South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-05-09
STATESMEN GREAT AND
NEAR-GREAT
BY Fred Kelly.

WASHINGTON. May s.-Senator
Lawrence Y. Sherman OF illinois,
mentioned as a possible republican
nominee for president, has never re-
oeived a degree or diploma from any
college. The nearest he ever came
was when he finished the law course
at McKendree college, out in Ilh
nois. He was notified a day or two
in advance of the graduation cere-
monies that inasmuch as he had no
academic degree. he would not be
permitted 10 appear on the plat
form with the other members Of
the class. His diploma would be
assured him, but he could not take
part in the exercises.
That struck Sherman as a silly
line OF distinction, and he told them
TO keep their old diploma on the
day that the others in his class
were taking part in the closing cere-
monies sherman was at the state
capital in the midst of passing the
bar examinations. Later the col
lege offered to send him his diploma
but he repeated that ne really did
not care for it and bade the faculty
go soak their heads. He has never
received his degree even TO this
day.
Mr.. Uncle Joe Cannon nearly al
ways loses at poker, regardless of
possessing a frst-class poker face
but he does not mind losing, be-
cause he derives a great deal Of
fun out Of the game. And not the
least Of his fun is directly traceable
10 the habit he has of combining
poker with politics. For instance,
he never lays down his hand with
out comment on the politics of the
cards. If ne has three kings or even
, three mines. he remarks that he has
three republicans. But if his three
Of a kind are only trays he calls
them democrats. And what if he
only has a pair OF deuces? Then
he calls them prOgressives.
Nearly every new CONGRESSMAN, by
the way, nurtures a secret ambi-
tion TO sit at least once in a poker
game with Joe Cannon. They wish
to go back home and boast about
it 20 the boys.
Rep. Edward j. King Of Illinois
used 10 sell books from house to
house when he was working his way
through college. Frequently" says
King, somebody would point out
the home Of some poor family as
a place where it would be useless
TO go. But those were the very
places 1 usually sold my books. I
I figured that they probably were in
the habit of spending their money
freely and would buy almost any
thing that was offered That was
the reason they were poor
Rep. Patrick IL. Kelley of Mich
igan is the foremost exponent Of
irish blarney in congress. There
lives not a man anywhere so mean
or so humble that Patrick III. Kelley
cannot find in him rare and charm
I ing traits of character 10 talk about,
smilingly, right TO the mans face.
Years ago when Woodrow Wilson
was a student at the University OF
| Virginia, he aspired to win two
| honorary medals, one in literature,
the other in debate. He was de-
feated by a small margin in each
instance by a chap named William
Cabell Bruce, who later became a
prominent lawyer of Baltimore
And now Bruce is an aspirant TO
the United States senate.
Congressman Ben Johnson of
Kentucky will never be happy until
he owns a buffalo.
Congressman William +. Hum
phrey OF Washington has some-
what different ambition. He yearns
to shoot an elephant.
Chairman James Hay Of the house
committee on military affairs which
recently went TO the mat with the
national defense problem. has been
a member of that committee ever
since he entered congress Is years
ago. In that time, he is said TO
have missed only two committee
meetings.