mr. Sterling came
very close to being elected to the United
States Senate when the late James III.
Kyle was the successful candidate.
The college of law at the state univer-
sity was established by the legislature
OF 1901 Mr.. Sterling was rendered the
position OF dean of this department by
the unanimous vote of the regents of
education.
He entered upon his work at the state
university in October 1891, and held that
position until June 1911. when he re-
United States Senate.
Mr. Sterling has one son, who is sue
cesSful pTacticing attorney III the city of
Rcdfeld, where he began his political
career. The new senator has brother.