664 .S835 U5 Copy '• l;;ir.M;M J ;:-u;i'.:!*;;i;;;i;'!l54,.'iX'^')t ■-'"'■'- '^"•""'ly,0.^i!r,!;:;' ".:,":.':;:!a!:!iii ift'O*^? xc :;::;2: aass_EL6_6jl__ jrfS°iJi^^^} HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES { °No™ Document 875 r+^ a JOHN A. STERLING (Late a Representative from Illinois) MEMORIAL ADDRESSES DELIVERED IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES SIXTY-FrFTH CONGRESS Proceedings in the House January 19, 1919 Proceedings in the Senate October 21, 1918 PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON PRINTING ZO- ...,:- /3 WASHINGTON 1919 ^; 7^ i/uy b; of So fUL I 1920 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page. Proceedings in the House 5 Prayer by Rev. Henry N. Couden, D. D 6, 8 Memorial addresses by^ Mr. George Edmund Foss, of Illinois 11 Mr. Joseph W. Fordney, of Michigan 15 Mr. Henry T. Rainey, of Illinois 19 Mr. William E. Mason, of Illinois 21 Mr. Isaac R. Sherwood, of Ohio 25 Mr. Loren E. Wheeler, of Illinois 28 Mr. Martin B. Madden, of Illinois 29 Mr. William J. Graham, of Illinois 32 Mr. Richard Wayne Parker, of New Jersey 34 Mr. Joseph G. Cannon, of Illinois 36 Proceedings in the Senate 43 [3] HON^JOHNA-STEHilNG DEATH OF HON. JOHN A.STERLING Proceedings in the House of Representatives Thursday, October 17, 1918. Mr. Cannon. Mr. Speaker, it is with pi-ofound regret that I rise to announce the death, at Pontiac, 111., to-day, in an automobile accident, of our colleague, Hon. John A. Sterling, of Illinois. At some future time I will ask the House to pause in its ordinary business, in order to pay appropriate tribute to the life, character, and public services of our distin- guished friend. I offer the following resolution. The Speaker. The Clerk will report the resolution. The Clerk read as follows : Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of the death of Hon. John A. Sterling, a Representative from the State of Illinois. Resolved, That a committee of 20 Members of the House, with such Members of the Senate as may be joined, be appointed to attend the funeral. Resolved, That the Sergeant at Arms of the House be authorized and directed to take such steps as may be necessary for carrying out the provisions of these resolutions, and that the necessary expenses in connection therewith be paid out of the contingent fund of the House. Resolved, Tliat the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the Senate and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the deceased. The resolution was agreed to. The Speaker. The Chair will announce the committee in the morning. Mr. Cannon. Mr. Speaker, I offer the following reso- lution. [5] Memorial Addresses: REPRESENTAxn-E Sterling The Clerk read as follows: Resolved, That as a further mark of respect this House do now adjourn. The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 5 o'clock and 11 minutes p. m.) the House adjourned until to- morrow, Friday, October 18, 1918, at 12 o'clock noon. Friday, October 18, 1918. The Chaplain, Rev. Henrj' N. Couden, D. D., offered the following prayer: Lord God, our heavenly Father, whose ways are past finding out, we come to Thee with bowed heads and sor- rowing hearts because of the widespread desolation throughout the land. Thousands are passing to the un- seen, leaving homes and hearts desolate. Again, we as a body have been touched with sorrow and grief because of the death of another Member of this House — a real Representative of the people, a patriot, a statesman, wise in his counsels, a strong advocate of what he believed to be right. He is gone. We mourn his going, and by the blessed angel of faith help us, his widow, and all who knew and loved liim to look forward to the life eternal, for there is no death. 1 long for household voices gone, For vanished smiles I long, But God hath led my dear ones on, And He can do no wrong. i know not what the future hath Of marvel or surprise, Assured alone that life and death His mercy underlies. Amen. [6] Proceedings in the House The Speaker announced the following comniittee to attend the funeral of the late Representative Sterling of Illinois : Mr. Mann, Mr. Cannon, Mr. Henry T. Rainey, Mr. Fos- ter, Mr. McCormick, Mr. Mason, Mr. Wilson of Illinois, Mr. Sabath, Mr. McAndrcws, Mr. Juul, Mr. Gallagher, Mr. Britten, Mr. Foss, Mr. Copley, Mr. Fuller of Illinois, Mr. McKenzic, Mr. King, Mr. Ireland, Mr. Wheeler, Mr. Rodcn- berg, Mr. Williams, Mr. Denison, Mr. John W. Rainey, Mr. Green of Iowa, Mr. Oldfield, Mr. Dallinger, Mr. Camp- bell of Kansas, and Mr. Raker. Thursday, October ^4, 1918. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Waldorf, its enroll- ing clerk, announced that the Senate had passed the following resolution (S. Res. 322) : Resolved, That the Senate has heard with profound sorrow the announcement of the death of Hon. John A. Sterling, late a Representative from the State of lUinois. Resolved, That a committee of six Senators be appointed by the Presiding Officer to join the committee appointed on the part of the House of Representatives to attend the funeral of the deceased. Resolved, That the Secretary communicate a copy of these resolutions to the House of Representatives. Tuesday, December 10, i918. Mr. Cannon. Mr. Speaker, I present a request for unani- mous consent, which I send to the desk and ask to have read. The Clerk read as follows : Mr. Cannon asks unanimous consent that Sunday, January 19, 1919, be set apart for addresses on the life, character, and public services of the Hon. John A. Sterling, late a Representative from Illinois. The Speaker. Without objection, it will be so ordered. There was no objection. [7] Memorial Addresses: Representati\-e Sterling Tllsuay, January li, l'J19. The Speaker. The Chair assigns the gentleman from Illi- nois [Mr. Cannon] to preside next Sunday. Sunday, January 19, 1919. The House met at 12 o'clock noon and was called to order by the Speaker pro tempore [Mr. Cannon]. The Chaplain, Rev. Henry N. Couden, D. D., offered the following prayer : Father in Heaven, we thank Thee that the deeds of man are automatically recorded in the tissues of his soul, that the final result is the character which he builds for him- self. Some men work to live, others live to work. The for- mer are eye servants. The latter are heroes and work for the betterment of mankind, in the community, the State, the Nation, the world. Such men are admired, re- spected, and loved by all with whom they come in contact. We are here to-day in memory' of two who have placed themselves on the roll of honor, to record on the pages of historj' their life, character, and public service; that they may live as beacon lights to guide us and future genera- tions, to emulate their virtues, so that when we pass from this life men will rise up and call us blessed. They are gone. Their works live. We mourn their going, but look forward with bright anticipations to the life eternal. Let this comfort us and their dear ones until Thou shall call us to join them in the realms of the larger life where peace and happiness shall reign supreme; and everlasting praise be Thine, througli the world's Great Exemplar. Amen. Mr. Foss. Mr. Speaker, I offer the following resolu- tions, which I send to the Clerk's desk. The Speaker pro tempore. The gentleman from Illinois offers the following resolutions, which the Clerk will report. [8] Proceedings in the House The Clerk read as follows : Resolved, That the business of the House be now suspended, that opportunity may be given for tributes to the memory of Hon. John A. Sterling, late a Member of thds House from the State of Illinois. Resolved, That as a particular mark of respect to the memory of the deceased, and in recognition of his distinguished public career, the House, at the conclusion of the exercises of this day, shall stand adjourned. Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the Senate. Resolved, That the Clerk send a copy of these resolufions to the family of the deceased. The Speaker pro tempore. The question is on agreeing to the resolutions. The question was taken and the resolutions were unani- mously agreed to. The Speaker pro tempore. The Clerk will report the special order for to-day. The Clerk read as follows : On motion of Mr. Cannon, by unanimous consent. Ordered, That Sunday, January 19, 1919, be set apart for ad- dresses upon the life, character, and public services of Hon. John A. Sterling, late a Representative from the State of Illinois. On motion of Mr. Burroughs, by unanimous consent. Ordered, That Sunday, January 19, 1919, be set apart for ad- dresses upon the life, character, and public services of Hon. Jacob H. Gallinger, late a Senator from the State of New Hamp- shire. [9] MEMORIAL ADDRESSES Address of Mr. Foss, of Illinois Mr. Speaker: On October 17 last my colleague, John A. Sterling, Representative from the seventeenth congres- sional district of Illinois, suddenly departed this life as the result of an automobile accident, while on a visit to his home and district, and we, his friends, are gathered here on this occasion to testify to his worth and character. Congressman Sterling lived only a few moments after the accident occurred, but during that time showed his unselfishness and consideration of others in insisting that his rescuers should go to the aid of those who were with him in the accident and who were not injured as much as himself. While one of them was trying to assist him he said, " Never mind me. Look after the others." And this thoughtful expression on his part recalls to my mind the last words of the late President McKinlcy, who in his dying hour was so solicitous of those around him. John Allan Sterling had an eventful career and left a name which will long be remembered, not only by those whom he especially served as Congressman, but also by his State and country at large. He was born on a farm in Leroy, McLean County, 111. He attended the public schools and was graduated from the Illinois Wesleyan University in the class of 1881. While attending this in- stitution he was a teacher in the public schools and upon his graduation became superintendent of schools in Lex- ington, in an adjoining county. Subsequently he took up the study of law and was admitted to the bar of Illinois in 1884. He formed a part- nership with a classmate of his, Mr. Sain Welty, which [11] Memorial Addresses : Representati\'e Sterling continued until his partner was elected judge of the cir- cuit court. Later he organized a firm which was consid- ered one of the ablest in central Illinois, and was in active practice until his death. In 1892 he was elected State attorney for McLean Countj' and held that position for four years. In 1902 he was elected to the Fifty-eighth Congress and was a Member of all the succeeding Con- gresses, including the present, with the exception of the Sixtj'-third Congress. During his first term he was a member of the Committees on Territories and Elections. In his second term he was assigned to the Committee on the Judiciarj'. In the Sixty-fourth Congress he became a member of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Com- merce and in the Sixtj'-fifth Congress a member of the Committee on Ways and Means. He therefore had as- signments upon three of the most important, if not the most important, committees of the House of Representa- tives, and in all those positions he won the confidence of the House and found the opportunity for demonstrating his ability and statesmanship. He was recognized as one of the leading lawyers of the State. Judge Welty, his former law partner, has said : I knew him as no other lawyer in the city (Blooniington) knew him, and I can say that my opinion of his legal ability was always one of admiration. Perhaps there has been no other lawyer in our generation at this bar who undertook his cases with more painstaking care and thoroughness. No case was a trivial one for him. He prepared himself on the law and the facts with an ear- nestness and sincerity which spared no efforts. As a trial lawyer he had few peers. He impressed the jury with his evident seri- ousness and belief in the justice of his cause. The Bloomington bar will have reason long to remember John A. Sterling as one of its greatest lights. I think I can justly say that Congressman Sterling was recognized by this body as one of its ablest lawyers, and he demonstrated it on more than one occasion in the con- [12] Address of Mr. Foss, of Illinois sideration of legal questions. I can recall a number of instances, but one in particular during the impeachment of a Federal judge before the Senate some years ago, when it was remarked by many Senators that his presentation of the case was one of the strongest ever made before that body. As a man he won the respect of all who came in associa- tion with him. He was of modest demeanor, gentle in his manner, considerate of the feelings of others, and un- selfish to a marked degree. His was a kindly nature which radiated and permeated those around him. He was a man who did not seek the limelight, nor was he always forcing himself to the front, but one whose ability commanded attention and was so evident that many eagerly sought his advice and gave due recognition to his worth. He was a man who did not give his confidence to every- one, but only upon long acquaintance and close associa- tion. He was slow in forming his opinions, and after- study and consideration came to a conclusion which was marked by deep thought, keen perception, and steadfast- ness of purpose; and when he arrived at that conclusion he was unshaken, but with great sincerity, born of convic- tion, he impressed it upon the minds of those around him. Having once taken his position on any question he was firm as a rock to the cause which he advocated, and noth- ing could move him from his position. He was naturally conservative in thought and action. He was no dema- gogue, nor did he appeal to the galleries, nor was he striv- ing for headlines in the public press. He had contempt for the superficial and sensational which seeks publicity simply for the sake of it and gives the impression to the people of a character which does not exist. Reputation and character are two different things — reputation is what the world thinks of you and character is what you really [13] Memorial Addiiesses: Representative Sterling are. John Sterling never sought reputation, but he estab- lished a character of such breadth and power as will be known and revered for years to come. His distinguishing characteristic might be said to be that of intense sincerity — sincerity in thought, in action, and in purpose. There was nothing of duplicity in him. He was never found sitting on the fence — he was either on one side or the other. He never tried to ride two horses. He never gave his support to a man or a cause but what he was true to the end. He was at all times what his name expressed — sterling — and on this account gripped his friends with bands of steel. He was one of the man- liest, truest, gentlest, noblest men I ever knew. Every position that he held in life he filled with ability, courage, and honor, and there is no office in the gift of the American people to which he might have been called if he had lived which he could not have filled with signal distinction. He would have made an able governor, a distinguished Senator, a splendid Speaker of this House, and the great interests of our Nation could have been safely intrusted in his hands as its President. We mourn him to-day as our colleague and associate, one of the ablest Representatives that Illinois ever sent to this body, a great lawyer, a wise counselor, a true