[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 95 (Thursday, July 16, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H5728]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      A TRIBUTE TO LOUIS GOLDSTEIN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, with the death of Louis Goldstein on July 3, 
Maryland, as well as the entire country, lost a great patriot, dutiful 
public servant, and loving individual.
  Louis Lazarus Goldstein died at the age of 85, having spent all of 
his adult life in the service of his fellow citizens. He was in some 
ways a simple, unassuming man, and in other ways, an extremely 
complicated one. He loved people, his family, history, the United 
States marines, the state of Maryland, the Democratic Party, and 
America. He served all of them in turn, and served them with enthusiasm 
and faithfulness.
  Louis was larger than life when he lived, and he will become even 
larger in a his death. The Louis stories that are legend now will 
geometrically multiply in years to come. Hopefully, however, we will 
not lose the reality along the way: his genuine, heartfelt prayer that 
God would bless each of us real good; his observation that our gift to 
God was service to others, and his shining example of such service; his 
brilliance in the administration of his office; and his fidelity to 
Maryland's citizens and the stewardship of their money.
  He was, Mr. Speaker, an unforgettable character who made everyone 
feel that they were his close friend and objects of his genuine 
concern, as, indeed, they were. Some thought him hokey, but they saw 
only the facade. To know Louis was to know how deeply he cared about 
democracy and individual freedom and civil liberties, and how committed 
he was to ensuring that every American young person had an opportunity 
to excel to the limit of his or her talent, and their willingness to 
expend effort and energy in the pursuit of their goals; how much of his 
own time and extraordinary political skills he spent ensuring that 
Washington College and the University of Maryland were places where 
excellence was encouraged and facilitated; how much he valued the 
principles of his party, and how strongly he fought for its candidates.
  Mr. Speaker, I do not know whether Members have ever met Louis 
Goldstein, how many of our colleagues have met him. I suspect many. He 
lit up a room and a podium, a campaign trail and another candidate's 
events, or certainly his own. He brought common sense and uncommon 
intellect and integrity to the business of politics.
  God granted to Louis and to us 85 vigorous years which Louis used to 
the utmost. God indeed blessed us real good through the force of nature 
we knew for the past 40 years as our comptroller; arguably, the most 
popular tax collector in the history of the world.
  Louis Goldstein was a wonderful servant to Maryland and America, and 
his death is a tragic loss for all. But the happy note is that his life 
was not a tragedy at all. It was a victory, a celebration, a joy. Louis 
Goldstein loved life and he gave it his all. He served as a public 
official for 51 out of his 85 years, not out of a need for power or 
money or even attention, but out of his earnest desire to help those 
less fortunate and make a difference in the lives of others. His legacy 
will no doubt live on, and serve as a much needed model for future 
leaders of our State, for future leaders of our country.
  All of us would do well to emulate his charity towards all and malice 
towards none. Louis Lazarus Goldstein will be missed.
  Louis Lazarus Goldstein first came into my life in 1962, 36 years 
ago. He was my friend, he was my mentor, he was an adviser and 
counselor. He was an extraordinary human being. He ended every speech, 
as I have alluded to, with, ``May God bless you all real good.'' God 
blessed us through Louis Goldstein.

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