The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-09

and suppose the chief of his bureau thinks
otherwise and objects to giving up sat
isfactory employee? The commission will
find out the instant their labors begin that
they will antagonize every official as well
as every clerk in Washington. Harmony
does not reign supreme in the treasury.
Secretary Folger does not like Assistant
Secretary New, and has no fancy whatever
for the legacies left in the department by
John Sherman in the way of gentlemen
with high salaries and cloudy regulations.
Among the strollers on the Avenue a
| few DAYS ago / noticed man of stout
| form, with full, broad face, aquiline nose,
| sharp, keen gray eyes and firm outline.
1t was Alexander Mitchell formerly a
member of congress from Milwaukee and
now one of the richest mea of the north
west. Those who were in Washington
in 1874 remember Mr.. Mitcaell, who
though then worth several millions, was
very quiet and unobtrusive. During his
| first winter few people in congress knew
much more~about him than the fact OF
his being successful Milwaukee banker
During the great financial debate of his
| term Mr.. Mitchell prepared speech upon
the subject of the resumption of specie
payment. Mr.. Mitchell was a very modest
man, and. as no one paid much attention
to him in the house, he did not expect to
have many listeners for his speech. One
of his friends who heard he was going to
make speech, thought he would pre-
pare surprise for him. This friend
went to the office of the Washington
Chronicle and had paragraph printed
merely giving the amount of Mr. Mitch
ellis wealth. Then he went up in the
reporters gallery and pointed out Mr..
Mitchell as one of the great financiers of
the west Nothing attracts so much at
| tention as reputation for enormous
wealth. In a few days Mr.. Mitchell be-
| came one of the celebrities of the house
When the millionaire arose to talk, if
every word had been coinahle into a gold
dollar, he could not have had more pro-
found attention. Mr.. Mitchell and family
have recently returned from Florida,
where his wife has great orange planta-
ton. When asked what he thought of
the political situation he replied that in
his opinion the next president would be a
democrat.
Mr.. Mitchell came to this country a
poor Scotch lad and made great for
| tune. Some may think he owes his
wealth to the great opportunities he found
here. It is doubtful A school friend
of his who remained at Glasgow is to day
worth $40, 900, 900, and he too started
poor. Such men as Mr.. Mitchell cannot
help getting rich. Several years ago Mr.
Mitchell went to Europe. In France he
met his old school friend, the Glasgow
| banker. The two went about together all
day. The Glasgow man paid all the bills
At the close of the day. whenthe two sal
down to dinner, the Glasgow banker
pulled out card and, turning to Mr.
Mitchell he said: Sandy, you owe me a
dollar and sixty five cents" This was
Sandy's share of the expense of the day
and he promptly paid his share to the
| exact penny. as matter of course. This
rigid eXactness in the smallest expendi-
lures Is one of the common elements IN
the character of these two very rich men
! Yet with all the exactness and care no one
has ever dreamedof calling Mr. Mitchell
| stingy or close. PHoNo.