patriot and statesman, and we extend our heartfelt sympathy to those who knew him better than we, in the holiest of all circles, around the fireside and in the home. [14] Address of Mr. Fordney, of Michigan Mr. Speaker: The State of Illinois has long recognized the fact that in honoring its faithful Representatives by giving them length of service it promotes its own well- being. There are present here to-day conspicuous exam- ples of this, on both sides of the House. First of all on the roll of long service comes Joseph Gurney Cannon, Nestor of legislators, with an unrivaled record, having to his credit the greatest length of service of any man who ever sat in either House, and probably the most experi- enced legislator in the whole world; who practiced law when Lincoln was district attorney of Sangamon County, 111., who heard the Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1858, and who began his national career in 1860 as a delegate to the convention at Chicago that nominated Lincoln for the Presidency. Next in length of service from Illinois in this House comes James R. Mann, with eleven continuous terms to his credit; then George E. Foss, also with eleven terms; then Henry T. Rainey, with eight terms, and William A. Rodenberg, with a like number; Martin B. Madden, Charles E. Fuller, and William W. Wilson, with seven terms each. And our dead brother John A. Sterling, whose memory we honor to-day, was also seven times elected a Member of the House. If he had served here only a term or two neither we nor the country would have known how great a man he was, for his qualities were of the kind that time alone can exhibit in their full degree. He came here with the learning of the schoolmaster and the experience of the State's attorney; but he was a quiet man, and in his first session here did not take any part in the debates on the floor of the House; and as no commit- [15] Memorial Addhesses : Representative Sterling tees were appointed in that session except the two or three that had to do with the special business for which the session was called we did not have the usual chance to measure him across the committee table. In the second session he was appointed a member of the Committee on Elections No. 3 and the Committee on the Territories; and the first public word he said was in a contested elec- tion case. The first sentence he ever spoke on this floor was eminently characteristic of the man. He said : Mr. Speaker, it seems to me that this discussion ought to be confined to the questions that are made in this record. The re- marlis made by the gentleman from Iowa have not been based to any extent upon the record that was before this committee and is now before this House. I can not understand what tlie platform which the gentleman read has to do with the question that this House has to decide. That remark was typical of the processes of Mr. Ster- ling's mind. He could not understand why anyone should ever seek to becloud a question or sidestep a duty. When he had studied a question and had made up his mind what ought to be done, there was for him only one thing to do, and that was to go where his judgment and conscience led, and go by the shortest possible route. He was a man of strong friendships, but he never let a personal friendship interfere with his judgment in the discharge of his duty or with the process by which he made up his mind that one side of a question was right and the other side was wrong. Over and over again, in his speeches in this House, he urged Members not to be swayed by sympathy or preju- dice, or by the consideration of outside matters. To hiui everj' question was a simple one, because he first stripped it of all the husks, he cracked the shell, and when he had finished his statement of a question there was nothing left except the one plain thing to be decided. He did not speak often, but when he did he threw a searchlight on the subject. [16] Address of Mr. Fordney, of Michigan This being the quality of the man, it was inevitable that he should grow in the esteem of his fellow Members; and the longer he was here the more important were the duties placed on his shoulders. His services on the Elec- tions Committee proved him to be a strong la\A^er; and naturally enough he had not been here long before he was chosen a member of the Committee on the Judiciary, in which capacity he did some of his best work. Then he was selected to serve on the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, taking an active part in the enor- mous tasks that have confronted that committee; and finally he became a member of the great Committee on Ways and Means. No committee of Congress has ever had before it such important matters as have come before this committee in recent years. And in this work Mr. Sterling took an increasingly conspicuous part. He was a strong believer in the doctrine of the protection of the industries of this country from the attacks of competitors who by cheap labor would destroy the comfort of the American workman's home; and in his speeches and in the committee he never let anyone have a moment's doubt as to where he stood on that subject. He was for his country always. Such men make a nation invincible. He was strong, he thought in a straight line, he was loyal to his friends and to his duty. He hated claptrap of every kind, and he left this House and this country better for having served here with us. The treasure of a husband's or a wife's affection, like the grace of God, is given — not bought. Gold is power- ful. It can sweep down forests, raise cities, build great structures, and decorate and beautify homes. It can col- lect armies, and inspire awe and fear, but wealth can not purchase love. If anyone has failed to estimate the affection of a true- hearted husband or a wife they will be likely to discover 115659°— 19 2 [17] Memorial Addresses: Representatimi Sterling the value in the loss — when that heart that loved them is stilled by death. Death comes to us all — no sex is spared, no age exempt, the black and the white, the rich and the poor, the weak and the strong — all must die. No matter what may be our station in this life, we must die, and when death comes to us all men arc equal. As in the chess play, so long as the game is playing, all the men stand in their rank or order, and are respected according to their places — first the king, then the queen, then the bishops, then the knights, and last of all the common soldiers. But when once the game is ended they are all tumbled into a bag, and often the king is lowest and the common soldier uppermost. So it is with us in this life. The world is a huge theater or stage wherein some play the part of a king, some a bishop, another that of an humble citizen, but death sends them all alike to the grave. Death comes equally to us all, and makes us all equal when it comes. Such is life. John A. Sterling was of sterling character, a fond and loving father and husband, a valuable addition to any community. He lived a good life, fought the battle honor- ably and nobly. He left behind him a loving wife and affectionate children and an army of friends. Let us ever pray that his soul may rest in peace. [18] Address of Mr. Henry T. Rainey, of Illinois Mr. Speaker: We are assembled here to-day for the purpose of doing honor to the memory of our friend and colleague. It is diflicult for those of us who knew John A. Sterling best to realize that he has left the places which knew him here and has sailed away over the mystic sea to an unknown shore. May we not hope that he has gone to meet tliose of his friends who have made the journey ahead of him. He was a strong, forceful, manly man of action, discharging in all the emergencies of tliis life his full duty. He served upon the great committees of this House during his nearly 14 