New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1916-01-05

10 pierce through the sophistries of your
opponents. -: This advice of the kindly
old judge was of great: service to the
young student, and served him for q
compass to guide him. After his ad-
mission to the bar he often practiced
before Judge Severance, and warm
friendship sprang up between the two
which continued unbroken until the
death OF the eminent jurist.
MI. Hammond's entry into politics
dates from the summer of 1892, when he
became candidate for congress against
Hon. James T. McCleary. He was then
! put twenty-eight years of age, and was
not widely known. Nothing daunted,
however, the young lawyer took the
stump against his shrewd and willy oppo-
nent, and although there was not the
remotest chance of his election, he made
splendid speaking campaign, and gained
| renown as an orator. Hon. Daniel W..
Lawler was at the time running for
governor, and he and Mr.. Hammond
spoke together number of times-at
Madelia, Fairmont, St. James and other
towns. They were a great speaking
team, and the people thronged to hear
them, admiring them regardless of party
affiliations. Mr.. Hammond was of
course defeated in the election, but he
came out of the contest with honor and
received good vote. He impressed the
people as man with future before him.
In 1894 the Democratic county conven-
ton at St. James placed Mr.. Hammond
in nomination for the Office of county
attorney. He accepted and was tri-
umphantly elected. Two years later he
was defeated for the same office, but
again elected in 1898 and held the office
for some time. He was not an office
seeker, and never thrust himself forward
as candidate, and whenever he ran for
office it was because he was urged to do 50
by his party associates who saw in him
man who could lead them to success.
In 1895 he moved to St. James and en-
gagged in the practice of his profession,
and this city has been his place of resi-
dence since that time. In 1907 he took
K. H. Burns as a partner, and the firm
was Hammond & Burns. About four
years ago this partnership was dissolved
and Mr.. Hammond formed partner
ship with his old friend, Edward C.
Farmer, Of Madelia, an arrangement
which was most congenial to both
partners. The two had been the most
tried and true of friends, and each ad-
mired the others abilities.
Is Elected to Congress.
In the summer of 1906 the Democrats
of the Second District were unanimous
in urging Mr.. Hammond to become a
candidate for congress against Hon.
James T. McCleary, who had held the
office for fourteen years, and who was no
longer in accord with his constituents on
the tariff and other questions at issue.
The Democratic county convention en-
Enthusiastically endorsed him, and his
friends urged him to go into the prima-
ries. But he was not at all eager for the
| fray. He said to the writer one Sunday
afternoon, when we were visiting to-
gether in his office: Il do not care to
make the run against McCleary. I
would much prefer to take care of my
law practice, and I have no political
ambitions. The campaign would take
great deal of my time, and much ex-
pense, which can ill afford, as I am by
no means rich man." However, he
| finally decided to accept, and filed for the
nomination. The rest is history. He
made one of the greatest campaigns the
| district or the state has ever known. He
was in the pink of physical and intellec-
tual condition, and feared no opponent
on the rostrum. When his astute anita
gonist challenged him to a debate, he
promptly accepted, and vast audiences
witnessed the complete discontinue of
the Little Schoolmaster.
MIR. Hammond AS An Orator.
Mr.. Hammond developed early in life
! a gift for public speaking, but he himself
said to the writer that it did not come
easy for him; the natural talent which he
possessed was developed by infinite
pains, practice and hard work. He had
dignity OF presence upon the rostrum,
which was of GREAT va1,1o RI b;,,o q, :,
speaker, and he was always perfectly
natural, and never strained after orato-
rical effect or bravura. The writer has
heard Mr.. Hammond speak on many
occasions-some of them years ago, be-
fore he came into political prominence.
His oratory then, as in his later years,
was characterized by polish, orderliness
and perfect good taste and good sense.
He was never "eloquent'', in the sense
OF being forid and exuberant. He hated