Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1892-08-04
A FAVOR TO MRS. GARFIELD.
A Story That is Told of Young Cyrus w
Fields Appointment

A Washington special to the New
York Press states that the appoint
m-nt of Cyrus W. Field, Jr., to he the
American consul mt Brunswick, Ger
many, WAS made by President Harri-
son 1T the direct request OF President
Gariield's widow. The circumstances
were remarkable. After the failure of
the firm III which Cyrus w. Fields eld
est sou was a leading partner, running
the tat her. son, wife and ther relatives
financially, an effort was made to Sc
cure for Young Cyrus Field a small po
litical appointment. He waslndorsed
by members oi congress and by nearly
hundred prominent men. President
Harrison refused to make the appoint
ment Ior the reason that he did not
see that young Field had done any
thing TO deserve the favor OF his coun
trymen.
Mrs Garfield was in New York two
months ago and accidentally heard oi
the effort that WAS being made on
vouns Fields behalf The younr
mans brother had just been sent to
an insane asylum, his mother hal
been buried "A month before. his sister
had died within few days and hi@
father was then lying at the point al
death
Mrs. Garfield took t..e first train for
Washingt on, drove straight Ia tit.
White Houss. saIh sent her caid up to
President Harrison. IL was the first
time they had ever met. Mrs. Gar
field said to he president in substance:
"Mr President. when General Garfield
died he left. as yon are aware, no Tor
;une having been lll his life in the ser
vice Of his country as u soldier, con
gresham, senator aEd finally presI-
dent. lie left debts amounting to
nearly SIo,ooO and four young chill
drrn. At that time Cyrus W. Field 4,
whom we did not know personally,
started n subscription fund among the
business men of New York, and by his
unseliish efforts raised S3oO.o0O, on
! the. income of which the family has
! since lived.
| Now have Just heard today
! that Mr. Field who is himself at
! deaths door and without means of
! his own, wishes to have his son sent
out of this country for short time
to escape from the terrible misfor-
tunes which have come upon his fam
( iIy" Mrs. Garfield then asked as n
personal favor to herself, the first and
! the last she had to ask of President
Harrison, that he would make the ap
pointment.
The President at once granted hei
petition. lie said that he had refused
TO make the appointment before ano
countless others like it simply upor
principle lie believed that those who
are appointed to office under this gov
ernment should not only be deservin.
of appointment in themselves but
should represent i'll their own person
and by their own services a large clas'
OF other citizens. A man may be per
sonally unobjectionable and still may
represent nobody, no large class O
citizens. "Goung Mr.. Field" th'
president said, ''of course represent
nobody but his own family-a famil,
which has universal sympathy in 1T!
great berea avement-but shall max
the appointment because you ask 1T.
) Mrs. Garfield thanked the presiden
and left the White House happy tina
she had been able to requite in small
measure the kindness of an old maj
to her years before. Mrs GARFIELD ha'
not been to the White House for eigh
years before this visit, and she adfe,
IN speaking oil it: perhaps l shal
never go there again, but ! was de
lighted with President Harrison