South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-11-20
FROM DRUG STORE
TO GOVT SENATE
The Rise of Senator Bursum
Seems Like Alger's RO-
nance of Boy Heroes.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 19.-An or
phaned boy OF II years bent over
tub filed with bottles n a Denver
drug store. There were holes i'm his
shirt, patches i'm his worn knicker-
bockers. His shoes were the worse
from wear.
But he whistled cheerily as he
washed bottles, his hands red from
frequent immersion in scalding wa
ter and yellow soap. He had d job
Although his parents were dead ne
was sure of bite to eat and
place, however hard, 20 rest his
tired little head when night inter
vened between him and his toll
Today the boy. grown TO manhood.
il member of the United States
senate. after long years Of hard
work and bitter struggle. His name
is Holm o. Bursum.
AS the one republican senator
from New Mexico Bursum was re-
turned 10 the senate recently 10y a
majority sufficiently large to be
hailed as a republican victory at the
end Of a closely contested campaign
in which the policies of the Hard
ing administration were made the is
sue.
His First Appointment
Bursum's first entry into the SEN
ate was when he was appointed by
Gov. Mechem of New Mexico. as the
successor of Sec'y Of the Interior
/
| Strangel yenough. Bursum and Fall
were political enemies. and Fall op-
posed Bursum's selection to fill his
unexpired term when he entered the
presidents cabinet.
Bursum's appointment was con-
strued by his friends however, as a
fitting reward for his activity in New
Mexico politics for a quarter Of a
century His success in the recent
special election which returned him
to the senate for a full term of six
years was regarded by them as ad-
ditional proof Of his popularity with
the people OF his state; for. recog-
niZed as an answering bell er in
| party regularity" and a consistent
supporter of the Harding admins
tration. he was accused by the pro
! gressives" of his own party Of be
ing 'reacuonary" and "Old Guard"
Bursum is a big broad-shOulder-
ed, deep-chested pOwerfully-b
man. His hands are large gnarled
! ones. accustomed in youth 20 man
ual labor. His face. with It's square
jaws. is that OF the born fighter.
But withal he IS good natured-a
hail fellow well met
A SeIf-NIade Man.
The senator has been aptly des-
cribed as an example Of the Ameri-
can self-made man who has come
up under his own power over rough
roads and mounting obstacles.
He was born at Fort Dodge. Ia,
on Feb. 10. 1867 His parents were
Norwegians. They settled in Iowa
shortly after the Civil war His
I father, a school teacher. died when
/ he was but two years old. His
mother died when lie was II years
I old. II was then that the orphaned
F boy found a job in a Denver drug
/ store From washing bottles there
1
and waiting upon tables. In the Eng
| lish Kitchen.once a famous pur-
veyor OF food in that city he found
employment After toiling all day
and into the night, he snatched an
/ education from his spare moments.
/ At the age OF Il he found his way
/ to New Mexico from Denver TO work
/ in a store at Carthage. Socorro
\ county. owned by an uncle. He was
able to attend a public school at
I San Antonio when he was not work.
Ing.
Handled Freight.
When he reached manhood Bur-
sum landed a freight-handling con-
tract at the military post Of Fort
I Wingate. He worked four six-mule
/ outfits between the post and the
| nearest railroad. He later became
/ a railroad construction foreman
I and from this occupation he entered
+ the sheep business, IN which he has
q been engaged ever since, and in
/ which he is said 10 have amassed
a fortune.
Bursum married IN 1898 and has
three daughters. two OF whom are
students at Leland Stanford univer-
sity, Cal, and a son. Holm o. Bur-
sum. Jr.. Il years old.
/ Since his election as sheriff OF So
zorro county In 1894 BursUn has
made rapid strides in New Mexico
politics He was a member Of the
territorial legislature in 1S9S. war
den of the state prison from 1899
10 1906, and IN 1904 was chosen re-
publican state chairman. In 1911
he became his party's choice for
governor. He was defeated by a
coalition Of democrats and republic
ans.
As a delegate TO the republican
national convention in 1908 he Sc
cured the adoption OF plank
pledging statehood for New Mexico
and Arizona. after a bitter contest.
in which he formed a combination
OF delegates from all the territories
including Porto Rico and Hawaii
He was again defeated az a candi-
date for governor IN 1916. but kept
plunging deeper into New Mexico
politics and, despite the factional
strife so often rending the repU d.
lican party IN that state. finally be-
came the republican national COM
mitteeman and then fuu-fedged
republican senator.
\ Parlor Attachent.
Ned-Have YOU formed an at