The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1922-06-22
A Story of the Career and Charac-
ter Outline of Porter J. McCumber,
United States Senator from North
Dakota, Chosen to Succeed Sen
ator Penrose as. the Finance
Y Committees Head

sponsible largely, so far as the Sen
ate is concerned, for the success or
failure Of the Fordney tariff bill, sool,
to be enacted into law? Who is the
successor of Senator Aldrich and SEN
ator Penrose in the Senate?
Picture to yourself a man of medi-
UNI size, florid complexion, thin au-
burn hair, smooth face, aquiline pro-
file, small piercing eyes and a stern
countenance when in repose, and you
: have mental picture of Senator Nc
Cumber.
His biographical sketch in the Con-
gressional Directory is just eighteen
words, less than two lines. This is a
key to his character, a composite pic
ture of his innate modesty. The
ablest men are modest.
A Freckled Boy
Porter James McCumber comes of
pure Scotch ancestry. His father was
q stern and canny Scotchman, strong
of character, industrious and thrifty.
His mother, also of Scotch blood, was
a woman Of rare qualities. Porter's
parents lived in Illinois; and in that
state of historic and Republican poll
tics, Porter was born, February 3,
1858. When Porter was a mere lad,
his parents moved to Rochester, Min
nesota, and EARNED it" on the very
site now occupied by a pair of fam
Gus surgeons. Here Porter attended
public schools, and obtained his first
and youthful knowledge of the "three
Rs" He was a slightly built lad, a
freckled youngster, strong willed, in
dependent and proud. He learned
early the all-pervading principle that
the only way to get along with a bully
is to lick him, and lick him hard; that
the world is full of buffers and the
only thing to do with such individuals
is to "take 'em down by thrashin'
'em." 1t was not peaceful course
to pursue, but it was effective, and
has always been, in all periods of
'f:rtorE. Yong Porter embodied the
subsequent Roosevelt theory, "speak
softly and carry big stick"
Porter found himself and made
progress when he adopted this prin-
ciple as his own, and stood up for
himself, with his fists, whenever nee
essary. Thus the lad grew to early
manhood, and deve loped the qualities
of self-reliance, perseverance and in
dependence which characterized his
whole life.
Farming was struggle in those
days, as it has been ever, when con-
Quoted on small scale. Young Por
ter boldly started for Ann Arbor
University and a legal career, when.
he felt himself prepared. He worked
his way through the university prac-
tically, and graduated with honors.
Not Much Law Business
r Lawyer McCumber hung out his
first shingle in a small country town
called Lisbon, North Dakota, in the
Red River Valley, then just opening.
There was little law business in that
section, and what there was, was sup
plemented with collections and loan
ing Of money. It was hard shedding,
but the young attorney was frugal
and saved little money. ~-,.,
With view of improving his pros
poets, he moved to Wahpeton, Rich
land County, a more promising city,
now place of $500 people. Here he
began his public career, covering a
period Of about forty years, and
measuring up to most of the successes
of his time.
Very. naturally he entered politics
from the very start. He was strong
Republican, and took part in all local
and state political campaigns. He
went through the greenback and free
silver periods, remaining steady and
firm for the gold standard. In the
trying times of the eighties, and in
the critical year 1896, Porter J. Nc
Cumber stood firm, in the midst of
wild agrarian economic fallacies.
His activity and sanity on all pub
lie and political matters attracted the
attention of the Republican leaders
and in the course of time, he was
nominated the Republican candidate
for county attorney, on the platform
enforce the law" North Dakota was
q prohibition state, and Richland
County q prohibition county. McCum-
Der was elected triumphantly, where
upon he proceeded to enforce the law.
This course Of action, highly moral
and proper though it was, resulted in
4 his defeat for reelection by small
plurality, again demonstrating the
truth in the old saying that public
men who 'do things" and enforce the
law, dig their own graves, as q rule.
Do-nothings in public life too often
reap the highest rewards. They are
not vulnerable.
Victory in Defeat
Yet how often the defeat Of a ris-
ing politician becomes the ladder by
which he climbs to fame. Lincoln's
defeat for the Senate by Douglas,
was the step leading to the White
ouse. So Porter McCumber's fearless
and honest course as county attorney
albeit leading to defeat for reelection.
proved to be his making. He was
picked by the Republican leaders
doomed for United States Senator, and
elected by, the State legislature in
January, 1899, taking his seat March
4, following.
In that Senate were many Of the
leading public men whose names were
and are today, familiar to all students
Of political history. There were
John T. Morgan, Of Alabama; Henry
NJ. Teller, Of Colorado; Joseph 4
Hawley, Of Connecticut; Sheldon NJ
C,,J1-,..4 T11:ro;e. Ehor1oa NJ Fair.