The Washington herald., 1913-05-25

at the questions that confronted US in
1881.
My Debt to Joe Murray.
There are many debts that owe Joe
Murray, and some for which he was
only unconsciously responsible. do
not think that a man is At to do good
work in our American democracy unless
he is able to have a genuine fellow
feeling for, understanding of. and
sympathy with his fellow-Americans,
whatever their creed or their birthplace.
the section in which they live, or the
work which they do. provided they
possess the only kind of Americanism
that really counts. the Americanism of
the spirit. 1t was no small help to me.
I'm the effort to make myself a good
citizen and good American. that the
political associate with whom I was
on closest and most intimate terms dur
ing my early years was a man born
In Ireland. by creed a Catholic, with
Joe Murray's upbringing: just as 1t
helped me greatly at a later period to
work for certain vitality necessary public
needs with Arthur Won Briesen. in whom
the spirit of the "Acht-und-V ierziger"
idealists was embodied: just as my
whole life was Influenced by my long
association with Jacob Riis. whom am
tempted to call the best American /
ever knew, although he was already a
young man when he came hither from
Denmark.
/ was elected to the Legislature in the
fall of 1881. and found myself the young
est man in that body. l was reelected
the two following years. Like all young
men and inexperienced members, I had
considerable difficulty in teaching myself
to speak. I profited much by the advice
Of a hard-headed old countryman-who
was unconsciously paraphrasing the Duke
Of Wellington. who was himself doubt
less paraphrasing somebody else. The
advice ran: Don't speak until you are
sure you have something to say, and
know Just what It Is; then say 1t, and sit
down"
My first days in the Legislature were
much like those OF boy in a strange
school. My Neutrality-suspicious. and I
eyed one another with mutual distrust.
Each of us chose his seat, each began
by following the lead of some veteran
in the first routine matters, and then.
in week or two, We began to drift into
groups according to our several affinities.
The Legislature was Democratic. I was
a Republican from the silk stocking"
district, the wealthiest district in New
iOIh. was put do ohc VI
minority members, on the committee Of
cities. It was coveted position. i did
not make any effort to get on. and, as
far as know, was put there merely be-
cause II was felt to be in accordance
with the fitness Of things.
A very short experience showed me
that, as the Legislature was then consti-
tuted. the so-called party contests had
no interest whatever for me. There was
no real party division on most OF the
things that were of concern in State
politics, both Republicans and Democrats
being for and against them Ny friend
ships were made, not with regard to
party lines, but because / found, and
my friends found, that We had the same
convictions on questions Of principle and
questions of policy. The only difference
was that there was a larger proportion
OF these men among the Republicans than
among the Democrats, and that 1t was
sier for me at the outset to scrape &C.
quaintance, among the men who felt as
1 did, with the Republicans. They were
for the most part from the country dis
tIicts.
Billy O'NciIl.
My closest friend for the three years I
was there was Billy o'Neill. from the
He kept a small crossroads
store. He was young man, although
a few years older than I was. and, lik
myself had won his position without
regard to the machine. He had thought
ha uouId lfLa IN he sac nhylYnan 30 ha