Evening star., 1931-12-06
NICKNAMES WHICH STUCK
BY FREDERIC ]. H4SKIN,

one was applied consciously or with
any premeditation. For example, In
the course Of speech ON the Aoor Of
the House, John Allen, q Representa-
tive from Mississippi, discoursed upon
tbs giories Of the Confederate Army
and indicated that there were so many
great generals in it that he appeared
to be the only private. so long ~ he
remained in Congress or anywhere else
he thereafter was known as Private John
Alien. Perhaps he was unique in hav-
ing named himself, but all uneon-
sciously.
Among other closely Identifying nick
names was that of the Watchdog of
the Treasury, first applied to Repre-
sentative Holman of Indiana, who, as a
member of the Committee on Appropria-
ions, 50 closely scrutinized every re-
quest for funds and held Congress down
to minimum Of expenditure so in
defatigably that the nickname fixed
itself automatically. He was just that.
Then, too, there was Old Figgers.
He was Representative Grosvenor of
Ohio, whose gift for figures and alert
ness 10 detect arithmctical fallacies
amazed his colleagues. Old Bullion got
his nickname from his preoccupation
also. He was Senator Benton of Mis-
souri,, who was deeply concerned with
legislation relating to gold.
Some Of the Best Known.
There is long list OF statesmen who
drew their informal names from out
standing personal attributes. No more
picturesque one could be found than
that Of Gum-shoe Bill. He was Senator
Stone Of Missouri. as shrewd politician
- he was able q statesman. He got things
done 10 silently and smoothly that he
| reminded one enough of sleuth to
invite the gum-shoe epithet
GONG back way we find Old
Hickory. who might be bent but never
could be broken no matter how the
Eastern millionaires or his British or
Indian foes tried. Then there was
Zachary Taylor, Old Rough and
could be depended upon TO confound
his opponents.
The Boy Orator of the Platte was
/ William Jennings BryAn's earliest nick
name and followed him when he
ceased to be the youth who startled
political America in 1885. He had num-
erous others, inheriting, indeed, the
description Of Silver Tongued which
earlier had been applied to Senator
Roscoe Conkling. Also it was, for a
time, applied to Senators Beveridge Of
| Aitlniih BLU bTcCklLTlQGe OF heDGQCky.
| Another member of the House, though
for but part Of one term, bore one of
the best known nicknan1es In the coun-
try. He was Marse Henry Watterson,
for so years editor of the Louisville
Courier Journal. Although an officer
In the Confederate Army and aide to
Gen. Forrest, statesman, and
journalist, his nickname rose merely
from his typical Kentucky manners and
he was Marse Henry the length and
breadth Of the country. None would
know who was meant If one referred to
Mr. Watterson or scarcely even Col.
Watterson, but Marse Henry was
unrnistakable :
One may start with the Father Of
His Country and include the Sage of
Monticello, Thomas jefferson; Old
| Tippecanoe, who was Gen. william
Henry Harrison, and come down
through Senator Platt of New York, the
Easy Boss: Sunset Cox Of Ohio, and
a host Of others and find the shortest
and simplest nickname of them all
which, as the toastmasters say, needs
| no Introduction, "T. r"