The Washington herald., 1914-07-20
gen. KEIFER, 79,
"ROOF.TANGOES'
Aged Warrior Joins a Merry
Gotham Party Before Sail
ing for Europe.
RAISES PROPHETIC FINGER
Ohio Yearns for Old Republican Pros
penty. He Intimates-Goes to
Big Sweden Conference.
By FRANCIS b. 'GEssNER.

II
New York. July ls-That fine old war
rior, Gen. J. Warren Keller. a major
general in two years, Speaker Of Congress
thirty-thrse years ago and again a men,
Der of the House twenty-five later. came
on from his Ohio home late in the week
bound for Europe.
| The marvel of IL is not that the grand
old man is going TO Europe as he has been
there before, but II Is a trifle unusual TO
see a citizen OF the republic hiking hence
and alone at the age Of seventy-nine.
| However, the matter OF age does not
worry the general. He is more vigorous
nearing the four-score limit set by the
prophets for human existence than most
men at forty and he gave evidence OF II
as he Joined the gay circle of tango ex-
perts on the Waldorf roof the night be-
fore sailing. He was much pointed out as
a military and political celebrity, but was
hardly aware OF It Rather the general
was interested in seeing men near his
age most active in the dance even II
aN kward at times. and the man who had
an army corps 20 battle Iamented he could
not Join in the alIuring whirl Of the
dance.
He Forgot Something.
= But the general forgot terpsichorean
| revels and the youthful gyrations Of old
men when the Ohio political proposition
was mentioned II will be quickly recalled
in Washington that Gen. Keifer was 4
notable figure in Congress nearly forty
years ago. He came to the House with
the election of Hayes in 1876. remaining
! four terms and was Speaker following the
organization of 1881 He remained term
under Democratic domination, but II was
rather disheartening to- an old soldier
| who saw the South very much IN the
saddle again. So he dropped out for a
time without relaxing effort for his party
in Ohio. even venturing a modest reach
for the governorship in 1895. Then came
! the Spanish-Americen war and the soldier
spirit Of Keifer was stirred.
He went to the front as major general
| Of volunteers and Mckinley. the Presi-
dent who had served in Congress under
the KeIfer gaveI. was proud to sign the
KeIfer commission. Again a corps COM
mander at sixty-three, Gen. Reifer
achieved renown in the Cuban campaign
and his old district promptly sent him
back TO Congress, and he would have
been there yet but for the general going
to smash of the Republican organization
| the country over.
Change in Ohio.
The spirit Of prophecy was upon the
old soldier during his New York visit and
| he procIairns q remarkable change in
Ohio. He has been out among farmers
in back townships and men in shops, fnd-
ing them bitter against the so-called
psychological conditions that have come
upon them since March. 1913 They do
not know what psychological means.
but are sure IL does not mean the old days
of Republican prosperity. Gen Keller
looks for the old 1894 campaign over
Nnr
a Republican House as a rebuke to pres
ent administration theories. While here
Gen. Keifer met Harvey CARRIER. who
eight years ago was the lone Democrat
in the House from Ohio with delegation
OF twenty-one members. Now three Re
publicans are lonesome with nineteen
Democrats, and the Ke!fer prediction to
CARRIER was that the next delegation
would very much resemble the one OF
which CARRIER was a member.
Attends Big Conference.
Gen. Keifer's trip abroad this time is
not wholly for pleasure. He goes as an
American delegate TO the Interparlia-
mentary Union conference at Stockholm,
Sweden. on August 10. and before the
sessions begin will visit several other
cities on the Continent. He will be Joined
by several other eminent statesmen at
Stockholm. all active delegates, including
Richard Bartholdt. of Missouri, Senators
John Sharp Williams. and Theodore Bur-
ton. and Congressman Bartlett, of Geor-
gis. They had hoped to Join Gen. Keifer
and have some vacation in Europe be-
fore taking up conference work in
Sweden. but the holding on of Congress
prevents and Gen Eeifer laments as he
had hoped for a fine circle OF old Con-
grfssional colleagues on the way over.
The Stockholm convention will be COM
posed OF delegates from fifty nations, and
the Tower of Babel would hardly be in
It with the confusion OF tongues that
will prevail in the Swedish capital As
Gen. Keifer is not now a member of Con-
Eress he goes as an honorary member
for life and his Speakership record gives
him rank in a convention called to dis
cuss parliamentary proceedings.