The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1912-1984, 1918-08-30
OLLIE JAMES CROSSES
the GREAT DIVIDE


A pang Of most poignant sorrow
fills every true heart in Kentucky as
well as in the entire nation TO know
that Senator Ollie NJ. James il no
more. After several months con-
finement at Baltimore hospital the
end came at GAO o'clock, Wednes-
day. Of Bright's disease, which claims
so great n toll annually of the human
race. Comparatively young man,
having been born July %, 1871, he
had already carved out name and
fame that will fill the hearts Of this
and future generations with pride
and reverence. Born in the little
town of Marion, in Crittenden coun-
| ~, Of parents. who were unable TO
give him the collegiate education he
desired he made the most of his OPP
portunities in the common and AGA
demic schools Of the vicinage, and
read law under his father. l.. II
James, being admitted to the bar in
1891. While not turning his atten-
tion entirely to the law. he was en-
gagged in n number Of important
cases, the most notable being when
he appeared for Gov. Goebel in his
contest for governor.
The love Of politics and n desire
for political life were early devel-
oped in Senator James and at IL he
was chosen n page in the Kentucky
Legislature, where he learned the art
of politics in which he was destined
to become famous. He served four
terms in Congress before being elect
ed to the Y. s. Senate in 1912 for a
term which would not have expired
till next March. He had already
been renomnated for n second term
by a majority exceeding 10000. In
the lower house of Congress he i'm
mediately took leading part and in
the Senate he was the recognized
leader OF his party and the especial
spokesman of the President He was
doing a great work for his State. his
country and his kind when the cruel
hand Of death marked him as its vic
tim.
| No man of hrs years has ever been
more signally honored by his party
than Senator James. He has been a
delegate to every National conven-
ton since 1895 and presided over
both of them that nominated the
matchless Woodrow Wilson for Pres
! ident, in which capacity he added to
his growing fame. In December.
1908. he married Miss Ruth Thomas,
of his home town and she survives
him without offspring.
Massive of BODY and brain, DOS
sessed of a winning manner which
made him popular with all classes, a
sneaker of rare power. whose words
sent conviction to his hearers and
Democrat of the purest strain. Se~-
ator James was the idol of Democ-
racy, which in this State would have
honored him with any Office in its
gift. while his hold on the Democrats
of the nation was so great that il was
often predicted that he would some
day be their president. for phich he
was often spoken and justly regarded
in line.
II i with peculiar sorrow that we
write Of the death Of this great man,
who had on several occasions laid us
under obligations. and il il hard 20
fathom why he should have been
taken in the zenith Of his usefulness.
, which he was eVerting so manfJily
to the good of his kind His place
will be hard 10 fill in the State and
nation. which stand with uncovered
heads and with hearts filed with
Grief that the pitiless hand of death
should have been laid on one so
worthy Of long life and greater. hon
ors. Death has been unusually ac-
tive recently in the august body or
which Senator James was the most
shining mark and who. in his robust
ness seemed impervious to his darts,
but the king of terrors is no respecter
of persons and has all seasons for his
own, sparing neither the small nor
the great, and daily reminding US Of
his power and dominion. But thous-
ands will seek in vain for a reason
that, this great man, capable of so
much good should be taken from us.
May God pity us all and give us bet
ter understanding Of his mysterious
/ xUayS