Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-01-11
SENATOR GOT
START WASHING
DRUG BOTTLES
Lone Republican Scion From
New Mexico Had Hard
Time in Early Life.

WASHINGTON. Jan. Ian orpudneu
boy of eleven years bent over a tub
filed with bottles in a DeDcer drug store.
There were holes in his shirt. patches
in his worn knickerbockers. His shoes
wore the worse from wear.
But he whistled cheeriIy as he washed
bottles, his hands red from frequent i'm
rnersion in scaIding water and yellow
soap. He had a job Although his par
ents were dead he was sure of bite to
eat and place, however hard, to rest
his tired little body when night inter
vened between him and his toll
Today the boy, grown to manhood, IS
a member of the United States Senate
after long years of hard work and bitter
struggle. His name is Holm .. Bur
sum
AS the one Republican Senator from
New Mexico, Bursum was returned to
the Senate recently by a majority suf-
fcfentIv large to be hailed as a Repub-
lican victory at the end OF Closely
contested campaign in which the policies
Of tbe Harding Administration were made
the issue.
HIS FIRST
APPOINTMENT
was when he was appointed by Governor
MAchem Of New Mexico, as the sue
cessor of Secretary Of the Interior AL
bert B. Fall on March II Strangely
enough. Bursum and Fall were polid-
cal enemies and Fall opposed Bursums
selection to fill his unexpired term when
he entered the Presidents Cabinet
Rursum's appointment was construed
NV his friends. however, as a fitting re-
ward 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 additional proof Of his popular
itv with the people of his State; for
recognized as an answering believer IN
''nartv regularity and-a consistent sup
norter of the Harding Administration.
he was accused by the "Progressives'
Of his own party of being ''reactionary'
and "Old Guard
Bursum is a big. broad -shouldered'
deep-chested, powerfully built man. HIS
hands are large gnarled ones, accustomed
in youth to manual labor. His face.
with its square jaws, is that of the born
fighter. But withal he is good natured
"a hail fellow well met"
SENATOR A
SELF-MADE MAN.
The Senator has been aptly described
as an example Of the American self-made
man who has come up under his own
power over rough hoads and mounting
obstacles.
He was born at Ft. Dodge Iowa, on
Feb. 10. 1867. His parents were Nor
wegians They settled in Iowa shortly
after the Civil War. His father, school
teacher. died when he was but years
old. His mother died when he was II
years old. It was then that the orphaned
boy found job in Denver drug store
From washing bottles there he turned
later became a railroad construction
tables. In the English Kitchen, once
famous purveyor 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 II he found his way to
New Mexico from Denver TO work in
store at Carthage. S0corro County, owned
bv an uncle He was able to attend
public school at San Antonio when he
was not working.
He HANDLED
FREIGHT.
When he reached manhood Bursum
landed a freight handling contract at
the military post Of TT Wingate. He
worked four six-mile outfits between
the post and the nearest railroad. He
later became a railroad construction
foreman. and from this occupation he
entered the sheep business in which he
has been engaged ever since and in
which he is said to have amassed a
fortune.
Bursum married in 1898 and has three
daughters two OF whom are students at
Leland Stanford University, Cal, and a
son, Holm 0. Bursum, Jr., IA years old.
Since his election as Sheriff Of So
zorro County, in 1894 Bursum has made
rand strides in New Mexico politics. He
was a member Of the Territorial Legis-
laiure in 1898. warden Of the state Prison
from 1899 to 1906 and in 1904 was chosen
Republican State chairman. in 1911 he
became his party's choice for Governor.
He was defeated by 4 coalition Of Demo-,
Gratis and Republicans.
As a delegate TO the Republican ma
tional convention in 1903 he secured the
adoption OF a plank pledging Statehood
for New Mexico and Arizona, after q bit
ter contest in which he formed a COM
bination Of delegates from all the terri
tories, Including Porto Rico and Hawaii
He was again defeated as 4 candidate
for Governor in 1916, but kept plunging
deeper into New Mexico politics and, de-
spite the factional strife so often rend-
ing the Republican ranks in that State,
finally became the Republican national
committeeman and then a full pledged
Republican Senator
BRITISH TROOPS