The Washington herald., 1914-02-06
PRESIDENT FEELS
BREMNER'S Loss
Mr.. Wilson Phys Tribute to
Congressman Is His Per-
sonal Friend.
HOUSE TAKES ACTION
Body of Radium Patient Taken to
Jersey City for Burial To
morrow Afternoon.

II am deeply grieved by the loss Of
Fob Bremner. He was a personal friend
whom greatly admired. and was such
a man as attracts deep affection.
Throughout his suffering, which was
iong continued. he seemed never to think
of himself, as he certainly never spoke
Of himself, and he was throughout as
keeniy interested in the diIigent perform
ance Of his public duties and in kindly
offices to others, as II he had been free
from pain. feel that a beautiful spirit
has gone out of the world"
This statement was dictated last night
by President Wilson, intimate friend of
Smiling Bob" Bremner. Representative
from New York. who yesterday lost his
battle against cancer despite the radium
treatment he received at the sanitorium
OF DR.. Howard A. Kelly. in Baltimore.
The President was the first person in
the country notified of his death. A few
seconds after the surgeons had pro-
nounced him dead the following telegram
was sent to the White House: my
brother Rob passed peacefully away at
10:33 o'clock 1t was signed Helen NJ,
the sister of Representative Bremner.
who has acted as his secretary during
his illness and attended to his affairs in
Washington since he had been a patient
in the sanitorium.
Message to widow.
Mr.. Wilson yesterday sent the follow
ing message to Mr.. Bremner's widow:
ALLOW me to express my deep SYM
pathy with you. feel for myself have
lost a dear and an admirable friend"
When Mr.. Wilson was governor Of New
Jersey he made visit to Passaic, N. j.,
to attend a banquet given in honor Of
the Representative. Mr.. Wilson paid a
glowing tribute to Mr.. Bremner. and his
hearers thought so highly of it that they
had part of 1t inscribed on a bronze tablet
which has since been erected in Passaic.
Secretary of the Interior Lane in COM
mentinE upon the death of Mr.. Bremner.
expressed sorrow that the nation should
lose a citizen and legislator of such
sterling character and lofty ideals. He
regretted that the efforts made during
the last few weeks to save his life had
not been successful.
THE surgeons in charge of the Balti-
more hospital" said Secretary Lane,
"were reluctant to use the radium treat
ment in Mr.. Bremner's case. But Mr..
Bremner was anxious that the expert
ment be tried. SO that even failure
might teach lessons that would help ad-
vance the common cause"
House Take. Action.
Just before the House adjourned yes
terday formal announcement was made |
OF the death of Mr.. Bremner. The House |
adopted a resolution extending sympathy |
to the family and providing that eulogies |
should be pronounced. The date of this |
session will be fixed later. The |
resolution also provided for a committee |
10 attend the funeral.
The body of Mr.. Bremner was taken \
10 Jersey City late yesterday. Funeral |
services will be held from his home in |
Passaic tomorrow afternoon.
The gallant fight which Mr. Bremner
made against death attracted the atten-
ton Of the entire country. II also aug
mented the public interest in the treat
ment of cancer with radium. In the |
treatment $4,000 worth of radium was
mbedded at regular intervals into the
patients left shoulder. The precious
metal was put in tubes, coated with rub
ber. which were placed in incisions made
with a sugeon's Knife.
Born In Scotland.
Robert Gum Bremner was born in
caithness, Scotland December II, 1874.
His parents removed to Canada while he
IT'LL was a child and he received his early
in the dominion. Before reach
ng his majority. however. he came 10
he United States and In 1885 procured a
,osition as a reporter In Paterson, n. J.
When the SpanIsh-American war broke
tut the call to arms attracted the young
,eporter and he enlisted.
At its close he returned to Passaic, TAX
ng control of the Daily Herald in 1862
Ie remained its editor until his death.
Bremner's election to the
;ixty-third Congress, was a result of his
irst venture into the political field. Al
hough his district, the Seventh, is
strongly Republican, normally, he WIS
elected by a large majority. He was
member Of the House Committee on