The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-04-28
War Statesmen Of the Past.
by r. n. G..

Ohio has had great Senators in time
of war or stress, and Is not complaining
now, only in other perilous times her
gressional Record and high in the coun-
ellis OF the executive.
During the first Mexican war William
Allen and Thomas Corwin were In the
Senate. Columbus Delano, Joshua r. Gid
dings and Allen G. Thurman In the
House.
At the start of the civil war Ben Wade
and Salmon p. Chase were in the Sen
ate. but Chase resigned 10 enter the Lin
coin Cabinet and John Sherman came IN
on March g, two weeks prior to the
firing on Sumter. Ashley. Bingham.
Sunset Cox. and George II. Pendleton.
names subsequently more renowned.
were on the House roll call from Ohio.
Garfield came in two years later and
r. y. Hayes before the final surrender
at Appomattox. other States had big
Senators, with Sumner and Henry Will
son from Massachusetts. MorTell and
Fessenden from Maine. and Blaine in
the House. Kirkwood and Grimes were
Senators from Iowa and Allison a new
member in the lower branch.
Lyman Trumbull and Yates were
honoring Illinois in the Senate with Gull
itll III Wine l~tit flFl-
bricks. In the Senate. and Voorhees, and
Colfax In the House. were from Indiana
Zach Chandler was from Michigan and
William Window. a House member. from
Minnesota Edmunds was n new Sena-
tor from Vermont and Morrill, repre-
sentative. Edwin d. Morgan was a
New York Senator and Roscoe ConkIing
a new House member registering from
Utica
When the war with Spain came on
Ohio had Mckinley in the White House.
Foraker and Hanna In the Senate The
House contingent was not especially
brilliant, but II was up to the average.
with Grosvenor and Burton the veterans
and Dick coming in TO fill a vacancy.
There were six Democrats then rs
against nineteen at present. but a re-
verse Of that ratio is expected when the
returns come In next November.
James X. Polk was President during
the first mix-up with Mexico. and his con-
duct of affairs was highly commended.
Even so he has never ranked as q great
Executive. and possibly was never fully
appreciated The war began and ended
within his one term. and the United
States was not only a proud victor but
added much to her territory. Polk was
above all else the accomplished politician.
He had served long in the House. and as
Speaker. so that he entered the White
House remarkably equipped for handling
the legislative end of things. and was
careful 10 pick big men for his Cabinet
table. James Buchanan. Of Pennsy l.
vania. was Secretary OF State. and thir-
teen years later was President William
l.. Marcy. Of New York was Secretary
OF War. He had been soldier in lSl1
an adjutant general OF his State. and
senator. also governor Later on he was
Secretary Of State in the Franklin
Pierce Cabinet. Robert T Walker. of
was head Of the Treasury
for Polk. and was a native OF PcnnsyI-
vania. having been a lawyer in Pitts
burgh before going South. lie was SEN
ator from Mississippi until he resigned
10 enter tn" Polk Cabinet. He was one
of tho big men of his dav and generation.
and died before ne was seventy.
John Y. Mason was Secretary OF the
Navy and also Attorney General. having
served long in Congress. and died while
Minister to France under Pierce
Core Johnson. Of Tennessee. mad served |
fourteen years in Congress before enter
ng tho Polk Cabinet as Postmaste- |
ieneraL He was a State judge after !
eaviEg the Cabinet and loyal to the Tn !
on during the war. The striking fea-
ure of the Polk Cabinet was the long
experience NJ the members in Congress |
and their thorOugh equipment for any !
national in character.
Bryan. with two terms TO his credit |
md BurlesOn. elected eight times SHrv-
ng fourteen years. are tho two members !
II tn" present war Cabinet who have |