Evening star., 1939-08-07
Monde|I
Continued From First Page)

er Cannon's powers, and he fought
the Bull Moose candidancy of Theo-
dore Roosevelt in 1912.
Mr.. Mondell was born in st. Louis
on November 6, 1860-the day Line
oln was elected President. Or
phaned at the age of 7, he was
adopted by a Congregational min
lister named Upton and went to live
with the family at Monona, Iowa
Later the Uptons took up home
stead in the northwestern part of
the State, 100 miles from a rail-
road and young Mondell pioneered
there until he was II. During boy
hood he had been able to attend
country school only three months
each winter. but his guardian had
an extensive library, from which the
youth obtained the rudiments of
liberal education.
At 18 he struck out for himself
After year of odd jobs in Chicago
he went to Denver on money he had
saved. For eight years he worked on
engineering and construction prof.
ects. In 1887 he was sent to North
eastern Wyoming in charge of ex-
tensive railroad and mining devel-
opments He was credited with be-
ing instrumental in the discovery of
bituminous coal in that region and
the opening of the Cambria mines.
He superintended laying out the
town of Newcastle, which became
his permanent home. He was its
first Mayor
Candidate for Senate.
Mr. Mondell served several terms
in the Wyoming Legislature, be-
coming president of the State SEN
ate. He was Republican candidate
for United States Senator, but a
deadlock in the Legislature pre-
vented his election. In 1894 he ran
for Governor, but withdrew to be-
come Republican nominee for Rep
reSentative at large in Congress.
Aafter serving one term in the Ma
tional House he was defeated in the
free silver campaign of 1896. He
was returned to Congress at the
next election and served continu-
ously from 1898 to 1923.
Instead of seeking reelection in
1922, he ran for the Senate, but was
defeated by Senator Kendrick, a
Democrat.
During the 66th Congress, in the
middle of President Wilson's second
term, Mr.. Mondell was made Repub-
lican leader of the House, which
then had majority His choice
was the result of the bitter speaker
ship fight in which Frederick H,
Gillett of Massachusetts defeated
James R. Mann of Illinois. Mr..
Mondell was reelected majority
leader of the 9th Congress and di-
rected House legislation during the
Harding administration.
Refused Cabinet Post.
At the time he left Congress, in
1923, Mr.. Mondell confided to friends
that President Harding had offered
to make him either Ambassador to
Japan or Governor of Puerto Rico.
but he had declined. He also was
reported to have refused a cabinet
appointment to enter private law
practice.
Mr.. Mondell did not study law
until he became member of Con-
gress. He attended night school
here and was awarded his degree
by George Washington University
in 1921. He then was admitted to
practice in Wyoming and later in
the District of Columbia.
He was delegate to many Re-
publican national conventions and
presided as permanent chairman at
the Chicago convention in Cleve-
land which nominated President
Coolidge to serve full term in the
Office to which he had succeeded on
the death of President Harding.
AS member of the House, Mr.
Mondell advocated woman suffrage
and sponsored homestead, recla-
nation and other measures of in
| terest to the West.
He was president of the Dry
Farming Congress from 1910 to 1915
He was a 33rd degree Mason. In
recent years he had maintained law
Offices in the Investment Building