The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-24

led law. was admitted to the bar, prac-
ticed for while in Illinois and then
located in Nebraska. In removing from
Illinois to Nebraska was influenced sole
ly by professional reasons.
I entered politics by accident and re-
mained there by design. 1 was nominated
for Congress in 1890 because it was not
thought possible for a democrat to be
elected. I was young and new in the
state. If it had been a democratic dis
trict the honor would have gone to some
one older. of longer residence and more
deserving. A republican paper said next
morning after the convention that a con-
fidence game had been played upon
young man from Illinois and that he had
been offered as sacrifice upon the party
altar because he had not been in the
state long enough to know the political
complexion of the district My location
in Nebraska was cue to my acquaintance
with man whom I learned to know In
college. and this acquaintance became
more intimate because of a joke which
1 played upon him when we were stu
dents. Tracing it back. step by step,
l said one evening in Baltimore that 1
was elected to Congress as a result of
a Joke that | played upon friend in
college. The gentleman who followed
me said that that was nothing, that he
a result of joke they had played upon
an entire community.
My term in Congress brought me into
omic problems now demanding solution
and l have never since that time been
willing to withdraw myself from their
SIuuy anu ulscuSSlon, ana olIef no
apology at this time for being interested
in the science of government 1t is
noble science, and one to which the cti-
zen must give his attention. I have no
patience with those who feel that they are
too good to take part in politics When
l find a person who thinks that he is
toe good to take part in politics, I find
one who is not quite good enough to
deserve tho blessings of a free govern
ment.
The ideal dominates the life, determines
the character and fixes a mans place
among his fellows. I shall mention some
instances that have come under my own
observation and as l speak of them I am
sure you will recall Instances within your
knowledge where the ideal has in an
open and obvious way controlled the life.
/ have known laboring men who. work.
ing for wages, have been able to support
themselves. acquire a library and become
acquainted with the philosophers. orators
and historians of the world. and many
of them have laid aside enough to crafty
their ambition for college course. What
enables them to resist temptation and
press forward to the consummation of a
high purpose? 1t Is their ideal of life.
AS | have gone through the country |
lave found here and there young men
sometimes the sons of farmers, sometimes
the sons of merchants, sometimes the sons
of professional men-young men who have
one characteristic in common, namely,
that they have been preparing for serv-
the measure of greatness, and though
they have not always known just what
line of work they were to follow, they
have been preparing themselves for serv-
ice, and they will be ready when the
opportunity comes
know young man who came to this
country when he was is years of age;
he came to study our institutions and
learn of our form of government. and
now he has returned with determine
tion to be helpful to his people. watched
him for five years. and never knew a
man who moro patiently or perseyeringly
pursued a high ideal. You might have
offered him all the money In the treas
ury to have become a citizen of the IJnI-
ted States. but 1t would have been no
temptation to him. He would have told
you that he had higher ideal than to
stand guard over a chest of money, His
desire was to be useful to his country
end I have no doubt that he will be.
Some years ago it was my good fortune
to spend the day in the country home of
the great philosopher of Russia. You
know something of the history of Tolstoy.
how he was born in the ranks of the no.