Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-29
ROBINSON KNOWN
AS PARTY WARRIOR
His Driving Power Used to
Weld Democrats in
Senate.
BY DONALD A. CRAIG.


Democratic nominee for Vice President
early in his somewhat remarkable polit'
/ ical career won q reputation for being
a fighting Southerner and an acrobatit
! speaker The years he has spent IN tbs
| House and Senate, especially since thu
| responsibility of leading his party or
! the floor of the Senate was given tC
! him, have made him more discreet
more cautious and taught him to curb 6
| temper that used to flare up at slight
provocation. but they have not taken
, away his fighting qualities. He is prob
ably the most aggressive leader whom
the Democrats Of the Senate have had
in generation.
In recent years Senator Robinson has
become a diplomat as well as fighter
He has exhibited a soundness of politi-
cal Judgment and legislative acumen
that has won him the admiration of his
Democratic colleagues in the Senate
and of the party leaders everywhere
and the respect of his political oppo~
nentS.
Since 1924.
His driving power, which he has used
to weld the Democrats of the Senate
into a solid rank to meet the political
enemy; his marked ability as a CAM
paign orator. his fearleSSnesS in any
situation that calls for intellectual or
physical combat, have made him ma
tional figure. Since 1924 he has been
considered one of the dark horse" pos
Sibilities for the Democratic presidential
nomination.
With laundering voice and robust
physique, Senator Robinson never fails
to make an impression when he goes
into action on the Senate floor. He
often charges down on the Republicans
as If he would rend them limb from
limb Tackling him in debate is like
tackling locomotive at full speed. he
refuses to be rebuffed. But Robinson
has learned to retire with grace from a
field of battle when he is licked" and
to gather up his forces for another on
slaught.
Since he has been Democratic leader
of the Senate, he has sometimes uSeo
his singing tongue to chastise some OF
his Democratic colleagues, who. In ms
opinion, have strayed from the told.
He has made himself recognized
throughout the Nation as leader VINO
stands for party solidarity.
THE Democratic party Is bigger than
anv man" he once remarked. with ref
erence to the rival claims of Gov. Smith
and McAdoo which split the party wide
open In 1924.
In council, Robinson has shown I'M
expected efficiency. The fiery-tempered
fighter from Arkansas has surprised
some of his calmer colleagues by his
effectiveness in smoothing out differ
ences within the party and advancing
action upon legislation in Congress,
whether in favor of his party or not.
For Robinson believes that the majority
party is responsible for legislation. when
it chooses to exert its power, and ne
has been willing to let the majority
legislate, after a reasonable time has
been given to the minority to record It's
objections.
Enters Senate.
Robinson's record Is probably unique
Tn one respect He has been member
of the House, governor OF his State ana
United states Senator within brief
space of two weeks. While he was a
Representative in Congress he was
elected Governor OF Arkansas In Sep
tember, 1912, Resigning his seat IN the
House. he was inaugurated governor
January l6, 1918. On the twenty-eighth
dav of the same month Gov. Robinson
was elected to the Senate to succeed
the late Senator JEFF Davis. He there
tfpon resigned the Office of governor and
took his seat IN the Senate March 10,
1919.
The date of his resignation from the
House was January IA. 1913, and II was
exactly two weeks later that he was
elected to the Senate, having been In
augurated as governor in the mean
time.
Robinson's sudden elevation to the
Senate under such circumstances did
not please everybody in the State and
a storm began TO gather ON his po-
litical horizon But he made good
In the Senate and the storm passed.
BY the time he came up for re-elec-
ton he won the nomination and cleo
ton, although opposed in the nomi-
mating primary by one Of the most
popular Democrats of his State.
Robinson was born August 26, 1872,
in Lonoke County, Ark. on a farm, the
son of DR.. James Robinson, physician
and surgeon, and Matilda J. tSwain)
Robinson.
Receiving his early education In the
public schools of his native county
he continued his studies at the Uni
varsity of Arkansas Fayetteville, and
then took up the study of law at the
University OF Virginia. After being
aCn1iLteQ 10 the Oar ne pebdu LIE
practice of his profession at Lonoke.
Ark, in 1895.
In State Legislature.
Senator Robinson's public service
began In 1894. in which year he was
elected to the Arkansas Legislature.
He served In the session Of 1895. He
was chosen presidential elector for the
sixth congressional district of Arkansas
in 1900 and was selected as electoral
messenger
In 1902 he was elected to the Fifty
eighth Congress, taking his seat March
4, 1908. BY successive reflections his
service was continuous through the
Fifty-eighth, Fifty-ninth. Sixtieth. Six
ty-first and Sixty-second Congresses.
In the latter Congress, and at the time
he was elected governor, he was chair
man of the House committee on public
lands.
Robinson was chosen as delegate
to the Democratic national convention
in San Francisco in 1920 and he ex-
pected to be no more active there than
the thousand and one other delegates,
but the party leaders, facing a mad
scramble by score of candidates for
the nomination, decided 1t was neces-