32 MAJOR JOHN F. LACEY 



leaves of his favorite law books on the very day that the sum- 

 mons came. He dropped upon his couch at the noon-tide hour 

 — as he probably thought for a brief rest. The voices of his 

 faithful wife and children were the last earthly sounds which 

 he heard. From that couch of rest Major Lacey had passed 

 into the dreamless sleep. 



Ellsworth Roininger, in the Bloomfield Republican: 

 The wit and humor he used in public speech to clinch a point 

 in presenting public questions retained the best of attention 

 from his audiences. His strength was in the principles of gov- 

 ernment in which he believed. These to him were founded upon 

 a conviction of right, and earnestly advocated in his discussion 

 of public questions. 



James Powell in the Ottumwa Courier : 



His ability was best exercised as a congressman. There he 

 was recognized as one of the ablest men in Congress at a time 

 when Congress was composed of able statesmen. He was an 

 orator as well as a statesman and in extemporaneous speaking 

 few were his equal. Ideas came to him and were worked out 

 logically while he was on the rostrum. He was also an able de- 

 bater, strong at repartee. He was an authority on railroad law 

 and his opinions along this line are still recognized as final. 

 He it was who drew up the present railroad laws of Alaska. 

 One of the features of these is, that route monopoly is absolutely 

 prevented by a wise provision requiring any road which has laid 

 tracks through a mountain pass to permit the use of these tracks 

 by any other road which has run its line up to the pass. Rea- 

 sonable rental for the use of the tracks is all that is required and 

 the result is that no road can prevent or smother competition 

 by reason of securing the only available routes through the 

 mountains. This is just an illustration of his foresight as a 

 statesman. In a word, Major Lacey represented the highest type 

 of American citizenship. He was temperate and of clean per- 

 sonal habits, he had the highest regard for his word, which was 

 regarded as good as his bond. 



Hon. George D. Perkins, in the Sioux City Journal: 

 He was an influential man in Congress, a prodigious worker, 



