St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-07-23
WAS CARTER CROOKED?
Hints That the Republican Chair
man Is Not q Saint.

-
BURLINGTON, To-, July 22.-The
greatest amount of interest is taken
among the citizens of Burlington in the
appointment of Thomas Ii. Carter as
chairman of the Republican national
committee, and the general opinion is
that the Republicans have got sharp.
shrewd man to fill the place. Carter is
we'll known to large number of bust
ness men in this city, and the drift of
comment is not at all favorable TO the
Montana man. He was resident
of this city for eight or ten
years. and in that time joined
an alliance with one r. Il. Root, a
elevate him in the estimation of the
public. Carter came to this city from
Illinois, and was employed by Root in
the book publishing Ousiness.an proved
himself TO be most valuable employe.
Root came to Burlington some eighteen
years ago, and started up the publish
ing business with the aid of a number
of prominent business men, who were
rather favOrably impressed with him at
the start. He, however. employed meth
DDS of disposing of books and canvass
ing territory that were, to say the least,
questionable, and to this day there are
Iowa and Nebraska who hold bitter
thoughts against Root ct al. for the
manner in which, as they claim, they
were taken ill.,"
1t is stated that Roots method was to
persuade his victims to buy county
rights to sell book called footprints
of Time" taking mortgage on the
purchasers farm. dwelling, store or
stock Of goods, as the case might be,
one of the considerations being a large
quantity of books. As a general rule
the mortgage came due without CORE
spending income from the sale of books,
and the mortgage was fOreclOSed. No
extension of time was allowed, and
many a poor farmer or country mer-
chant saw their home OF land OF stock of
goods pass from them. Great indigna-
ton was caused, and it is said that Root
was constantly on his guard against per-
sonal injury. Carter was faithful to
Root throughout these deals. and al
though but an cmploye, it is said. knew
of and assisted his employer in the busi-
ness. Root finally concluded his book
business, in which he had made consid-
cradle money, and started a bank.
About four years ago he failed and left
town.
1t is stated that Carter expressed
himself dissatisfied with Roots methods
and that as soon as he Carter had
made little money he would quit and
go West. This he did about the time
Root closed up his book business. This
was about ten years ago. Carter asked
the advice of several lawyers in regard
to the most necessary law books re-
quired. as he wished to enter that pro-
fession. He purchased small library
and went to Helena, where he was
shortly afterward admitted to the bar.
While in Burlington Carter was rabid
Democrat and took lively in
terest in political matters. Upon
arriving at Helena he found
that the great majority of the
ana Roman Catholics. He joined the
Republican party. allied himself to the
Roman Catholic parish and soon became
very popular among the young Repub-
licans and Roman Catholics of that
state. BY his sharp. pushing skill i'll
political matters he soon won for him
self prominence that marked him for
political preferment. The result was
his election to congress as delegate
and then as senator. He again run as
senator in 1890, but was defeated. Ennis
saries of the Democratic party in Mon
tana were sent to this city in that year
to hunt up Mr.. Carter's record, it is sup
posed, to use against him in the cam
paign. Republicans in this city are not
saving much about Mr.. Carter. They
feel that silence is probably the best
policy.