Evening star., 1928-10-28
1gtonians Look on While People of Nation Cast Ballots
CaptlWh
FamouN onedWn heCiH

proud America, and witness the dis
| tressing condition of their brothers here,
unable to take any part in this great
public demonstration of the right Of
the majority to rule; unable to vote for
| the Chief Magistrate. and unable to
vote for its just representative in Con-
gresS.
Occasionally a native Washingtonian
| enters the halls of Congress as a repre-
sentative from one of the several States,
and occasionally he adds his voice to
those of the people in pleading for
national representation. One who was
never found wanting in this respect and
who was always present when his
talents could be of service to his fell
low disfranchised natives was Henry
r. Rathbone. who represented in Con-
greSs, until his death few months ago,
the State of Illinois, as Congressman
at-large. Though he had adopted Ken
ilworth, in Cook County, as his home
county yet it was in Washington, D. c.,
that he was born, on February IL, 1870,
and it was the same Washington city
that he loved until the day of his death
and which he was always ready ana
eager to praise and to defend, upon any
and all occasions. He was lnSeed
worthy son and credit to the city OF
loss to the principles for which he
stood and for which he fought. From
the Spring of 1928, when he first en-
tered Congress, he was always on hand
to plead convincingly the cause of ma
tional representation for the people OF
washington. If ever a man deserves a
monument with the words "Semper
Fidellis" chiseled upon it, that man Is
the late Henry R RathbOne
Perhaps you will recall that it was
Mr. Rathbone's father, Maj. Henry r.
Rathbone, who was in the box with
Mr. Lincoln at Fords Theater on that
fatal April IA, 1865, when John Wilkes
Booth, the insane actor, r1ortally
wounded the martyr President. He had
accompanied there, in the presidential
party, his f1ancee, Miss Clara H. Harris,
daughter of Ira Harris, United States
Senator from New York from 1851 to
1857, and in attempting to hold the
assassin was severely cut on the arm
NTH a long knife. After their mar
rage the Rathbones resided at Lafay-
cite Square and 1t is probable that
Representative Rathbone was born
here within sight of the White House
His grandfather, Senator Harris, resided
at the corner of Fifteenth and H streets,
where is now the woodward Building.
X X X X
A THOUGH it was stated at the
time of Representative Rathbones
death that he was the only member of
Congress born in the District Of Co.
lumbia, as matter of fact there was
at least one other then serving, and
still serving, in the lower house who
was born here, but who found 1t neces-
sary to go elsewhere in order to come
to Congress, this being Representative
Richard S. Aldrich, Republican, of
Warwick, r. l., who was born in Wash
ington, D. c., February 20, 1884. His
father, the late Senator Nelson w.
Aldrich, was then serving Rhode Island
in the upper house, where he became
one of the great Senators of his day.
He is still remembered for his keen
interest in the affairs of the District
of Columbia. His son, the present
Representative, has served in the Sixty
eighth, Sixty-ninth and Sevensieth
Congresses and is now running for
reelection. Previous to coming here
to represent his State Representative
Aldrich served in the Rhode Island
House of Representatives in 1914 and
in the State Senate In 1916.
Another District native who was