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Aldrich (NELSON WILMARTH an American)

NELSON WILMARTH, an American politician, born in Foster, R. I., in 1841. His Hi early life was spent in business and he became a partner in a wholesale grocery firm in Providence.

He early showed an interest in and capacity for politics and was elected to the Rhode Island House of Representatives in 1875. Within a few years he was the chief political power in the State.

He was elected to Congress in 1878, but resigned in 1881 to enter the Senate, to which he was successfully re-elected and his deep knowledge of business and made him a pow powerful factor in the Senate, especially in relation to measures affecting the tariff. He was chiefly reaffecting the tariff. He was chiefly re- Greatly interested in financial matters, he was largely responsible for the height of his power he was the most dominant figure in the Senate. At the expiration of his term in 1911 he deexpiration of his term in 1911 he deseeing the conditions that were about to result from the splitting up of the Republican party, which took place in the following year. He was a chief authority on banking and finance and through his efforts banking laws were greatly improved. After his retirement he took no active part in politics, and died on April 16, 1915.