years of service here. It is difiicult to realize that this historic Chamber, which has echoed so often to his forceful oratory, will know him no more. I was particularly associated with him during the entire period of his service here, although we sat on opposite sides of this aisle. We were affiliated always with parties which stood upon different political plat- forms, but I have never known partisanship to interfere in any way with his ideals of duty. His counsel was sought always by the leaders of the Nation. During his public career it can be said of him that he walked with the great of his country, but he never for one moment forgot the common touch. His sym- pathies were of that broad and generous character which kept him during his career closely in touch with the peo- ple of the State he represented here and the great com- mon people of this Nation. During the latter part of his service here he served on the great Ways and Means Committee of the House, and during the long hours of every workday on that committee, while engaged in the preparation of the greatest revenue bills ever submitted [19] Memorial Addiiesses: REPitESENTATi\-E Sterling to any Congress, he sat at the table performing his full share of the labor honestly and conscientiously, at all times living up to his high ideals. His life was never a life of mere ease or pleasure, but always a life of hard work, the hardest kind of work, and the victorj- he sought was the reward which comes after the most exacting mental labor. In the prime of life, when for him the sun was still high in the heavens, with liis mental and his physical powers unimpaired, he passed suddenly away from this earth through the shadows to the sunshine of the life wliich awaited him beyond the grave. He will be missed in the community where he lived. He will be missed as few men are missed in the great State he served here so long, so faithfully, and so well, and he will be missed by those of us who were associated with him in his work here dur- ing all the remaining years which are ours upon this earth. A manly man has gone. The manly man is the country's need, and the moment's need, forsooth, With a heart that beats to the pulsing tread of the allied leagues of truth; The world is his, and it waits for him, and it leaps to hear the ring Of the blows he strikes and the wheels he turns and the hammer he dares to swing; It likes the forward look in his face, the poise of his noble head, And the onward lunge of his tireless will and the sweep of his dauntless tread. [20] Address of Mr. Mason, of Illinois Mr. Speaker : At tliis moment I hardly feel I can do the subject justice. There was about John Sterling some- thing that once having learned we could never forget. My colleague [Mr. Foss], 1 think, suggested how appropriate was his name, for if in my long career I have met one man who was truly sterling in all of the things that make for character it was our colleague John Sterling, in whose honor we are here to-day. He was a quiet man. I was told some years ago that he was a man who lacked a sense of humor, but after acquaintance with him I found that he had that priceless jewel of a love of fun and humor that did not display itself as it does with most of us, but he loved the quaint, the curious, and the ridicu- lous as a part of his mental exercises, although only those who knew him well appreciated that particular charac- teristic. He was one of the most reliable and the most " un- afraid " of our associates here in Washington. We used to call him the " Old Reliable " because we knew when we went to him for advice he would not follow the old suggestion that, when you are asked to give advice, al- ways find out what is needed and then give it to them. John Sterling had the courage to talk squarely with his friends, and he gave no advice to please those with whom he was advising. I have never known him in all of his career to vote or play the part of a coward or a demagogue. He had analyzed to liimself, had satisfied his own conscience, that this was the right vote to give, and he gave it, being prepared to take the consequences, whatever they might be. [21] Memorial Addresses: Representative Sterling He was unafraid in the trial of a case. I have heen told by men who tried cases with him that he learned the great knack of being able to " fight without quarrel- ing." He stood by his clients at the bar without quarrel- ing with the other members of the bar with whom he was in contest. He gave his votes here, and, as my colleague from Michi- gan [Mr. Fordney] has said, he fought for those principles he believed in ; but in his fighting, as my distinguished col- league from Illinois [Mr. Henrj' T. Rainey] has said, he was big enough to fight but too big to quarrel. I have chosen, Mr. Speaker, to read a few words that were delivered by Col. Ingersoll at the grave of his brother: The loved and loving brother, husband, father, friend, died where manhood's morning almost touches noon and while the shadows still were falling toward the west. He had not passed on life's highway the stone that marks the highest point, but being weary for a moment he laid down by the wayside, and, using his burden for a pillow, fell into that dreamless sleep that kisses down his eyelids still. While yet in love with life and raptured with the world, he passed to silence and pathetic dust. Yet, after all, it may be best, just in the happiest, sunniest hour of all the voyage, while eager winds are kissing every sail, to dash against the unseen rock, and in an instant hear the billows roar a sunken ship. For, whether in niid-sca or among the breakers of the farther shore, a wreck must mark at last the end of each and all. And every life, no matter if its every hour is rich with love and every moment jeweled with a joy, will, at its close, become a tragedy as sad and deep and dark as can be woven of warp and woof of mystery and death. This brave and tender man in every storm of life was oak and rock, but in the sunshine he was vine and flower. He was the friend of all heroic souls. He climbed the heights and left all superstitions far below, while on his forehead fell the golden dawning of a grander day. He loved the beautiful, and was with color, form, and music touched to tears. He sided with the weak, and with a willing hand gave alms; with loyal heart and with the purest hand he faithfully discharged all public trusts. He [22] Address of Mr. Mason, of Illinois ■was a worshiper of liberty and a friend of the oppressed. A thousand times I have heard him quote the words, " For justice all place a temple and all season summer." He believed that happiness was the only good, reason the only touch, justice the only worshiper, humanity the only religion, and love the priest. Of course, Mr. Speaker, we do not agree with Col. Inger- soll that " Life is a barren vale between the cold and bar- ren peaks of two eternities." Of course, every man who has had one friend, who lias had one woman to love him, and children to caress him, does not agree with Col. In- gersoll that " Life is a barren plane," but a plane with barren spots; but tlie oasis comes whenever we meet a friend and find an opportunity to be of use and service. We strive in vain — Says Col. IngersoU — to look beyond the heights. We cry aloud, and the only answer is the echo of our wailing cry. From the voiceless lips of the unreplying dead there comes no word; but in the night of death hope sees a star and listening love can hear the rustle of a wing. We can say of John Sterling that there was no gentler, stronger, manlier man. Mr. Speaker, I know at times, and sometimes on occa- sions of this kind, we dwell upon the things hoped for. Putting aside all other questions and using only that means that logic gives to us, is not the hope of the immor- tal life a reasonable hope? Nothing can be destroyed in the workshop of God. Though wc burn the book, it is not destroyed. Everything that went to make this book is still in existence. The form of John Sterling, silent, cold, re- turns to dust, yet everything that went to make his phys- ical body is still in the workshop of God Almighty, for He is jealous of those things that come from His hand. And if it is true, and we know it is true, that no thing that we can understand with the human mind can be destroyed, can it be possible that unselfish love — can it be possible [23] Memorial Addresses: Pii:i'iu;sENT.