New-York tribune., 1891-02-22
SKETCH OF Mr.. FOSTERS CAREER.

Charles Foster was born in seneca County, Omo-a
fov miles from Fosora. his present honle-AprH L.
l.2s lie was educated at the common schools ana ae
tho academy at Norwalk, Ohio. lie became sue
cc,,fll business and only began to take prom
inent part in polite, in l,63 when he was honiil" 1u
,r state senator bv the Republicans. while he was
ohs,pt froul home lie was elected. but the Demo-
craft, authorize, Of Of tn, counte- thr'" ont the
.odcr,' vote and he lost the seat. In 1870 ne ran
for ConCrc., and personal popularity ara N'No''"'
canvas, gave him majority of ''". although "c
Democratic stat, ticket had a large majority IN ue
district Not much wa, heard fsom Mr. Foster dur
Ing nj, fir, term in Congress bu, IN tae NLIlIi Con
,r.- bo attracted attention by hi, rcaln">> III an
rcoupicr Of word, provoked by General r. I. Butter.
, few months later he went 20 Louisiana "N htH''r
of An investigating committee. and M J"acN WIN
william Walter phelps in minority report u'H
the situation Of affairs there. In l-'f he a-hh car
rcd his district aud I'm 1870 he won his io"Fth N''"N
I'm each Of these four contests the peH'''"'' ''''
tne district for other candidates by maIoHtieS rang
I'M, from 800 to 1000 but they coald not overcome
MIR. Fosters popularity Under the Democratic gerry
mandor in l-7. Mr. Fosters home county wac thrown
i,,n , stronger Democratic district. the RcpuoH'ahs
Of the With District nominated him. but NJ d''h'l'i'
prcf.rrng 10 make the fight In his own district '"'
With. lie wa, dcfcacd by only l,2oo plurality ana
less than 400 majority. although the district "'D
gven Tildcn $40 plurality in 1876. NhlIe In con
In. Foster
committee on Ways and Means. In leV he was
nominated for Governor and was elected Dy d
plurality of i7.I20 and "A majority of 3312 IN l7'l
he was reelected to the Govern0rsh. holding thA'
Office from 1850 to 1884.
Al the close OF his second term as Governor Oh inc
state he retired his home at FoStoria ana 10 inc
care Of his business interests which had grown 10 oe
exceedingly important. There have been few great
improvements In Northwestern Ohio in when nc WIS
NOT more or less interested The last few years a'o
seen great changes in that region, owing TO the eN
tension OF railroads and the development Oh inc
newly discovered petroleum lands. In all puoho
enterprises Mr. Foster recognized leader ana hs
popuaritv was great When the members OF the
last Legislature were candidates for election IL was
stated that Mr.. Fosters name would De
pressed for the United states Senate Inc
success OF the Democratic party prevented ms
election but he received the compliment OF
unanimous nomination at the hands OF the Republican
legislative caucus and the vote OF the Republican mem
LerS i'm the ioint assembly Of the two houses LasJ
fall after The Democrats had gerrymandcred te STATE
he reluctantly accepted the Republican nominal on for
Canpress i'm the With District, which lad been care
ully arranged 30 give the Democrats large pcppdcr
auce Nevertheless Mr. Fosters pOpuliHtt ana ms
energetic and skfil canvass Of the d,lrct reduced
the anticipated Democratic majority TO an exceedingly
small figure.