The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-05-26

honest sympathy for that well known character known vaffously as the common man, the forgotten man and the under-log. He is kind and friendly, despite a hot temper which he has never bother ed to subdue.
 He is le3 years old now, white- haired red-faced blue-eyed shaggy browed, beak-nosed and hard-bit- ten. His height is about medium. Usually he radiates zest and hum- or, along with other qualities which integrate hIs gift for mak- ing friends and his skill in hand ling people.
 You think, when you meet Gar ner, that you're going to get a square deal from him. And you always do. But if you play a. gainst him at poker you're likely to lose your shirt.
 Garner is a man of crisp, direct speech, which off the rostrum is likely to be embellished with lusty profanity. His language Is pic- turesque and expressive, especially when 1t comes blurted out in the direction of the White House. No one could be more plain-spoken or more obviously sincere in what he says.
 His decisions are usually quick and they are sound often enough to give him an excellent reputation for clear thinking. You cant credit him with brilliant intellect or an unusually broad perspective, but his mind Is alert and far above average.
 He is especially skillful at pene- trating bunk, at grasping essentials and making them plain. Although he is contemptuous a political bunk tnd seldom perpetrates 1t himself. he is not however, aboue laying on the old hokum when 1t seems likely to be effective.
 He was born in log house at little place called Blossom Prairie in Northeastern Texas. His father was @ former Confederate soldier and farmer, who had pio- neered into the state and was hav- ing a hard time making Q living out of the soil.
 Jacks early surroundings were strictly agrarian, his opportunities limited. His mother taught him reading and eventually he was get ting a good schooling. He was studying law at IS, punching cat tie and riding range at the same time. He moved to Uvalde and practiced, became popular. devei- oped a gift of gab and a reputation for being a man of his word. Once he played shortstop on baseball team and in his middle twenties was briefly a county judge.
 In tho Texas legislature he in- troduoed his famous bill providing for division of Texas into five states, as permitted by law. but produced few other bills. During two terms he specialized on state finance and taxation. He helped put over congressional redistrict- ing which involved his own coun. ty and in 1902 ran successfully for congress, aided by his wife, Mrs Ettie Garner, who is his secretary to this day.
 Garner participated in the fights which ragged more than 20 years ago against the iron rules of the house and has stood for liberal rules since. Eventually he went on the very powerful ways and means committee. which Is an ardu- ous assignment and handles such matters as taxation and tariffs.
 He has introduced few bills, be- lieving that there are too many laws anyway and picking up many friends by his willingness to let others take the credit for spon- sorship of legislaution.
 
 His most spectacular and suc- cessful big fight was made against the Mellon tax plan in 1924--a re- duction measure which had tre- mendous support. Garner quickly saw that the bill was a great boon to the wealthy but that the reduc- ton in their taxes was out of pro-