\Tn-E Sterling that character, industry, love of service, patriotism, all of those things that went to make a manly man like John Sterling, are to be lost and blown out like the candle, while the meaner things, the dust and the ashes, are saved? Oh, Mr. Speaker, the faith is a reasonable faith, and in contemplating that we find a poverty of words. We can only know when we reach the rapt and hopeful thought that unselfish love can not die, that words can not picture what our faith calls for, and, finding the poverty of words, we say with Father Ryan: Far out on the sea there are billows that never will break on the beach. I have heard songs in the silence that never will float into speech. And I have dreamed dreams in the valley too lofty for language to reach. [24] Address of Mr. Sherwood, of Ohio Mr. Speaker: The untimely death of the late Hon. John Sterling, of Illinois, is a distinct loss to his district, his State, and the Nation. He was taken off in the prime of his manhood and in the full ripeness of his congressional career. I was housed with him in the same hotel during his entire service and knew him as well as any Member outside his home State. As a lawyer he ranked high, and liis industry, his ability, his integrity, and fidelity to every trust gave him a status the equal of any Member from any State in this historic Chamber. His sketch in the Congressional Directory is brief and unpretentious. We have never had in this country too many men of heart and brains and morals and courage in public life, and at no period in our history have men of this type been more needed than now. No time in our historj' has there ever been a more urgent demand for just men of courage, patriotism, and ability on the floor of Congress. It was our own poet of patriotism, Fitz-Greene Halleck, who wrote, in Marco Bozzaris, this pathetic and heart- rending couplet: Come to ttie bridal chamber. Death I Come to the mother when she feels For the first time her first-born's breath 1 And thou art terrible! But more terrible is the loss of a fully equipped man, mentally and morally, because his loss is not only to the family, the wife, the children, but to the State. The one loss to the other is as the rosebud compared with the full- blown rose, grown fragrant and beautiful in God's sun- shine. And the example of a well-rounded man, of power [25] Memorial Addresses: Representative Sterling and influence for the good of his fellow man, does not attach to the newborn child. One of the greatest of Athenian philosophers said: Most of all, fellow citizens, if your sons ask whose example they shall imitate, what will you say? For you know well it is not the music, nor the gymnasium, nor the schools that mold young men. It is much more — the puhlic proclamation, the pub- lic example. If you take one whose life has no high purpose and crown him in the theater, every boy who sees it is corrupted. Beware, therefore, Athenians, remembering posterity will re- judge your judgment and that the character of a city is deter- mined by the character of the men it crowns. Two thousand years have elapsed since tliis classic was uttered, and it is still vital and valuable. The hope and ambition of our young men of to-day is fostered and fed by the character of the men the people of this Republic send into our highest legislative body. Mr. Sterling's ex- ample is a potent teacher to the young men of his district and his State. E.xample teaches without a tongue. It is silent, but its action for good is more forcible than words, however eloquent. Mr. Sterling has left no enemy on either side of this House. His life, his character, his career will always be a grateful memory to his family, his kin- dred, and his colleagues. It is not the length of years that we live or the length of our service on this floor that measures our value to our constituents and the country. Mr. Sterling lived 61 years and served almost 14 years in Congress, or nine years longer than the average official life of a Congressman. In the 50 years following the great Civil War the average offi- cial life was less than six years. While Mr. Sterling had before him many more years of valuable service in the ordinaiy contingencies of human life, he lived long enough to make an enduring record of valuable service and achieve an honorable name. He has left to his family, his kindred, and his State a record of [26] Address of Mr. Sherwood, of Ohio achievements that should fill their hearts with pride and mellow the acute sorrow over his untimely death. And there is a deeper consolation, told with so much pathos by Longfellow : There is no death; what seems so is transition; This life of mortal breath Is but suburb of the life clysian, Whose portal we call death. [27] Address of Mr. Wheeler, of Illinois Mr. Speaker: When John A. Sterlixu passed to the great beyond this Nation lost a man of immeasurable value at a time when his services were most needed. He was not given to making a brilliant and startling display of his genius, but he was practical, level-headed, and wise on all questions pertaining to the Nation's wel- fare. Illinois has lost one of its most capable Representa- tives. So highly was he esteemed by the people of our State had he lived he would undoubtedly have been called to higher honors. As his friend I sustained a great personal loss. His quiet gentleness of manner, his unfailing courtesy, and his thoughtfulness remained with him to the end, and his last words and his last acts were for the comfort of his companions who were injured, for he in his last moments said: "Take care of the others first"; and while they were receiving attention his soul returned to his God. Although he has gone, his memory lives, an inspiration to all who knew and loved him. May his example in- spire us to emulate his kind, manly spirit! [28] Address of Mr. Madden, of Illinois Mr. Speaker: Any words that I may be able to utter will, of course, be inadequate to express the feeling that I have with respect to our deceased colleague. John Sterling was among America's most conspicuous men. His life and work were such as not only to attract men to him but to attract the confidence of the country in the man. His most conspicuous public service here, as I believe, was his prosecution of Judge Archbald, who was im- peached for misdemeanors in office. His presentation of that case before the Senate of the United States was said to be the clearest, most forceful legal argument that has ever been made by any lawyer in any case in Amei-ica. His action in this case called him specially to the atten- tion of the Nation, and it established for John Sterling a national reputation as a lawj'cr which no other act could have brought to him. Every man in the case, those who were opposed to the prosecution and those who were for the the prosecution, admitted that John Sterling knew more about the law in the case and presented the ablest arguments in the case of any man connected with the case, and in my opinion, as a matter of fact, it was his untiring work in delving into the facts and the law which enabled the countrj- to rid itself of Judge Archbald. John Sterling served his country in what I believe to be the most momentous period