The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-04-27
A. J. BEVERIDGE.
INDIANA ,SOLON,
DIES SUDDENLY
(Continued from papa onel

An orator ana q writer
Beveridge's prominence was as
firmly fixed in his literary career and
in his ability as an orator, as in his
craftsmanship. His Life of John
MARSHALL is regarded as the most
Illuminating exposition OF the great
hief justice of the United States
supreme court.
After a year in Europe as a war
correspondent for a national weekly
magazine, Beveridge returned in 1915
to publish, on the eve Of Anne rica's
entrance, volume "What is Back
of the War;" which brought pitiless
castigation from those who saw in it
a justification of the German action.
1t was barred from many Libraries
and training camps.
That he should have attained
proficiency in many endeavors is
more significant in the light Of
Beveridge's humble beginning. He
was born October 6, 1862, on an Ohio
farm which gave back little more
than a scant existence. After the
Civil War the family moved to H.
linois.
Before he had quite reached his
teens Bcveridge had worked as farm
chore boy, u section hand on rail-
road, a teamster and logger. He
found time, however, to complete
grade school and enter De Paw
University, Greencastle, Ind. Work
ing summer vacations as book
agent, Beverage completed the col
lege work in 1885 and entered the
legal profession.
Katherine Langsdale, his first wife,
died in 1900 and in 1907 he married
Catherine Eddy of Chicago. The for
~mer senator had two children, Al
bert, Jr., and Abigail.
Took Up Law
Winning an interstate oratOrical
contest determined his future in
law.
A scholastic rivalry which develop
ed between Beverage and James E..
Watson, senator from Indiana, dur
ing their days at De Paw after
wards became political rivalry.
Both were aspirants for college ora
torical honors.
1t was Beveridge's declamatory
powers that first officially aligned
him with the Republican party. The
year he won the interstate oratOri-
cal medal. q coveted honor among
: the "fresh water" colleges of the
central states, both Democratic and
Republican state organizations were
searching for spellbinders. Both
sought the services of the young
Hoosicr Demosthencs, and the Re-
publicans were successful.
In 1887. two years after receiving
his academic degree, Bcveridgc
passed the bar examination and be-
came a junior member of an Indian
apolis firm. That same year he
married Miss Langsdalc.
The young lawyer became an en-
thusiastic Republican party worker,
winning position in the organiza-
ton councils as he attained local
emincnce as constitutional lawyer.
In 1898. he was injected as dark
horse" in the race for the United
States senate and. to the surprise of
the state. won. He was elected
again in 1905.
Bcveridgc took with him to Wash
ington reputation as an orator and
he soon justified that renown before
his colleagues in the senate. AL
though 81 years old he became the
"bOy orator" in that assembly of
venerable solons.
Interested in Porto Rico
The Holsters first notable speech
was on the Porto kican tariff bill.
He advocated unrestricted freedom
of trade to the island. His child
labor bill introduced in 1907 was
the first of unsuccessful measures
designed to relieve that condition.
1t died in committee.
Although Beveridge in many Of
his speeches attacked the invisible
49, ~AO1 MI sn,
and repeatedly denounced big bust
charged he neglected to vote against
legislation favored by the invisible
empire" and did occasionally vote
with the "big business" group. He
traced his break with the regulars
to the Payne-Aldrich tariff measure
Of 1909.
Enunciating the progressive creed
at the Chicago trump" convention
in 1912, Beveridge said:
1--WE mean not only to make pros
peritx steady. but to give to the
many who earn it. q first share in
that prosperity instead Of helping
the few who do not earn it to take
an unjust share.
"Thc tariff must be taken out of
politics and treated as business
problem. The tariff in politics is
one of the invisible governments
methods Of wringing tribute from
the people,"
He remained with the progressive
cause until 1914 when he was de-
feated as progressive candidate for
the senate. That year he went to
Europe as a war correspondent and
obtained an interview with the
kaiser. For his defense of the
kaiser's spirituality and morality he
incurred the enmity of the Germo-
phobiacs before the United States
entered the conflict and the con-
dcmnation of many Americans after
this country declared war.
"Dear George Episode
An incident resulting in much
criticism by Indiana editors became
known in Hoosier politics as the
Dear George" episode. In 1912,
when Bcvcridgc was a progressive
candidate for governor Of Indiana,
IL letter plrported to have been writ
Zen by him to George w. Perkins, an
official Of J. p. Morgan and
company, in which Beveridge re-
fused a $4,000 campaign contribu-
ton by Perkins. was made public.
Perkins was called Dear George"
and the writer commented upon the
many favors he had received from
the financier regarded as one of the
"Wall Street" group and close to the
invisible empire" Of regular Re-
publicans in the senate.
Beveridoc returned to the Rcpub
lican fold in time to avow the
Hughes candidacy in 1916. He made
many speeches against the League
of Nations and "stumpcd" the coun-
try for Harding in the 1920 cam
taign. His name was prominently
mentioned rs vice presidential can
0idate with Harding.
A typical Beveridge campaign Of
Oratory swept him ahead Of Harry
A. New in the 1929 race for the Re-