The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-09-17

WASHINGTON, d. c., Sept Ian
interesting fact stated in an article
by Scott e. Bone, editor of the Post
Intelligencer, Seattle, copy of which
has Just reached me, is that Senator
Howord Sutherland was a babe in
arms when his colleague, Senator
Nathan Golf was serving in his first
official government position. Mr.. Bone
writes very entertalningly of the two
West Virginia. senator's, finding much
in the usually long and distinguished
public career of Senator Golf for in
teresting comment
Following is Mr.. Bones article:
A former secretary Of the navy
holds a seat in the United States
senate. He served in that capacity
SO long ago, and for so brief time
less than sixty days-that even his
colleagues, perhaps are unware Of the
notable fact.
Nathan Golf, of West Virginia is the
man.
Rutherford B. Hayes put him at the
head of the Navy Department in jan
uary 1881.
James A. Garfield relieved him Of
the portfolio in March 1881, but reap
pointed him United States district at
torney, which office, originally given
him by Ulysses S. Grant, in 1872, he
had relinquished to enter the cabinet.
Two years later, in 1882, he again
resigned the attorneyship and was
elected to the Forty.eighth congress
in Chester A. Arthur's time. Re. elect
ed he served in the Forty.ninth and
Fiftieth congress during Grover
Cleveland's first administration.
Giving up his seat in the House to
run for governor, in 1888, he was cleo
ted on the face OF the returns, but
q contest ensued and the legislature
seated his Democratic Opponent. The
closeness of West Virginia's vote in
that Presidential year attracted ma
ton wide attention. 1t kept going
one way and the other, according to
tabulations on the governorship, for
weeks. The Republicans held that, in
the final analysis. he was robbed of
an office to which he had honestly
been elected. Benjamin Harrison, who
won the presidency in the slmultane-
Gus general election. at first opoprtun-
ity thereafter, in 1892, gave Golf a
life position on the United States
circuit bench.
Having reached the judicial retire.
ment age and retired, he re.entered
West Virginia politics in 1913, at
three.score-and.ten, and was elected
by the legislature to the United States
Senate, where inconspicously, he is
rounding out public career which
covers full half century.
Born at Clarksburg, Va. NOV West
Virginia,) he was Union soldier in
the sectional war and reached the
rank Of Major. He was educated at
the Northwestern Virginia Academy,
GEORGETOWN College and the Univer-
sity Of the City Of New York At %
he was admitted to the bar and at "a
was state legislator. At % he was
made district attorney and then fol-
lowed the events already briefly mar
rated. Incidentally he ran for Con-
gress unsuccessfully in 1870 and 1874
and was defeated as candidate for
governor in 1876, twelve years before
he made his more notable race. The
ethics of reconstruction days did not
stop man holding a government
place from running for state office.
Favored by Grant, Hayes, Garfield
; and Harrison; serving in Congress
during the administration OF Arthur
. and Cleveland and on the bench dur
: ing the regimes OF Mckinley, Roose'
: welt and Taft, enjoying in marked de-
gree the personal friendship of each
and all Of them, and now a United
:. States Senator in a war congress un'
, der Woodrow Wilson-the career OF
( Nathan Golf is a truly remarkable one
rarely duplicated in the latter-day
American craftsmanship. He was a
! colleague Of Joseph G. Cannon's tnot
then become Uncle joe" but ante
f. dating him by five terms) over three
3 decades ago.
: Most OF tie men with whom ne was
brought in close political relationship
: or fierce PARTISAN conflict in memoir.
able battles when he was in lis prime
or young man eloquent on the stump
+. have long since gene be%Ond. lie