of its history. He was here when the great war began in Europe. He was here during all the period of the formation of public opinion in America in connection with that war. He was here at the time when men's souls were tried, when their patriot- ism was tested, when men were proved either to be [29] Memorial Addresses: Representati\-e Sterling American or otherwise by their actions. There never was any doubt about John Sterling's Americanism or pa- triotism. He was an American through and through. He believed in preserving everj' right of his countrj% in the preservation of the national honor, in the perpetuity of the Nation's institutions, and he not only stood for a declara- tion of war against Germany, but when war was declared he gave his son in defense of the flag. He was not only a patriot himself, and proved that by his own actions, but he was proud that he had a son that could be given to defend the institutions of his countrj'. He was a courageous man. He was modest. He was unassuming. But he never lacked the courage of his con- victions. I recall on one occasion here, when the Clayton antitrust law was under consideration, he as a member of the Committee on the Judiciarj' stood boldly for American rights, for one citizenship, for one flag, for one code of laws, for the principle that every man should stand equal before the law. He displayed a courage during the con- sideration of that bill that few men on this floor displayed. He not only displayed courage, but he displayed knowl- edge of the pending legislation winch no other man on the floor possessed. John Sterling was quiet and unassuming, but his friendship was something to be sought. Once attained, you might be certain, if you justified it, to continue to re- tain it. He lived a life of great usefulness. His life can well be emulated by the children of the generations yet to come. The things that John Sterling did during life will continue to live, now that he is gone. Men like John Ster- ling do not die. Their work continues to keep them be- fore the minds of the youth that follow. Though we all regret to miss him in our daily life, yet we are proud that the Nation gave John Sterling to his country, and that during his public service he gave to the country' the best there was in him. [30] Address of Mr. Madden, of Illinois His family, of course, will niiss daily contact with him. They will mourn his death. But they will have the con- sciousness that some day they, too, will pass beyond and meet him under hetter circumstances; for we who believe in a future must continue to hope that the end of life here is not the end of our association with those we love. And while we may mourn and sympathize with the family of John Sterling, yet, after all, death is just as natural as life; and while we rejoice at life and birth, and mourn at death, there is no reason why mourning should exist on account of our passing away. For one I simply wish to ex- press my pride and my joy that John Sterling's life was one in the whole, I may say, given to the Nation while he lived, and what he did and what he said will continue to live; and I am happy in the thought that we who associ- ated with him during life may hope to associate with him again when we reach the other side. [31] Address of Mr. Graham, of Illinois Mr. Speaker: I did not know Hon. John A. Sterling personally until I came here as a Member of the present Congress, although I knew of him by reputation in my State. In Illinois there were but few who had any knowl- edge of public affairs who did not know of his public life and works and who did not highly regard him. Wliile I, by the short period of my service here, was not able to judge of the worth of John A. Sterling as others who speak here, men who have served with him for years, yet I did form a lasting impression of him from observing him and his work as a Representative. 1 presmne the new Member, who sits through the sessions with but few other duties to perform except to observe the proceed- ings, forms a more vivid impression of the men who carry on the important work of the House than do those who have been for years associated with these men. I observed early that when John A. Sterling spoke on any subject he had an attentive and thoughtful audience. I observed that those who spoke of him spoke of him as a sincere man and a plain, logical, and exact thinker. He was extremely considerate of the opinions of others and was willing to listen at all times to the suggestions of any Member, whether he was of years of experience or of few days in the public service. So far as I could observe, there was no division of sentiment among the Members of his own delegation as to his superlative ability as a legislator and a man, and I have no doubt this was the common feeling of the Members of the House, irrespective of party. I was not in the country when John A. Sterling died. I did not know of the fact until I returned to tliis countiy. Immediately upon my return I saw an American paper and in this paper observed a mention of the late Repre- sentative John A. Sterling, from Illinois. I can not [32] Address of Mr. Graham, of Illinois express to you the distinct shock this was to me. I had come to regard my colleague, Mr. Sterling, as an institu- tion, almost, and to find that he, with his wonderful mind, was gone, was almost inconceivable. In this time of great questions and when world problems are being solved we need men like John A. Sterling, men of logical minds, minds that drive through the fog and straight to their ob- jects, minds that disregard the chaflf and seek only the wheat that is the harvest. There is to-day so much of uncertainty, so much to perplex those who must legislate for the country, and there are so few minds tliat process regularly in timGs of mighty stress and emotion, that to lose one of these minds is a distinct and positive loss to mankind. Such a mind, and such a personality, my colleagues, we have lost. There is not much of intimate knowledge that I can say of our departed colleague, for I was not his intimate friend. But I do want to pay my humble tribute, now and here, to the memory of this man from my State. We have had few of his kind. In his life he honored his own State of Illinois, dignified the House of Representatives in which he served, and was a credit to the country which he loved so well. But the good things John A. Sterling did will not die. May we not rather agree with the poet: I shot an arrow into the air. It fell to earth, I knew not where; For, so swiftly it flew, the siglit Could not follow it in its flight. I breathed a song into the air, If fell to earth, I knew not where; For who has sight so keen and strong, That it can follow the flight of song? Long, long afterward, in an oak, I found the arrow, still unbroke; And the song, from beginning to end, I found again in the heart of a friend. 