The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-04-09
Continued from page one)

"ASAA
After serving or the Cincinnati
! school board, he was elected to the
Ohio house of representatives. Later
he became n member of the Ohio
senate, serving there with Warren G.
Harding a1d forming a friendship
with the future president which con.
tinued until Harding's death.
Elected to the 56th congress in 1902,
when only 33 years of age, Longworth
first served as a member of the for
eign affairs committee. Later he was
assigned to the ways and mean or
mittee which has initial jurisdiction
over tariff and revenue legislation.
Applying himself to a close study OF
these problems, he was in a position
to take an important part in the
shaping of the country's tax policy.
Led Tariff Fights
He led in the fights against the
Democratic Underwood tariff and for
the Payne = Aldrich and post = wa
Fordney : McCumber schedules. He
was speaker when the Hawley-SmooJ
act passed.
During his speakership, Longworth
formed with Republican Leader Til
son and Chairman Smell of the rules
committee a group termed the "tri-
umvirate" by Republicans and Dem
ocrats alike. The rule of the trium-
virate, irksome to some Republicans,
labeled "tyrannical' by Democrats.
led to a bipartisan fer pro-
cedure more responsive to minority
demands. Such revision was forecast
for the next congress.
The triumvirate broke on one not
| able occasion in the last session when
Longworth and Smell sided against
President Hoover on the bill to in
crease loans on veteran compenSa-
ton certificates. Tilson led the
presidents unsuccessful effort to kill
the bill, eventually passed over his
veto.
Courted Princess Alice
AS a young representative, Long
worth courted Alice Roosevelt, daugh-
ter of the president, and their we'd
cling in the East Room of the white
house on February II, 1906 was a
brilliant affair, witnessed by nearly
one thousand notables. Congress ad-
Journed for the day to do honor to
the tenth white house bride and the
representative from Ohio.
LongWorth confided later TO friends
that he soon realized it was somewhat
Of a political handicap to be identi-
fled as the "son-in-law of T. r." and
! the husband of Alice Roosevelt"
Some of his political foes sought to
attach the unofficial title of Grown
Prince" to young Longworth, but he
succeeded by his genial manner in
diSarming them, and, with a realiza-
ton that If he was to forge ahead in
the political world he must stand on
his own feet, struck out to ring up ac-
cOmplishments as a legislator on his
own account.
Family ties gave way to party al
legiance in the fall of 1912 when Mr..
Longworth became a candidate for
reelection. Seeking reelection to the
presidency was William H. Taft, a
fellow Cincinnatian, who was the
Republican party candidate. Oppos-
ing him. in addition to the Democrat
ic candidate, woodrow Wilson, was
MI. Longworth's father-in-law run
ming on the Progressive ticket.
With the encouragement of his
wife, the daughter of Roosevelt, the
Cincinnati representative declined to
bolt his party, supported Taft and
went down to defeat by a plurality
Of 101 votes at the hands of a Demo-
crat, who triumphed because the
Normal Republican vote was split be-
tween Longworth and a candidate en-
dorsed by the Bull Moosers. Two
years later, however, Longworth re-
turned to congress for an uninter-
rupted stay which eliminated in his
successful candidacy for the speak
ership.
Had Many Friends
Few men serving in congress could
boast Of greater popularity among his
colleagues than Longworth. He had
political enemies, but they were rela-
lively few in comparison with his
wide circle of friends, which included
men of all political compilations. One
Of his "cronies'' was Representative !
Garner, q Democrat from Texas, with |
whom he served on the Ways and
Means committee, while another was
Representative Garrett, of Tennessee,
who, as the Democratic leader,
matched wits with him on the floor !
when he was leading the Republican
forces.
Even the La Toilette insurgents,
whom he was instrumental in barr
ing from party councils for their re-
fusal to support the Republican ticket
In 1924, agreed that Mick" as he was
known to his friends, was "a good
fellow"
He was unyielding in his attitude
toward party irregulars when plans
were made for the or~ganization-o of the
68th congress, but he took the view |
that important legislation frequently
must be made the subject of COM
promise. It this opinion that led |
him to approve a modification Of the |
Mellon tax reduction plan in the |
9th congress when the proposal was
threatened with defeat as q result
OF q Democratic Republican 1nsur-
gent coalition.
Although q consistent supporter of |
the administration, Longworth Diff
fered from both President Harding
and Coolidge on some issues, voting
on n occasion for the soldiers
bonus which Coolidge vetoed.
Had Fund Of Jokes
Coming rs he did from Cincinnati, |
which repeatedly piled up substantial
majorities against prohibition, he
opposed the 18th amendment, but,
recognizing sentiment reflected in
congress for prohibition. he made no
effort as q party leader to bring about
notification or modification.
Bald and portly and invariably
good natured. Longworth had q knack
for telling anecdotes, and frequently
made use Of q funny story to ward