Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1899 — Who Beveridge Is. [ARTICLE]

Who Beveridge Is.

Albert J. Beveridge, who will ucceed David Turpie as United States Senator the -4th of next March, has the greatest reputation as an orator of any man of his age in this country. He is, in the best sense of the word, a self made man, and by the pure force of supreme natural ability has reached his present exalted position at the age of 36 years. He was born during the civil war on a farm on the borders of Highland county, Ohio. His father and all his brothers were away at the war and at the close of that struggle Beveridge’s father lost all his property, and the family moved to Illinois. From the age of twelve Albert’s life was oue of hardship. When twelve he was a plowboy, at fourteen he was working as a day laborer on railroad work; at fifteen he became a logger and teamster and by reason of a natural command of men was placed in charge of the logging camp. He went through the high school by working at nights and in the morning and borrowed SSO to go to college on. He got through his first year by working as steward of a club and by the end of the year he had taken prizes in philosophy, science and oratory sufficient to pay two years’ expenses. He was compelled to begin college late each year and quit early in order to go to work. The strain proved too much for him and to recover his health Mr. Beveridge went West and for some time lived with the cowboys. He then came to Indianapolis, where he read law in the office of Senator McDonald. Young Beveridge lived on two meals a day while doing so. At the end of the first year be was made managing clerk. After his admission to the bar the cases which cams, to him were of great importance and his first pleading before a court was in the Supreme Court. His career as a political speaker commenced in the Blaine campaign and he has since stumped the State in every campaign. His first address was in a blacksmith shop in Parke county and he has passed through every stage to that of invited guest of the most prominent clubs in the country. In 1895 he was invited by the Union League Club, of Chicago, to respond to the toast of honor at its Washington’s birthday banquet and this address created such a sensation that he was requested to close the Republican national campaign at the Auditorium in Chicago. For this purpose a committee from the Marquette Club and the national committee came heie to extend the invitation. The address delivered by Mr. Beveridge at that time attracted widespread attention as it was a reply to the speech of Altgeld in support of the statesright plank of the Chicago platform. The Bar Association of Pittsburg invited Mr. Beveridge to deliver the annual address before that organization and his address on “The Vitality of the American Constitution” was such a masterly one that it was printed by the association. Mr. Beveringe next delivered the principal address before the Republican Club of New York at its celebration of Lincoln’s birthday. At the celebration of Grant’s birthday in 1898, Mr. Beveridge was invited by the Middlesex Club, of Boston, to deliver the principal address. He was also invited to speak before the peace jubilee in Chicago and to close the campaign in Massachusetts, but declined both on account of prior engagements in this State. He has never sought political office and with the exception of the time spent in giving these addresses has devoted himself to his law practice. Mr. Beveridge married a Miss Langsdale, of Greencastle, but has no children.