115659°— 19 3 [33] Address of Mr. Parker, of New Jersey Mr. Speaker: No one could know John A. Sterling without feeling that his growth here was remarkable for its strength, its simplicity, and its rounded character. Some men who come here are not so strong afterwards as when they first came, but anj' man who works hard must grow. The danger is that he may grow in one di- rection, to be a politician, to excel in the tricks of the trade, or in mere tricks of orator^', and to put success above the principles upon which it should be founded. It is hard here in all the changes and chances of politics to remain absolutely simple, absolutely true, and strong enough to be willing when the occasion comes to speak your mind as you think you ouglit to speak it. But such a man was John A. Sterling- He grew like an oak in all directions, the roots reacliing out constantly into more knowledge and the branches sturdily meeting and breast- ing any wind or any storm. He grew because as a lawjcr and statesman his opinions and actions were founded on a wonderful common sense, upon a wonderful knowledge of the common law, and upon a most uncommon honesty and absolute courage. I knew him best in the Sixtj'-first Congress. We had served together on the Committee on the Judiciarj', but in that particular Congress I had the privilege of putting him at the head of a subcommittee that was practically a committee. We then for the first time divided the work of the Committee on the Judiciary between three great subcommittees so that one took bills relating to law, another took bills relating to practice, while all the diffi- cult bills as to organization of the courts, when there shall be new judges, what shape the courts shall take in each particular district and their constitutions, were referred to one of these great subcommittees of seven members [34] Address of Mr. Pakicer, of New Jersey which was presided over by John A. Sterling. All these matters were in his hands, and I feel it my duty to speak for the courage, the sense of justice, and the considerate- ness with which these difficult questions were arranged and settled by him during those two years. I have but one other matter to call to the remembrance of the House. It was only recently that the Committee on Ways and Means reported and passed a great bill for raising revenue. It took new lines. It went upon the lines of taking wealth wherever you could find it. We all voted for it, because we are nieeting the greatest emer- gency that this countrj' has ever met in all the centuries, but John A. Sterling, in his quiet, considerate, and there- fore absolutely inoffensive way, while supporting that bill, had the courage upon this floor to say he would have preferred a bill which would have been more even and just to all. His proposition was that a single per cent of tax placed upon every sale that was made in this country would have brought in some three billions of dollars. I do not mention this as a matter of discussion. I do men- tion it as showing the absolute independence, the cour- age and justice of the man. He sought always what was right. He was not afraid to say what he thought, no mat- ter how much that might be misrepresented. We have lost a friend. A tree can not be torn up that has put out its roots in every direction, that has thrown out its branches under the shade of which we have sat — a tree that has intertwined itself with our lives — that sort of a man can not be lost without a wrench that is hard and makes it seem almost unfair and wrong to analyze the character, but in this case no analysis can do harm, for there is not one of us who could put his finger upon anything that was petty or mean in his character. At this point Mr. Walsh assumed the chair as Speaker pro tempore. [35] Address of Mr. Cannon, of Illinois Mr. Speaker : Two men have crossed over in the last few months who were truly great men — one from Illinois, John A. Sterling, the other from New Hampshire, Senator Jacob H. Gallinger; one a lawyer, the other a physician by profession; both of them school-teachers in early life; one well grounded in the legal profession, the other well grounded in the medical profession, who later on in life were selected on account of their ability and high charac- ter for services in the Congress. Senator Gallinger served in the House two terms, and then he served, 1 believe, con- tinuously in the Senate of the United States until his death. Each one served his constituency well. Thej' could not have served their respective constituencies well without serving all the people of the United States well. A Senator represents one State and a Representative serves one dis- trict, but when we come down to it, whether it be in the Senate or in the House, whether a man comes from far- away California, or way down East in Maine, or in New Hampshire, or from the central portion of the countrj', he votes for legislation that spreads over the whole country, and we are just as much interested from a practical stand- point in every one of the 435 districts, each of which sends a Representative to the House, or to any of the 96 Senators, as we arc in those whom we select from our respective States and districts. I believe that through all these years that I have served in the House that on the average in the House and in the Senate the people who were chosen have represented the public sentiment of the respective States and districts first, and second, and on all fours with the public sentiment, have represented the whole people. [36] Address of Mr. Cannon, of Illinois And, everything considered, I believe the average repre- sentation in both" House and Senate measures the aver- age sentiment and intelligence of those who send them here. Sometimes there is complaint that there are too many lawyers in Congress. Well, there are a good many la^\yers in Congress, but they are selected not because they are law^'ers but because they have to do with voting for legislation. Some people say there are too manj^ business men in Congress; that there are too many farmers, and so on. Now, the whole object of our Government is to enable us to live imder laws which under our fixed law, the Constitution, will protect the weak and the strong. God forbid that it should ever be to the contrary'. And it never will be to the contrary while our form of govern- ment lasts. There are certain great characters in war and in peace — Presidents, Members of Congress, and the coordi- nate branch of the Government, the judiciary, that stand out in history and will continue to stand out in history. But, after all, it is the one hundred millions of people, plus now, that select the men who are to legislate and who are to fill the Executive chair and, in the end, under the Constitution, hold the judiciary positions. And those places will not be more worthily filled than by the ma- jority sentiment, the common sentiment, of the people who give men their commission. George Washington, the Father of his Country; Alexander Hamilton; Thomas Jefferson; Patrick Henr}'; the Adamses, all dwell in his- tory, but we would not have gotten far if it had not been for the Continental Army. We would not have had a Constitution if it had not been for the wise men who framed it and the people who ratified it. After all is said and done, men whose names are forgotten, great masses of men, the average population of the country, selected those great characters who performed the function that [37] Memorial Addresses : REPRESENTATn-E Sterling was cast upon them, and they did it well. I fancy if you would call the roll of the membership" of the House of Representatives you would find that nine-tenths of them, under the hand of necessity early in life, learned to make their way by labor, physical and mental. I know the Illi- nois delegation pretty well. They are descendants, in the main, of pioneers — a great folk. From one ocean to the other we are still pioneering; we are crossing the conti- nent; we are settling up the area of the United States in order that we can continue to take care of the great in- crease in population for a thousand years and live, if we are forced to do so, within ourselves. We have not been forced to do so, but we could. Now, these two men, John Sterling, school-teacher, lawyer, and legislator, on the one hand, and Senator Gal- linger, having pretty much the same kind of training that Sterling had, were both strong factors. While Senator Gallinger was not a lawyer, practically he was quite six while other men were half a dozen in framing legisla- tion. They did not lack industrj'. The two men in many respects were alike. They or any of us, substantially, will not live as Webster will live in historj' or as Jefferson will live in historj', but Webster