Chase, Daniel Cady Sr (1859 -1923)

CHASE, RICHARDSON

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 11/20/2016 at 17:24:09

The Webster City Daily News, Webster City, Iowa, Friday, March 2, 1923

SENATOR D.C. CHASE PASSES AWAY THIS MORNING AFTER LONG ILLNESS

Has Been Critically Ill Since Return from State Legislature Over Two Weeks Ago - Was Hamilton County's Greatest Man - Thousands are Mourning Loss of Personal Friend - Lawmaker - Attorney - Literary Man - Friend of the Poor.

Senator D.C. Chase passed away quite suddenly this morning at 8 o'clock at his home on First street where he has been seriously ill since he arrived home from the legislature, February 13th. While it was felt that his condition could only be temporarily improved, on account of the serious heart ailment, his expiration this morning came without warning, as he was so evidently better last night.

Senator Chase's illness dates back to one year ago with an attack of flu which so weakened his heart that his health began to fail rapidly. Early last fall he went to Rochester for medical attention but only remained a short time for treatment. Returning home, he surprised his physicians, and friends, by an apparently remarkable return to health. He was strong enough to appear upon the streets each day and began looking forward to the work of the Fortieth General Assembly, having been elected state senator from the thirty-seventh district, for the third time by a great majority. He had announced to his friends about a year ago that he was thru with politics and would devote more of his time to literary pursuits than he had ever been able to do. His law practice had increased to such proportions that he had little time for anything else. One year ago in March, however, a mass meeting of farmers of the county held at the court house in this city, veritably "drafted" Mr. Chase as a candidate for the third time for state senator. He at that time remarked, "I thought I was thru, but I'm for the people, and if they want me now, I will go."

Accordingly at the November election, he was elected with an enormous majority. His one thought during his period of convalescence was to get into the work as soon as possible. As the first of January approached and his strength was not gained as rapidly as needful for active participation in the legislative affairs, members of his family pleaded with him to save himself and remain at home where he was gaining a little each day, and so regain his normal health. His reply was a characteristic one, "I owe it to the people; they are looking to me to do my duty. I must go."

He went to Des Moines about the 20th of January and attempted to assume his usual vigorous role. He refused to save his strength in any way, but gave of it unstintingly toward the work of law-making.

He fought the good fight and like Paul, he finished the course.

Daniel Cady Chase was born June 18, 1859, in this city which has always been his home. He was the only child of Judge and Mrs. Daniel Darrow Chase, the former one of the sturdiest figures in Hamilton county history. He was named for the famous New York barrister, Daniel Cady, and in every way proved himself worthy of the name. He was educated in the schools of this city and graduated from the department of liberal arts in the state university at Iowa City. In 1880 he took up the study of law in his father's law office and soon gave promise of the later reputation as one of the most brilliant attorneys of the state.

He became city attorney for Webster City in 1890, and in 1891 acted as special United States attorney in the celebrated Riverland cases. His first criminal case was the defense of Tom Basket in the murder charge, the murder occurring in this city during a performance of Ringling's circus. Many residents still remember Mr. Chase's plea for the defense. In 1890 and 1892, he served the county as representative to the Iowa legislature where his ability and leadership were recognized. He was the Iowa delegate at large to the National Republican convention in the early '90's receiving the highest votes in the convention. In 1896 he represented the Tenth District as a presidential elector, casting his vote for William McKinley for president. His career in the state legislature was a brilliant one. He had not much more than taken his seat in the House, when he was made chairman of the more important Republican committees, including the judiciary, and his work on the judiciary committees during the remainder of his legislative career was noteworthy. He was always prominent in debates on parliamentary tactics.

"Cady" Chase as he was familiarly called by all who knew him, was the author of the Car-coupler bill compelling railroad companies to install automatic couples, which was one of the state's most important measures and was at the time spectacular, because one of the first victories gained by the people over railroad domination. This state law was afterwards incorporated in the federal car-coupler law which has safe-guarded human life all over the American railroad world.

He was always a champion of the cause of prohibition and his record thru all the four terms in the legislature has been straight as a die on those matters. From time to time his enemies attempted to show him up as a secret champion of the wet cause, but each time failed, for it was generally known that Mr. Chase was not a secret champion of any cause. He was avowedly for a cause or against it. There was never a half way course for him.

He has taken the lead in shaping the policies of the Republican party of the state for the past thirty-five years and was never a passive by-stander when matters for the interest of the common people were at stake. In 1913 he was elected state senator with a large majority and was re-called for a second term. It was said in the statehouse that when Cady Chase had the floor, the offices of the building were adjourned to allow the office forces to hear him speak.

He not only took a large part in the political affairs of the state and city but also was financially prominent. In 1897 he was one of the organizers of the Webster City Savings Bank which is still one of the city's banks.

Cady Chase belonged to the common people. He was always deeply interested in the "under-dog" and never forgot the fact that there are two sides to any question. The poor, the unfortunate, the hardened sinner, the reprobate, the friendless, were sure of at least an audience and a chance to tell their story to Mr. Chase. As a friend he was unfailing and the thousands who called him by that name are each today mourning the loss of their best friend. A poor woman, living in the slum district of a neighboring city came to his office a few years ago, leading one little child by the hand and carrying one in her arms. Hers was a sad case and one the average lawyer turns down for there was no money in it. She ended her appeal: "And they said, there is just one man that will give you the right kind of advice and that is Cady Chase in Webster City."

The woman went on her way, cheered and satisfied, her case settled without the need of further legal advice. There are dozens of these stories. He frequently forgot the fee in his law cases, which is usually the most important feature of such work. To those whom he felt insincerity to be a dominant characteristic, he refused to be a friend. But to the sincere and honest, no matter how misguided they were, he was a living example of the helpful spirit of friendship.

In his many-sided composition, there was another and a beautiful one - that of literary brilliance and ability.

When he returned from the state university, he purchased the Webster City Argus in 1881 and ran it for three years. In 1910 he purchased the Graphic-Herald and was its editor for eight years. His pen was facile and its point as brilliant as a diamond and often, with the same cutting propensities. Not by any means all of his friends knew until a few years ago, that he was, with all his other attainments, a poet. Then, he published a collection of poems, "The Choice of Paris, and Other Poems" which has been reviewed with favor by many critics. At the time he was taken sick, he had been busy for months upon a poem which was to be his masterpiece. He had named it "Morpheus," and its theme was upon the mystery we call death. The words lie unfinished, words of beauty and conjecture upon the last sleep, but he completes the poem, with his own experience of the longer journey all must take.

He was deeply religious, with that true religion which expresses itself in the every day business of advising, listening, sympathizing, but had never espoused any creed. He was decidedly against any organization which flavored of aristocracy and his comment upon such associations was that they were undemocratic and un-American because they discriminated against the poor and unsuccessful man. Cady Chase was a great man, one of Hamilton county's greatest, and as such will live in memory in the hearts of the thousands whose friend he was.

Mr. Chase leaves a faithful wife [Florence Richardson], whose untiring devotion to her husband in the months of his illness could not have been surpassed. He leaves one child - a son, Daniel Cady, Jr., and wife, of Cedar Rapids and three little grandchildren, the youngest of whom, his namesake, Daniel Cady III, five weeks old, he had never seen. There are no other relatives.

The funeral services will be held at the family home on First street, Sunday afternoon, March 4th, at 3 o'clock, conducted by Rev. George Wood, pastor of the Universalist church. Interment will be in Graceland cemetery.