Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-01-03
When General Garfield became Presl-

dent, jerry RuSk came down from WIS
conSin and was a candidate for place
in the Cabinet. He wanted to be Secre
tary of War. At this time he was
simply ex-COngressman Rusk, havi ng
served three terms in the House. Gar
field was not favorable to the idea, but
in his mild and pleasant way was care
full to so word his expressions as to give
no offerse. As result the Wisconsin
man and his friends continued to hope
and to keep up the pressure. Finally
Garfield wearied Of their opportunities
He sent for Charles Foster, who had fol-
years been his intimate friend and who
had also been On friendly terms with
Rusk when the three served together in
Congress from 1871 to 1877.
Jerry Rusk and his friends are both
ering the life out of me to make him
Secretary Of War" said Garfield to Fos-
ter. Cant you take him out to one side,
have a long talk with him and coax him
into accepting the post OF commissioner
of agriculture?" ''rll see what l can
do with him." said Foster, and that
same afternoon the Ohio man called fol-
Rusk at the Riggs House and proposed
to him that inasmuch as the day was a
fine oae they take walk in the suburbs.
Rusk agreed and they started out. For
time nothing was said about politics.
Foster was thinking OF the easiest man.
ner in which he could lead up to the
business in hand. Finally they stopped
under tree and Foster sat down on a
log, determined to begin then and there
Before he could open his mouth Un-
Gle Jerry spoke. Charley Foster,
said he, ''you needn't begin to hem and
haw and beat about the bush. 1 know
what you have brought me out here in
the woods for. Garfield has sent you
to tell me that l can't be secretary OF
war, but that | may have some minor
place if want it," YES" muttered
Foster, you have guessed it. But the
place which you may have is one not to
be sneezed at. 1t is commissionership
Of agriculture" Rusk was
furious. "Commioner OF agricul-
ture!" he exclaimed. distributor
of seeds and peddler OF pumpkins!
You go back to Jim Garfield and tell
him that Jerry Rusk is not that kind of
man. You tell him that II Jerry
Rusk is not good enough to sit in Jim
Gariield's cabinet he knows what he is
good for. He is good enough to be
governor of Wisconsin, and you and Jim
Garfield had better look out for him.
Jerry RuSk is going TO be president
himself some of these days and he'll re-
member you fellows and don't you for
getit."
In vain did Mr.. Foster endeavor to
calm the anger Of the offended states
man from Wisconsin. That same day be
packed his grip and started for home.
Two days later he sat in a parlor of the
PlankintOn House, Milwaukee, and
gathered about him were half dozen
OF the leading Republicans of Wiscon-
sin. II want TO be Governor" said
Uncle Jerry, land want you men to
help me. l want TO teach these upstairs
at Washington lesson. Will you stand
by me?" At the next election Rusk WAS
chosen Governor of Wisconsin. Gar
field died so soon after his Inauguration
that the revengeful schemes Of Uncle
Jerry were never rut in. operation, and
probably would not have been pressed
in any event. "The manner in which
Mr.. Rusk OWNED what Charly Foster
took him out into the woods for" re-
marked the gentleman who told ME the
story, "shows how keen the Secretary
OF Agriculture is. He does not know
much about literature, but you cannot
fool him on human nature. He is as
sharp as a razor, and tell you to keep
an eye on him. He will be president
yet, Just as he said he would"
Speaker Crisp is known among his
associates as man Of fine manners.
Tried In the crueible Of Speakership
contest, pulled and hauled about by
scores of men driven by seltshness or
passion, cajoled by some OF his friends,
threatened by some of his enemies, the
speaker has not for one instant lost that
self poise that eeuanimity, that absolute
self possession which have made him
one of the most remarkable men OF the
times. l was talking about this the
other day with Representative OFFER
rail-, of Virginia, who succeeds Mr.. Crisp
as chairman of the Committee on Flee
tions. For six years." said Mr.. OFFER
rail-, Judge Crisp and / have served
together on that committee. Ii Is In
that committee room that we have
thunder and lightning. There we try
many lawsuits, in every one OF them
the FIRE of party passion heat
ing things up to high tenn
perature. In all the hand to
hand fighting in that committee, in all
the cross firing and personalities incl
dent to desperate combat, never
once saw Mr.. Crisp lose, even for an in
slant, his self possession never for q