THE CONGRESS: The Old School

Some 40 years ago down in Boone County, Indiana, there was a little schoolhouse where assembled day by day a group of pupils regarded as rather thoroughly roughneck. A young teacher appointed to the school was regarded as eminently fitted for the post because ha was six feet tall and molded well.

As was to be expected, trouble developed, and the young teacher lived up to expectations by soundly thrashing one of his pupils. Bub the pupil, resenting thus having been beaten at his own game, started suit against the teach ar. The teacher did not have any money to hire a lawyer. So he went into court and defended himself. He won again.

What the pupil did then is not recorded, but the young teacher, whose name was Samuel Moffet Ralston, began to study law. By and by he became a lawyer and pretty soon he entered politics— the old school of politics, the sams school from which the late Thomas R. Marshall was graduated, an evenminded school of men, not given to demagoguery, fierce invective and cheap chicanery. Conservative and thoroughly regular— that was the old school.

His first ventures in politics were not encouraging. In 1888 he was defeated for State Senator. In 1896 and 1-898 he was defeated for Secretary of State of Indiana. In 1908 his good friend Tom Taggart tried to nominate him for Governor. But other Democrats revolted, trying to unseat Boss Taggart. They deadlocked the Convention, which finally turned to a compromise candidate—Thomas R. Marshall.

In 1912, when Marshall was running for Vice President, Ralston tried again and succeeded. It is generally admitted that he made a very able Governor. He helped to bring Indiana’s finances up out of a sea of debt in which they had been floundering for years.

Ten years later came his second chance. He was nominated for Senator, as a Democrat of course. Albert J. Beveridge had just defeated Senator Harry S. New for the Republican nomination. The disgruntlement of the New men helped to weaken Beveridge in the campaign and Ralston won.

After that Ralston had few ambitions. He virtually turned down a nomination for President last year, as the deadlock between McAdoo and Smith broke up in the Democratic Convention. He ordered his name withdrawn as votes began to pile up for him.

This is the story of Samuel M. Ralston’s rise in politics. His de-parture from it was equally dignified and calm. Since early in September he had been ill with uremic poisoning. He recognized that he had not long to live; so he bade his family and friends good-by last week at his bedside in his Indianapolis home and one morning slipped into unconsciousness. Twenty-two hours later he died.

They buried him quietly but with honors, at Lebanon, Ind., his old home.

From the Senate standpoint the death of Senator Ralston is important. It means the loss of a Democratic vote, for Governor Jackson of Indiana is a Republican and will appoint one of his party to the vacancy. Conjecture has veered in many directions, the nationally known names mentioned being those of Albert J. Beveridge, onetime Senator; Everett Sanders, Secretary to the President and former Congressman; Will R. Wood, Representative and Chairman of the Republican Congressional Committee.