came to have a large number of warm personal friends, in addition to the members from Ohio-too many to fully enumerate them, much less specifically mention any, except only the three Speakers who served in that office while I was a member of the Senate.

They were, first, Mr. Reed, of whom in another connection I have already sufficiently spoken.

He was succeeded by General David B. Henderson of Iowa, a gallant soldier, who was mustered out because of the loss of a leg in battle during the second year of the War; the next year he raised a regiment and returned to the field at the head of it as its Colonel and continued there until the surrender at Appomattox. He was a brave, fearless man in peace as well as in war, and presided over the deliberations of the House with energy, firmness and satisfaction to all concerned.

He was succeeded by Joseph G. Cannon; "Uncle Joe," as he was popularly called. He had served in the House seven terms before I entered the Senate. He was one of the old and he was justly one of the most influential members; not only with members of the House, but also with members of the Senate.

He was an uncompromising Republican of the old school. He believed in a protective tariff that would protect; an honest ballot and a fair count; and in all the other basic principles and ideas and policies of the Republican Party and was never afraid to say so.

In scholarly attainments he was not the equal of Mr. Reed, and as a brilliant statesman he was outranked by Mr. Blaine ; but as a practical Legislator and as a Speaker of executive ability, thoroughly understanding the Rules of the House, and how to successfully govern that great body and make it useful and efficient, he was the equal of any of his predecessors since Henry Clay.

He was first elected to the 43d Congress, and has been continued as the Representative of the same district without interruption, except the 52nd Congress and the 63rd Congress; in both instances where he suffered defeat he simply went down with his party.

His re-election last year (1914) was a signal victory, but no more than he richly deserved. He is now advanced in years, and, perhaps, physically less active, but his mind is clear and his judgment apparently only improved by age. Long life and continued honor to the old veteran!

If time and space permitted it would be a pleasure to speak of the virtues and abilities of such members as Boutelle and Littlefield of Maine, McCall, Weeks, Moody, Lawrence and Judge Samuel L. Powers of Massachusetts, James R. Mann, present Minority Leader of the House, and M. B. Madden of Illinois; E. J. Hill of Connecticut, Francis W. Cushman of Washington, Hepburn, Lacey and Cousins of Iowa, John Dalzell, Marlin E. Olmsted, and H. Kirke Porter of Pennsylvania, Richard Bartholdt of Missouri, Robert R. Hitt and Henry S. Boutell of Illinois, Charles B. Landis, James E. Watson and Jesse Overstreet of Indiana, Parker of New Jersey, and Sereno E. Payne, James W. Wadsworth, James S. Sherman, afterward Vice President, and James B. Perkins of New York, and perhaps fifty others of practically equal prominence, distinction and efficiency as Representatives, with all of whom it was my fortune to have cordial and agreeable relations.

I might extend the list to the Democrats of the House, with many of whom I had a most pleasing acquaintanceship. I recall in this connection particularly Champ Clark, the present very able Speaker, Oscar T. Underwood, Henry D. Clayton, W. Bourke Cockran, Francis B. Harrison and George B. McClellan of New York, James D. Richardson of Tennessee, Albert S. Berry, A. O. Stanley and Swagar Sherley of Kentucky, James Hay of Virginia, and many others of equal party standing and influence.

Aside from every other consideration Washington is a beautiful residential city. As the capital of the Nation it is particularly so. With such associations and with duties to perform of such important and dignified character as those which devolved upon all connected with the public service while I was in the Senate time passed quickly and most agreeably.

CHAPTER XXXI.

THE DINGLEY TARIFF LAW-SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.

MY

Y first legislative work was at the extra session called by President McKinley to meet March 15th, 1897, in assisting to frame the Dingley Tariff law; especially the wool and pottery schedules. Wool growing had long been an important industry in Ohio. It had suffered severely under the Wilson-Gorman Law. The pottery interest at East Liverpool, situated as it was in McKinley's district, had received his special attention, and had grown to large proportions and prosperous conditions. It too had been almost ruined by foreign competition under the Wilson-Gorman law.

There was much opposition to the rates the wool growers and the pottery men respectively desired to secure. In consequence we had a very spirited contest, especially about the wool schedule, not only in the Finance Committee while the bill was there under consideration, but also in the Senate when it was there considered and discussed.

I was very much gratified to be able to render effective help in getting for both these industries the rates they demanded, and was made the recipient of a great many telegrams and letters and oral communications of approval and thanks for the work I had done. The Honorable William Lawrence, President of the National Wool Growers' Association, wired me the "thanks of a million wool growers." The pottery men of New Jersey were as enthusiastic in their commendation as were those of Ohio.

All the while the Tariff Law was under consideration the Cuban question was pressing for attention both in the Foreign Relations Committee, of which I was a member, and, also, on the floor of the Senate. Cushman K. Davis was Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations; and the