THOMAS C. PLATT, United States Senator from the State of New York and President of the United States Express Company, is a power in the politics of the nation. He is the leader of the Republicans of the Empire State, and permits no interference with his plans of campaigns. In 1881 he was the colleague of Roscoe Conkling in the United States Senate, both resigning when President Garfield refused to be dictated to by them in the matter of Federal appointments in New York State. Conkling was never returned to the Senate, but Platt bided his time and is in his old seat again. Mr. Platt was sent to Congress twice, but the honor he prizes most of all is the fact that he has been sent from his state as a delegate to every Republican National Convention since (and including) 1876. He was born in New York in 1833. (121)

JAMES K. POLK was the one who defeated Henry Clay, the "Great Compromiser" and idol of the Whig party, for the Presidency of the United States in 1844. During his term Texas was admitted to the Union of States, California and New Mexico were annexed and the Oregon boundary line question was amicably settled with Great Britain. President Polk was a strong advocate of state rights, thought slavery was a good thing and antislavery agitation a menace to the peace of the Republic and favored a tariff for revenue only. He was, furthermore, a Democrat of the most uncompromising character. President Polk was the eleventh chief magistrate, was born in North Carolina and was in the fiftyfourth year of his age when he died. (122)

MATTHEW STANLEY QUAY, elected to the United States Senate by the Legislature of Pennsylvania in February, 1901, after a long and stubborn fight, is one of the shrewdest and most versatile politicians in this country. He was elected to the Senate in 1886 and 1892, but the opposition was so strong against him in 1898 that the Legislature adjourned without making a choice. The Governor appointed Mr. Quay Senator, to serve until his successor was elected, but the Senate refused to seat him. When the Legislature of 1901 assembled Mr. Quay was again elected, with a great hurrah. Senator Quay fought at Fredericksburg and other battles in the Civil War. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1833. (123)

THOMAS BRACKETT REED, famous as an orator and master of the art of crushing opposition with a few pointed sentences, was the thirty-first Speaker of the National House of Representatives. He was first elected to Congress in 1876 and served continuously until 1898, when he retired to private life in order that he might devote all his time to the practice of law, locating in New York. When Speaker Mr. Reed upset all precedents by deciding and enforcing the decision that members in the chamber should be counted as present, even though they refrained from voting, Mr. Reed held his ground, and had the satisfaction of seeing the rule enforced by a Democratic Speaker. He was born in 1839 in Maine. (124)

WHITELAW REID, one of the United States Commissioners sent to Paris to negotiate the treaty of peace with Spain, has been editor and chief owner of the New York Tribune since 1873, succeeding Horace Greeley. He began his public career by making speeches for John C. Fremont, the Republican nominee for President in 1856. During the Civil War he was aid-de-camp to General Rosecrans, and was present at the battles of Shiloh and Gettysburg. He was appointed as Ambassador to France by President Harrison in 1889, and is the author of a number of books. He was born in Ohio in 1837, went to New York City when quite young and has made it his home since then. Mr. Reid is one of the most capable writers in the country. (125)