Evening star., 1934-09-30

ished merit Sunday in The Star.
|HE most delightful old-time
talker in Washington is the
Hon. Harvey Watterson of
L Kentucky. Forty-four years
ago when Daniel Webster,
Henry Clay and John c. Calhoun
were in the zenith of their power he
sat in the House. He has known well
all of the great men from that day
to this. Last night spent pleasant
hour with him and some other gentle
men who were telling stories in the
lobby of the Ebbitt House.
The talk turned to Kentucky and
her great men. The name of Ben
Hardin was mentioned, and Mr.. Wat
terson told the following tale:
Ben Hardin was brilliant fellow
and he had a strong sense of humor.
When he was elected to Congress in
1915 he had already served several
terms in the Kentucky Legislature,
and was noted throughout the State
as lawyer. He started for Washing
ton, however, dressed in the rough
clothing of frontier State, and wear
overcoat of the West AS he was
passing through Virginia two smart
looking young fellows overlook him
and fell into conversation with him
Hardin saw at their first words that
they supposed him to be greenhorn,
so he put on such manners and accent
as to confirm their illusion. The
meeting took place within a few miles
of the town where they were to stop
for the night.
In the course of the conversation
the young bloodS told him there was
to be literary society meeting that
evening and that if he would attend
he might hear some fine speaking. At
this point one, slyly winking at the
other, said: And perhaps, stranger,
you will join in the debate yourself?'
II don't know, replied Hardin, I
have spoke some in old Kaintucky.
What mought your question be?'
The question was not new to him.
1t was one of the leading ones of the
day-a political issue upon which he
was thoroughly posted. As old Ben
Hardin heard it, however, he shook
his head and said: Boys, you will
hev to excuse me on that. I amt up
on that subject. Now, if it was wheth-
er pursuit was better than possession,
or some of our old subjects, I allow
I'd tackle ye. But about this yere
politics, I don't know
After much persuasion he promised
the young men that he would attend
and perhaps he would say sutthin
anyhow The party separated at the
hotel and the young fellows went off
laughing at the fun they expected to
have that night. They told all their
friends and soon the whole town knew
of the green Kentuckian's arrival.
When the literary society meeting
opened every seat was taken. The
exercises went off quietly until the
debate opened. Every one looked at
Hardin. He sat quietly until the close.
The two young fellows made their
speeches, and fair ones, too. AS the
second one finished and Mr.. Hardin
arose, every one in the audience
nudged his neighbor. every face was
ready to smile. Their expressions
changed, however, when Old Ben took
up the subject and treated it most
eloquently. He tore to pieces the
speeches Of the young fellows who had
thought to trick him and as he was
finishing the two were so chagrined
that they left the room.
He referred to them as they went
and closed after an eloquent perora-
ton by telling the society he was a
Kentucky member of Congress on his
way to Washington. The people crowd
ed around him to shake his hand.
The remainder of his visit was an
ovation, the whole population came to
his hotel to see him off the next day,
while the two smart young fellows
we're the laughing stock of the town"
King of Lobbyists.
Samuel Ward, king of the Wash
ington lobbyists, died this week
at Pagli, Italy, aged II years. 1t is
five years since he has done any work
in Washington, but his name is a
will tell stories by the hour of his
wonderful dinners and his princely
manners during the 18 years he spent
here. His house was the favored re-
sort of all the leading statesmen, pol
iticians and diplomats of the coun-
try; even the President now and
then sat down to his board. He spent
money as though it were water, and
no delicacy was too costly nor wine
too rare to appear on his table. He
did not deal in small matters and
the measures he was connected with
ran into the hundreds of thousands.
For his first work he received $4,000
for dinner expenses alone, and he
was so successful that for the later
jobs, railroad and otherwise, which
he helped to carry through Congress,
he was able to ask what he pleased.
A gentleman for whom Ward man
aged a bill of large dimensions, said
last night:
Samuel Ward never asked a man
anything in regard to a measure in
which he was interested, at his din
ner table. I do not think the pro-
poSal for service ever came from him
tH ths first instance. But he treated
his friends so well that they were
always anxious to do something for
him, and usually asked if they could
not serve him. Ward was q curious
looking fellow. He was short and
stout, with a noble head and snow
white imperial. He looked much like
a French count. He had twinkling
eyes and he was always dressed in
the beSt-fitting clothes and the whit
est Of linen. He wore rose in his
coat and diamonds in his shirt and
wherever he went he was at once
singled out as a distinguished char
acter. He was well educated and
could talk a half dozen languages.
and he so delighted in the study of
the classics that he always carried a
pocket edition of some Latin author.
] have often seen him, while waiting
for a member of Congress, take this
book out and read it until he ap-
peared."
Sam Wards history reads like a
romance. He was born in the City
of New York, while the War of 1872
was raging. His father was then
one of the richest bankers in Wall
Street. Sam was well educated and