Evening star., 1923-09-09
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL tP. KENNEDY.

are IcHiiHue0 tidI no man III tOH-
gress has had his speeches used in
schools throughout the country to
the extent that those of Senator
Simeon D., Fess of Ohio have been
read and declaimed as models Of pa
triotism, as mirrors of historical
events and as textbooks on political
science.
For example, in 1914 he was chosen
by the House to deliver the memorial
address on Lincoln's anniversary.
This address was made public docu-
ment by order Of the House and has
been used by the thousands of copies
in schools in every state in the Union.
Democratic as well as republican
members Of Congress have mailed
this speech broadcast to their con-
Stituents.
Similarly, in 1919. Mr. Fess was
memorial address, Of which more than
100000 copies have gone into the ma
tlons schools. His reply to Repre-
sentative Meyer London. socialist, in
IS regarded as one of the best short
treatises now extant on the German
government. and this, too. has been
used extensively as a textbook
AS final illustration, Mr.. FesS' ad-
dress at Independence Hall. Philadel-
Ehia. In 1916. representing the ma
tional House Of Representatives.
when President Wilson spoke for the
nation. has been widely distributed
and extensively used In the schools.
Senator Fess has had hard up
ward climb from extreme poverty.
Born in the opening year Of the civil
war, he was left fatherless at the
age OF four and homeless through the
of hn re- ,l,;
dren TO keep them together At the
age of twelve, Simeon. who was next
to the youngest, went to live with
his sister
the school of adversely. he early saw
the advantage of education. He went
to school in the winter and worked
on the farm and did odd jobs In the
summer. Until he was sixteen he
worked for his board and clothes. In
that year he hired out for g. per
month. the next year for 80 per month
and the year following for $40 per
month. At nineteen he began to teach
for $40 per month, putting on interest
S95 out of his first six months teach
ing. During the next seven years he
taught in winter and studied in COL
lege in summer. Two years before
graduation he was made an instructor
in the Ohio Eastern University. and
full professor at the head of the
American history department on the
day he graduated as honor man in his
class.
He has come into close personal
| touch with all the great educators
OF this country. and personally taught
more than % 900 students, including z
several who have been his colleagues
in the United States Senate and House
OF Representatives.
Though he has achieved rema rkable
success in politics and has been
known as adviser Of the President" ="
yet Fess has had lot of hard luci.
in the political game since he began
his political activities in the, famous
Blaine campaign OF 1884. while yet
in college. He has participated ac-
lively in every national campaign
since then. But when he esSayed 10
get in the state senate he was de-
feated for the nomination by a mis-
count. When he was first candidate
for Congress in 1900 ne was defeated
on the 432nd ballot after five days
convention.
The advent in Congress OF Senator
Edward I. Edwards of New Jersey as
successor to Joseph Sherman Freling-
| huyscn calls attention to a record
unique in American politics. Senator
Frelinghuysen, next friend Of the
lamented Harding. was the fourth
| member Of his family in direct dc
! scent. one IN each generation. t.
occupy n seat IN the United States
Senate.
But-'Like father like son"-in =
political way. it is not at all rare as
seen in a review of Congress. where
We find maHya a Solon son felleWin &
in the law making footsteps of a
solon sire.
Senator Frelinghuysen comes of a
family which may be said TO be q
] New Jersey institution Like Theo-
dore Roosevelt, whom he greatly re-
sembles in strength of character and
ness of physique and red-blooded.
virile American manhood, he is OF
Dutch stock. In 1920 the founder OF
the family in America. the Rev.
/ iTheodorus Jocobus Frelinghuysen
came from Holland. and on January
valley to take charge of three or four
; Dutch churches, where he preached
! for more than quarter of a century
and is the hero of many a fireside e
tale recounted by the oldest in
habitants as they in turn got them
; from their forebears. Thus il is es-
tablished that New Jersey. as Well
as New York, was first settled by
the Dutch.
This pioneer Dutch preacher had
=
four sons We're all clergymen and the
daughters both married clergymen.
The only one of this family to leave
children was Rev. John Frelinghuysen
and the strain of clergy propensity
dropped out of the Frelinghuysen
family after two generations. Rev.
John Frelinghuysen was the father
of Gen. Frederick Frelinghuysen, who
was a revolutionary soldier and later
got the title of general in the
IA hn rGf raf in
huysen to come to t-le United States
Senate.
This Frelinghuysen pioneer in the
Senate was the great-grandfather of
the outgoing senator. Gen. and
Senator Frederick Frelinghuysen had
was United States senator, and in
1884 was the whig nominee for vice
president on the ticket with Henry
Clay. That was a notable campaign
| with Clay as valiant champion of
protection.
Another son of Gen. Frederick Fre-
| tlinghuysen. whose name also was Fred
erick. was father of Frederick Theodore
Frelinghuysen. who also sat in the
United States Senate and served as Sec
retary of State in the cabinet of Presi-
dent Arthur. Thus in the close associa-
tions Of Senator Joseph :. Frelinghuy-
sen with President Harding he was but
carrying on the customs OF his family
for four generations.
The third son of the original Gen.
Frederick Frelinghuysen was Gen. John
Frelinghuysen, who was a son of the
first Senator Frelinghuysen. a brother
of the second, an uncle of the third and
grandfather of the fourth. 1t must he
noted that these four Freinghuysens in
the Senate represented four successive
generations. and each of the successive
senator's came from n different son Of
the original Gen. and Senator Frederick.
There is nothing like that record in the
entire history of this country.