The Washington herald., 1916-11-08
TINY Ohio LOG CABIN
FAIRBANKS BIRTHPLACE
Political Life Began With Espowsal of
Cause of Gresham.

By the International News serviee.)
It Is an old idea. very generally accept
ed In politics. that every great man In the
United States began life meath the roofs
Of a log-cabin. This idea Is true In the
ease OF Charles Warren Fairbanks. Sixty
four years ago. May II. 1S2, Fairbanks
first saw the light of day in q little log
cabin on a farm near Unionvi1e Center,
in Union County, Ohio, the son of Loris-
ton NJ. and Mary A. (Smith) Fairbanks.
Since that time the career Of the man
jest elected to q second term as Vice
President has courssd its way through
channels both rough and placid. The
political life Of Fairbanks has been one
OF the utmost activity from the time he
entered the lists as one OF the protag-
cnists of Walter Q. Gresham for the Re-
publican nomination for the Presidency.
Gresham had as one of his opponents
Benjamin Harrison, smother of the favor
ite sons OF Indiana, and despite the tight
made by Fairbanks for the Indiana dels-
CATION. Harrison captured the delegation
and eventually the Presidency.
But the fight made by Fairbanks and
fhe manner in which that fight was pur-
sued won the respect of President Harri-
son. won the admiration of Republicans
of the State and nation and eventually
placed Fairbanks on a national pinnacle
Serves Party Faithfully.
Fairbanks has been before the Repub-
lican party since that fight in 1888 His
oratorial powers and his powers as an
organizer have been utilized each year
in some manner by his party and always
to the credit Of both himself and ats
party.
He was named chairman of the Repub-
lican State convention in 1892 and was a
oelegate-at-large to the National conven-
tion in st. Louis, IN 1898: in 1895 he was
temporary chairman of the convention in
philadelphia; in 1900. he was chairman Of
the committee on resolutions at the Ma
tlonal convention in Chicago; in 1904, he
was unanimously nominated for the Vice
Presidency IN Chicago; in 1872 he was
chairman OF the committee on resolu-
tons in Chicago.
His State political activities began in
1893. when he was the candidate of his
party for the United States Senate, The
Democrats had nominated a man who
eventually became famous as one Of the
greatest Senators the country has pro-
9uced, David Turpie. Turpie won that
fight in 1898, but when Fairbanks again
arose in 1886 as a candidate. he captured
tfe place and went into the Senatorial
fight in behalf of the policies of President
Mckinley.
Cuban Question Paramount.
Shortly after his entrance into the ma
tional body, the status of Fairbanks was
fixed. The Cuban question was para
mount along with the tariff question and
Senators were sharply divided. The coun-
try and its people were kept in a State
OF anxiety and finally the climax arrived
when Senator from the South intro
duced a resolution which declared for the
independence of Cuba and which would
have brought on the war with Spain
without any delay.
1t was then Fairbanks arose for his
maiden speech. For some time he talked
coldly and impassionately in opposition
to the resolution. The contention that
the Republican platform had declared for
this resolution was met by him with de-
cislve arguments. 1t was recognized the
argument was the argument of President
Mckinley and although the resolution
was passed in the Senate, the Fairbanks
EFFORT defeated Il in the House and Fair
hanks became a figure of national i'm
pOrtance. |
When the national election arrived In |