The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-08-27
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ONCE. Nos. 20 and ~ Fourteenth Street.
$. D. EIK1Ns.

[Othce. Nos. 20 and RI Fourtoc nth Street. Z
$. D. ELKISs,
Hynrard Man, Tells Something About Him
II and the Gentle Hermits.
To Tie Efi.or Of lie Tribune: Yst
siR:-onc Of the objections which our
Eastern Independents bring against Mr..
Blaine Is that, even II he Is not, himself, a
tirst.class villain, lie Is surrounded by the
riiEntr and rascality Of his party-that the
managers Of his candidacy at Chicago
were the bummers Of the East and the
SHAREHOLDERS OF the West; SO that even II
Mr.. Hisginson and Mr.. Clarke and Mr..
Eliot aud Mr.. Everett were otherwise dis.
posed to vote for Mr.. Blaine they could
not because the would thus find them.
selves forced aliliate with-forinstance-
9"STENE ELklNS."g .eGi7 &
Nothing more iorcibly illustrates the Rip
Van Wrinkle sleep OF our Gentle IIcrmits
OF Cambridge than this estimate OF Mr..
Elkins; for while they have slumbered
and slept Stephen b. Elkins has sprung
from unknown boyhood into the most
vigorous and distinctive type OF American
manhood. lie is brilliant example OF
the class Which may be proud to show to
the foreigner MS n specimen OF what our
American institutions produce, and We
can assure our gentle hermits that unless
they shake themselves awake and scdtl-
lousy cultivate Mr.. Elkins, the chances
are Il hundred to one they will never be
IN such good company in their lives. ~,
/ MIR. Elkins was born in Ohio, reared in
Missouri, and graduated at the University
OF Missouri, in the year 1850, ut the ase OF
eighteen. lie took the highest rank In
his class and bears the degrees OF A, d,
and A. NJ. from his University. For the
last two years he has been elected to de-
liver the address before the Alumni Asso.
ciation, but this year he was obliged to
decline, rs the Chicago Rin.Raif Conven.
ton assembled on the same day.
Il do not mention these facts us in anvN
degree tending to relieve Mr.. EIkins from
the faint OF illiteracy in the eyes OF Mr.
Theodore LyInan-who, by the way, has
not yet given you audible evidence OF Mr.
Blainc's bad political standing in Maine;
nor do suppose the Reverend William
Everett to have any ovcrwcening respect
for the A. BIS Of what he is pleased to dub
the "frcsll-water colleges But the Row.
dy West did what she could for her bov,
who returned her service by braycly fight
ing her battles in the civil war. Through.
ont his boyl,ood and youth he was sur.
rounded by Southern associations. In
spite OF these influences, however, with
father and two brothers in sympathy and
identified with the Confederate service. lie
fought OH the side OF the Union. Having
studied law he went to New Mexico to
take survey before striking out for life,
and was sufficiently suited to remain. The
population was so largely Spanish that
young Elkins found it necessary to learn
their language, whicl, he practically mas
tered in the first year. and while engaged
in his legal profession. At the end OF that
first year he was elected to the Legislature.
\ little anccdotc which has long been
current among his friends is SO character
istic OF the sorlid, vulgar mcrccnary and
un-Ilaryarl like character which the In
dependents attribute to him that shallbe
pardoned for producing It. The young
stcr's savings from his law practice ut the
end OF a year were about fifteen hundred
dollars. 1t was the first money lie Ind
ever earned and it was all he had. One OF
the United States Judges held what, for
that region, was u lair law library, and it
came into the market ior sale. The rising
young lawyer and legislator looked won L |
to covct it, andthe result was that tile fiji
teen hundred dollars went out OF his
pocket and the library came into his lio,,ae,
In 1867, being then twenty-five years
old, he was appointed by the Governor
and confirmed by the Legislative Council
as Attorney General OF the Territory, I'M
1865, ut the age Of twcnty.six;- he was APP
pointed United States Attorney by the
President. In 1873 heswas elected to Con.
gress by the largest majority cver cast for
Il candidate in the Territory. In 1875 he
declined being Il candidate and went
to Europe with his newly welded wife, the
daughter ON Scnalorof the United States,
who may acquire some distinction IN the
eyes of G. w. Curtis by hcjnga Democrat.
Landing at New York on his return, Mr..
Elkins found that, in spite OF his dcelina-
ton and without his knowledge, his con-
nti;Hnency had again returned him oCon-
gress, where he served until 1877 with
great credit, especially ipr his speech for
the admission Of New Mexico rs Stale,
1t may be well supposed that Mr. Elkins
will meyer Dc ncarert|le Kingdom OF iieay-
en- than he was when m august Boston
newspaper declared his to be the only case
in Which single speech carried a meas.
IRE OF 40 great importance, fr' |
During Mr.. Elkins' public career his Of
fetal integrity was never questioned and
no charge was ever brought against him.
In 1872 he was made president Of the
Fist National Bank OF Santa Fe, bank
which is depository Of the Public Funds,
which is and has always lIcep strong md
prosperous. It's stock has paid IS per
cent dividend and is now worth Sl65 per
share. He has very lately resigned this
presidency and tho Board Of Directors
have passed and published resolutions cx-
pressing their s'profound regret. at losing
him, md their belief that "the great sue
cess enjoyed by Pie hank sinpeits organi-
zation" is largely due to lilo confidence
rcposcd in him by the business commu.
nily, and to his ability and prudence in
the management OF It's affairs In sever
ing the relAtlops which hare 50 lang cx-
listed between Mr.. Elkins and his asso-
ciates OIL this board, they heartily testify
to his unblemishcd and sterling integrity,
both Ms . business man and private elti-
zen. s,.t 81. 6i \. -sE,2r 81 81 Ii,
The parents OF Mr.. Elklns were mem
bers Of what is known as the Christian
Church-thc same church to which Prcsi-
dent Garfield belonged. From child he
had hecn carefully reared hy Z n plous
mother, and in his Seventeenth year, while
at the University he joined her church.
When he went to New Mexico society
was crude, therc was little moral restraint,
and vice was common, Though SO young,
and without home, Mr.. Elkins never con.
dur ri lis his c resd ps ne Nsw
Mexico nor during his subsequent HE In
the East, has any one ever seen him take
drink, in bar-room or heard him utter
M oath. lie hns honorcd his faith In his
life. While in Washington he regularly
attended tho Presbyterian Church OF which