The National tribune., 1891-02-26

The new Secretary Of the Treasury is one Of
the big men OF the country. He has q big
body, big brain and big heart. Sixty three
years Of age, he does not look 10 be over so, and
his thick, brown hair has as yot but few gray
strands. He is the personifcation of health.
About FIVE feet nine inches high, he has the
stOcky. sturdy frame and the big muscles that
indicate good staying powers, and his chest is
broad, deep and full. His shoulders are broad
and well padded, and his big head, with its
luxuriant name, Is fastened to them with q
strong and well-shaped neck. lie stands
straight and firm in his shoes. snd his bright.
black eyes look out at you from under a broad,
high forehead with the confidence Of a man
who has fought the world in its sternest moods
and has como off victorious You feel his
strength an you look at him, aud the feeling in
ereases rs you come to know him. You soon see
that he is too big man 70 try 10 make himself
seem bigger by posing. Ho has no snobbishness
about him, and his eyes have a friendly, demo-
cratic look, which puts strangers at once at
their ease. His actions are as friendly as his
eyes, and he is noted for his frank, open man
ner and his cordial good fellowship He is a
plain, every day man in all his relations and
he will probably run the Treasury Department
in the same democratic manner that he kept
the Governors office when he was the Chief
Executive Of Ohio. There was no red tape
about him then, and there will be none now.
He will be accessible 10 ALL and he will manage
the finances OF the Nation on the same bust
ness principles that he manages bis own.
CHARLEY FOSTER AT HOME.
have called upon Gov. Foster several times
at his home in Fostoria, o. He is a millionaire,
and has vast interests in many directions. He
owns railroad stocks, bank stocks. natural gas
lands, and real estate, and in addition to them
he has for years managed large mercantile
lnsinngg Still ma lives al 81,
try merchant, and his Office is open TO all. He
is the general adviser to their little business
enterprises of many of the men Of his district
aud he Is known there as plain Charley Foster
To look at him, there or here, you would not
1T first sight imagine him TO be one Of the
richest men in Ohio and one Of the noted
statesmen Of the country. His dress is a plain
business suit and he usually walks about the
streets, and, whom in the city, is not ayerse to
patronizing the street cars.
HIS FATHER AND YOsToRIA.
Secretary Fosters fortune Is to large extent
self made. His father was q thrifty pioneer,
and gave him start, but the bulk Of his
wealth has como from his own Investments
Charley Fosters father was n Massachusetts,
man, who fell in love with young lady whose
family moved 10 Ohio, and he went out there
10 visit her. The young lady's name was
Croker. and she was living in Seneca County
scter Of the black soil Of northwestern Ohio
lie was moro pleased with his sweetheart, and
concluded to stay in Ohio. He popped tho
question, was accepted, and one year after his
arrival he and Miss Laura Croker were mar
ried and began to keep house in a log cabin,
which Mr. Foster built on the site OF the house
in which Charley Foster now lives in FOstoria
o. Charley Foster was born in that log house,
and the probability is that no was rocked in a
sugar trough, as WAS the custom among the
pioneers. The little boy played about among
the stumps, and when he was just four years
old his father had gotten far enough ahead 70
open a store for the settlement which had
sprung up around him. His store became very
popular. Ii was noted for its square dealing,
and il grew with the country. 1t has kept its
reputation to this day, and on its site is one OF
the biggest retail drygOods stores in Ohio. 1t
is that Of Foster & Co., and Dir. Foster was In
tercsted in 1t with his son when he died in
Fostoria at the age Of 50, about eight years ago.
"CALICO CHARLEY"
Gov. Foster got his first lessons in finance in
this store. He was one Of its clerks during his
boyhood, and when he ran for the Governor
ship OF Ohio the Democrats, thinking to hurt
him by his bookkeeping, nieknamed him
Calico Charley" The nickname, however, was
taken mp by the Republicans as a title OF credit,
and tho business men and storekeepers every
where worked for him. The result was he was
elected By large majority.
CHARLEY FOSTERS NARROW ESCAPE.
Secretary Foster got into politics by accident.
The rst 80 years Of his life were exclusively de-
voted to business lie was interested in all the
enterprises Of his town. aud gave literally to the
Republican campaign fund, but was not a can
didate for any Office. Ia 1863, however. he
happened to be away at the time the legisla-
tive nominations Of his district were made, and
he returned home To find himself the Republic
can candidate for State Senator. He accepted
the situation, went into the hght with will,
and though the district Was strongly Demo
cratic was elected, but was counted out This
campaign was the famous Vallandigham cam
paign. There was an intense party feeling on
both sides. The Copperheads were out in force,
and the Ohio Democracy was practically sup