faculty of settling disputes between factions, and bringing about harmonious action. Both Democrats and Populists trusted him, and to his exertions was largely due the harmonious action of the three parties. In one state, when rupture seemed certain, Mr. Towne was sent for. He called the representatives of all the parties together and commenced his plea for harmony by saying, "If there is a man here to-day who does not hold the cause for which we work above personal ambitions, likes and dislikes, I wish he would leave the room. I am here representing a party that is formed to fill a present mission, and to die; I believe you are equally sincere." As a result of the conference, united action was assured, and this occurred not once, but in several states where Mr. Towne's persuasive and unselfish pleading united the discordant factions.

In the spring of 1898, Mr. Towne made a tour of the Pacific coast in his capacity as chairman of the national organization, speaking two and three times daily to audiences limited only by the capacity of the halls, often numbering several thousands. That series of speeches still remains unanswered; logical, eloquent, patriotic, lofty and pure in tone, they are an exposition and a defense of the principles he advocated.

In the summer of 1898, Mr. Morton, Ex-Secretary of Agriculture, arranged a joint discussion at the Omaha Exposition, lasting three days, the Greenbackers having one day, the BiMetallists, one, and the Gold Standard advocates, one. Mr. Towne was the leader for the Bi-Metallists. By previous arrangements it was agreed that the proceedings should be published at the joint expense of the three parties. Why that agreement was never carried out, and why the stenographer's notes could never be obtained, the Gold Standard delegates alone can explain, but Mr. Moreton Freneau, the celebrated English bi-metallist, in writing to a friend in this country said, "Thanks for your kind letter describing the Omaha debate and Mr. Towne's speech. How I wish I might have been there to witness the cleavage of that terrible axe and count the strokes !"

In 1898 Mr. Towne was again nominated for Congress, but the unlimited resources of the Republican national organization defeated him by a little over four hundred votes.

At the national Populist convention in May, 1900, Mr.

Towne was nominated for vice-president, but the faction of Democracy, opposed to Mr. Bryan and the Chicago platform, prevented his indorsement by the Democratic National convention at Kansas City in July, and here again Mr. Towne's devotion to the cause prevented a split in the forces. It was only his plea for harmonious action that restrained the Silver Republican convention of over thirteen hundred delegates from nominating a separate ticket, with Mr. Towne as the vice-presidential candidate. During the campaign that followed, Mr. Towne was again an indefatigable worker. Sharing with Mr. Bryan the honor of being the chief advocate of the cause, for nine weeks he spoke from two to four times a day to great crowds of people, enduring the fatigue of constant travel on regular trains, with no special car accommodations, and using his voice to its limit from four to eight hours in every twenty-four,- not little platform speeches of ten minutes, but at regular political gatherings,- a record without parallel in political campaigning.

The election in November resulted in an overwhelming defeat for the Democracy, but it left Mr. Towne one of the unquestioned leaders in political thought in the nation.

Senator Cushman K. Davis of Minnesota died on November twenty-seventh following the election, and the force of public opinion, not alone in Minnesota, but throughout the nation, expressed in letters and telegrams demanding the appointment of Mr. Towne to fill the vacancy, forced the offer of the commission from the unwilling governor.

Mr. Towne's position as senator was a most difficult and delicate one. He followed Mr. Davis, whose long experience, combined with great ability, made him one of the most influential members of that body. His term could last only until the election of a senator by the Republican legislature which met in January. The control of the Senate was in the hands of the opposition, and the traditions of that body are all to the disadvantage of the new member. On January twelfth, Mr. Towne pronounced a eulogy on Senator Davis; brought into direct comparison with the best orators of the Senate, Mr. Towne unquestionably bore off the honors of the day.

Moses E. Clapp was elected senator from Minnesota on January twenty-fourth, and on the day after Mr. Towne introduced the following resolution :

"Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled, that justice, the public welfare, and the national honor demand the immediate cessation of hostilities in the Philippine Islands, upon terms recognizing the independence of the Philippine people, and conserving and guaranteeing the interests of the United States," and gave notice that he would address the Senate in support of it the following Monday (the twenty-eighth). Without further announcement, the galleries were packed long before the hour for the speech had arrived. The senators were present in unusual numbers, and the House was left without a quorum.

Mr. Towne addressed the Senate for over three hours in support of his resolution,- an exhaustive résumé of our acts and relations in the Philippines, a complete presentation of the case from the standpoint of the Anti-Imperialists. There it stands on the records of the Senate, a protest against the policy of expansion by force of arms, the violation of the spirit of the Constitution, and the nullification of the principles of the Declaration of Independence; and the great audience, to the major part of whom orators and oratory were an unmitigated bore, listened attentively through it all as Mr. Towne pleaded not alone for the Philippines, but for a return to the principles upon which the government was founded.

Not in the history of that body has such an honor and such a reception been accorded a member of six weeks' standing. While the applause was still echoing through the chamber, and the congratulations of friends and foes were being showered upon him, the managers of the opposition rushed Mr. Clapp to the presiding officer's desk, the oath was administered, and Mr. Towne, with his manuscript still scattered about the floor, had ceased to be a United States senator. More than one Republican senator said to his neighbor, "Thank God, we are rid of him. He would be a dangerous man for us to have in the Senate."

Mr. Towne is now in private life, engaged in business pursuits, but the Senate has lost from its counsels a patriot of the old school before the spirit of modern commercialism had debauched and betrayed the higher ideals of the nation. He has ever been a disciple of the statesmanship that declared, "I had rather be right than president," and has formed his

political life upon the motto of Abraham Lincoln, "Let us have faith that right makes might, and to the end dare to do our duty."

P

OPPORTUNITY.

LINY once remarked, "No man possesses a genius so commanding that he can attain eminence, unless a subject suited to his talents should present itself, and an opportunity occur for their development.”

These were wise words. No matter what the talents are, the opportunity to develop them must offer, and the possessor of the talents must appreciate his chance.

For this reason, Dean Alford wrote: :

"There are moments which are worth more than years. We cannot help it. There is no proportion between space of time in importance or in value. A stray, unthought-of five minutes may contain the event of a life. And this all-important moment, who can tell when it will be upon us!"

No man knows his opportunity better than Edison, the famous electrician. It is related of him that, one afternoon in the summer of 1888, he chartered a train, shut down his works, and took his employees, over three hundred of them, -to New York to witness a ball game. They had not been upon the ball grounds over fifteen minutes, when the thought of a new invention flashed upon Edison's mind, like a revelation, and he called to the "boys," "We must go back at once to Menlo Park; I have a new idea." And back they went to their work, that their employer might not lose his opportunity to add another invention to his achievements. It is quite evident that Edison believes with Shakespeare:

"There is a tide in the affairs of men,

Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune."

It is not every "new idea" that is worth chartering a train for, but Edison's ideas have been his fortune. They were too good to be lost; and he has made them available by reducing them to practice at once. All else become subservient to his opportunity for the time. The miller must grind the grist with the water that is running through the mill-race; if he waits till the water has passed, his opportunity has gone.

Several years ago, one of Boston's most successful mer