and Jefferson and all of those people could not have succeeded so well if it had not been for their forbears that stood for them and by them. And so in speaking of the whole people we must consider them as being competent for self-government. There never was a man bright enough and strong enough to develop another's legs by walking for him, and there never will be. A child when he learns to walk can be instructed and aided, but he must do his own walking and his own growing. John Sterling was my personal and political friend and I was his. I recollect the night before the election in the campaign of two years ago, when I closed it at Rlooming- [38] Address of Mr. Cannon, of Illinois ton, in his district, at which there was a wonderful demon- stration. That was the night before the election. They had been talking that there was a hot contest that prom- ised to defeat Mr. Sterling. But he came out of it with a greatly increased majority not by virtue of what I said but by virtue of his ability, character, and service. We only know about to-day. What of the future? I believe there is a future. I believe that each man, each human entity, finds its place amongst those like unto it. That is my faith. I am not a believer in people being cast in a fiery furnace that is a thousand times hotter than the one in which Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were cast and being burned forever and ever. No; no. We all hope, and that is the strong evidence, for life hereafter. Some time ago I had the pleasure of dining, on the invi- tation of Representative Porter, of Pittsburgh, with a great manufacturer and a great business man. There were present, if I recollect, 18 or 20 guests at his house here in Washington. The guest of honor was Mr. Brashears. That gentleman is the great lens maker of the world. He commenced life as a peddler, but in off hours he turned his attention to the stars. He married, but there were no children. As he studied the stars and began to make lenses his wife was his assistant. He made great progress in his art. He made the great lens for the Lick Observatory, and other great lenses have been made in his laboratory. We made him do most of the talking by asking him questions, first by one and then another. I asked him, " How far can you see into space with the strongest lens that you have produced?" He said the strongest lens ever produced in the world was produced at Pittsburgh in his laboratory. I said, "How far does that lens reach into space? " "Ah," said he, " I am some- thing of a mathematician; we know the velocity of light; that lens can reach so far that if a sun in space were to be extinguished this minute the light that started from [39] Memorial Auuhesses : RiiPUESENTATu-E Sterling that sun would not reach the earth for fifteen hundred years. Space is but another word lor something without boundary." Then somebody asked him, " When was it that your wife died?" He answered, "Two years ago." Then somebody asked, "Where is she buried?" His answer was, " Beneath the laboratorj'. And there I shall be buried, and on my wife's memorial " — in substance I give the words: "We have searched the stars together, worked together, made lenses together; we have become familiar with space, so far as human eye by human in- vention and aid will allow; and that Power which made the universe and placed law upon it will care for us after this life." So I have faith to believe that that Power will care for Senator Gallingcr, will care for John A. Sterling, will care for the loved ones that have crossed over. I do not know; perhaps I am not orthodox. We can not shape our future lives except as we come under general law, and the great First Cause that called matter into being was not only wise but omnipotent, which means just and merciful. It is a favorite thought with me with respect to my loved ones, when I tliink about them, who have been crossing over, it seems to me, cvcrj' few years since I can remember, that I shall meet them there. Such is the universal desire. While the legislative record of our de- ceased colleague here, Mr. Sterling, and of the honored and able Senator Gallinger is lodged in the official archives of the House and Senate, while we sj^mpathize with the friends that survive, j'et if we are welded by work, by wisdom, by fidelity, crossed on courage, 1 shall hope and be content if we can reach men in the great eternity like unto Senator Gallinger and John A. Sterling. [40] Proceedings in the House Mr. Foss. Mr. Speaker, there are some Members who are unavoidably absent and some present who have been unable to prepare tributes to the memorj' of Mr. Sterling. Therefore, on behalf of them, I ask unanimous consent that permission may be granted to them to extend their remarks in the Record. The Speaker pro tempore. Without objection, it will be so ordered. There was no objection. Adjournment Therefore, in accordance with the resolution heretofore adopted, the House (at 4 o'clock and 30 minutes p. m.) adjourned until Monday. January 20, 1919, at 12 o'clock noon. [41] Proceedings in the Senate Monday, October 21, 1918. A message from the House of Representatives, by D. K. Hempstead, its enrolling clerk, communicated to the Senate the intelligence of the death of Hon. John A. Ster- ling, late a Representative from the State of Illinois, and transmitted resolutions of the House thereon. Mr. Lodge. I ask that the resolutions of the House be laid before the Senate. The Presiding Officer. The Chair lays before the Senate resolutions from the House, which will be read. The Secretaiy read the resolutions, as follows: In the House of Representatives, October 17, 1918. Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of the death of Hon. John A. Sterling, a Representative from the State of Illinois. Resolved, That a committee of 20 Members of the House, with such Members of the Senate as may be joined, be appointed to attend the funeral. Resolved, That the Sergeant at Arms of the House be authorized and directed to take such steps as may be necessary for carrying out the provisions of these resolutions, and that the necessary expenses in connection therewith be paid out of the contingent fund of the House. Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the Senate and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the deceased. Mr. Lodge. Mr. President, I send to the desk the follow- ing resolutions and ask for their adoption. The resolutions (S. Res. 322) were read, considered by unanimous consent, and unanimously agreed to, as fol- lows: Resolved, That the Senate has heard with profound sorrow the announcement of the death of Hon. John A. Sterling, late a Representative from the State of Illinois. [43] Memorial Addresses : Representata-e Sterling Resolved, That a committee of six Senators be appointed by the Presiding Officer to join the committee appointed on the part of the House of Representatives to attend the funeral of the deceased. Resolved, That tlie Secretary communicate a copy of these resolutions to the House of Representatives. Under the second resolution the Presiding Oihcer ap- pointed as the committee on the part of the Senate Mr, Sherman, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Mr. Fernald, Mr. Watson, and Mr. Vardaman. Mr. Lodge. Mr. President, as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased I move that the Senate adjourn. The motion was agreed to; and (at 2 o'clock and 5 minutes p. m.) the Senate adjourned until Thursday, October 24, 1918, at 12 o'clock meridian. Monday, January 20, 1919. A message from the House of Representatives, by D. K. Hempstead, its enrolling clerk, transmitted to the Senate resolutions of the House on the life, character, and public services of Hon. John. A. Sterling, late a Representative from the State of Illinois. [44]