The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-11-25
Francis E. Warren

When a man has been United States senator for
almost thrtynine years, longer than any other man
ever has served; when he has been in public Office
hfty-six years. longer perhaps than any other Ameri-
can, his death makes it difficult to fix upon single
episode to illustrate his character The man is Francis
E. Warren of Wyoming
Sentences that suggest his career are these:
He was member of the territorial senate of Wy
oming in 1873.
Twice Governor of the territory and first Governor
Of the state of Wyoming.
Member of the United States senate, with one
years intermiSSion, since $780,
At one time considered the weaIthiest member of
the senate.
THE greatest shepherd since Abraham" This So
briquet applied by Senator Doliver of Iowa chung to
Warren for many years 1t grew out of Warren's
successful battle for famous Schedule in the tariff
act of 1909, the tariff that wrecked President Tafts
hope of second term Warren was one Of the great,
if not the greatest of sheep rasers in the west and
Schedule fixed the rates on wool
Chairman of the senate appropriations committee
through many terms and considered one of the few
masters of the governments fiscal machinery
successful merchant banker, stock raiser and
farmer
The only member of congress who had received the
Congressional Medal of Honor. This was voted him
for gallanry in action during the Civil war where
he served as commissioned officer in regiment
OF Massachusetts volunteers.
Ihese are among the mileStoneS of Senator War
renS public career and yet they do not furnish the
key to his character Perhaps it will be found in this
little story of his boyhood
Senator Warren born on a rocky New Eng
land farm His family poor almost desperately
So AS he grew toward young manhood it was a
hardship to spare the boy time for the brief winter
schooling he could obtain by walking some miles to
the nearest school house.
Young Warren was big and strong, already doing
mans work on the farm. Finished with the dis
trict school, he aspired to the further possibilities
offered by small academy in another borough He
achieved this ambition by working between terms
and during week-ends farm hand for a neighbor
and turning the wages received over to his father
the CUSTOM if not the law, of those days in
Massachusetts.
He completed the academys course with credit
to himself the result of night study in the lnheated
attic room where he lived He left then on the final
long walk for home without waiting for the next
days ceremonies, which would have included the be-
stowal of diploma himself. His best clothes
were shabby he could not bring himself to appear.
Does this explain the man? Courageous, tenacious
of purpose willing to work without end to achieve his
aim. Yet this aim didsnot look beyond the accepted
forms of success. He would have liked to have had
the diploma, but he did question the necessity to
be dressed properly to receive it.
Things were as they were he did not question
their Brightness. He sought only to win the accepted
form of success for himself.
This aim he achieved and in immense measure He
won great wealth and great power But it wasn't his
wealth and his power that made him conservative.
Conservatism was inherent in his nature, respect
for the things of the world they are.
1t was an honest conservatism, one that was re-
spected by those who differed with him. For at his
DEATH Senator Warren had the deep affection and adj
miration of the others in the chamber where he had
served so long.