Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-12-13

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Presidential vote was cast for Andrew
jackson. Since he first attended na-
tional convention as delegate, Buchan-
an, Lincoln, Johnson Grant, Hayes,
Garfield and Arthur have been Presi-
dent. He and Douglas were boys to-
gether, Payne three years the older, and
they were party leaders together quar-
ter of a century ago. Douglas has been
dead twenty-five years and Payne is
still with US, scarcely out of his prime.
He was the intimate friend of Franklin
Pierce, who was President of the United
States SO long ago that not one person
out of five hundred now living was old
enough to vote for him. He was big
schoOlbOy, reading the New York pa
pers and thinking little ofpolitics, be-
fore John Adams and Thomas Jefferson
were dead. He can remember when
Maine was admitted into the Union,
the Missouri compromise bill passed,
and Lafayette visited America.
And he is also o popular man, at
home and abroad. He has few enemies
anywhere, scarcely any within his own
party. His personal character is as high
as the highest; his qualifications for
public place are everywhere acknowl-
edged, and his record in public life has
been uniformly creditable to him. He
is venerated by the rank and file of the
party, and loved by the leaders who
know him personally.
But, while those who are opposed to
Mr.. Payne, will accord to him all which
I have said of him, they say he is mo-
nopolist and interested in the Standard
Oil Company. Mr.. Payne is in favor
of a tariff reform, not an out and out
free trader, but stands upon the Ohio
Democratic platform. AS for his inter-
est in the Standard, he has none, though
it has always been believed he had
in Cleveland, up to few years ago. He
rarely talks of his own affairs, and it
was not until the Duke of Sutherland
visited this country that the facts be-
came known. 1t happened that while
in Cleveland the Duke was assigned by
the Committee on Entertainment of
the visiting Englishmen to Mr.. Payne's
hospitality. On the programme was u
visit to the Standard Oil Works, where
the Duke, struck by the hosts lack of
acquaintance with the affairs of the
company, and falling completely into
the common error, said: 'Mr. Payne,
you do not seem to have devoted much
attention to your works." ''My works."
replied Mr.. Payne; "why don't own u
dollar in them and never did. l never
was here before in my life, and know
absolutely nothing of the company's
affairs, except what l read in the pa
pers."
A correspondent of an Eastern paper
speaking of Mr. Payne's family rela-
tions, says: His wife, few years his
junior, is still by his side, and they have
a fine family of sons and daughters.
The two sons both live in Cleveland;
one, Nathan, is successful coal opera
tor; the other, Col. Oliver, is the mil
lionaire member of the Standard Oil
Company. One of the two daughters
is a wife of Mr.. Bingham, prominent
merchant of Cleveland; the other is the
wife of VIM. G. Whitney, late Corpora
ton Counesl of New York City. One
son, Harry, a graduate of Yale, died i'll
Europe six years ago. Both sons and
one daughter live ON Euclid avenue, on
the old Perry homestead.
In 1916 Mr.. Payne's health compelled
him to relinquish his law practice, and
years he has devoted his energies to his
large business interests, in which he has
shown great executive skill and caution.
His business connections have been
widespread and have been valued high
ly by his associates. Not long ago he
was a stakeholder and director in eigh-
teen corporations, embracing coal and
iron mining, manufacturing in several
branches, banking and other interests
all sound and tiourishing.
Now in the language of Demos" ''if
for any reason Pendleton is to be ig-
nored," we hope for the selection of a
Northern Ohio man, and no better
could be chosen than Henry B. Payne,
the peoples friend and man who has
done as much, if not more, for the
Democratic party of Ohio than any
other one man in the State. Je us ei,
espoir.
HOoP-POLLER.