Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1892-11-17

there were frequently Such marked alter
nations as to give hope that his strong
will and hopeful nature would in the end
triumph. and that he would eventually
come out conqueror over disease and
death. But while his will and his hope.
fulness were strong, his constitution was
feeble, and in the end he yielded to those
forces more powerful than his resistance,
and the State is agaiu called, almost
before the sod has settled upon the grave
of the late Chief Justice Merrimon, to
mourn the loss of another public officer;
and society, his church, his family and
his friends to lament the departure of one
whose place with some can never be
filed with all will leave gap that time
can only slowly fill
Donald w. Balm has been a familiar
figure in the place of his residence since
early boyhood, even then looked upon
as one destined to fill conspicuous
place in the public eye. And in fact that
anticipation was very early realized; for
since early manhood he had been asso-
ciated with the financial affairs of North
mating ir that long service in the Treas
ury Department for which his industry,
his sagacity, his intelligence and his in
tegrity gave him peculiar aptitade. An
illustration of the value attached to his
characteristics is given when Republi.
can administration succeeded that Of
Gov. Worth, under whom Mr.. Balm was
chief clerk in the Treasury Office. Mr.. D..
A. Jenkins had been elected Treas
urer, and there was loud imme-
diate clamor for the removal of all
Democratic subordinates from the
places they held in the several de-
partments. The chief clerkship in the
Treasury Department was a much COW
cted prize, and MIR. jenkins was persis-
rently beset to remove Mr.. Balm, both
as proper party measure and as ht-
ting subject Of politicalreward.
Mr.. Jenkins was a man of sense as well
as man of integrity. He realized the
Importance of having associated with
him in his very responsible position one
whose qualities had been thoroughly
tested; one in whose integrity he could
trust; in whose judgment he could confde;
upon whose information he could rely;
on whose industry he could depend. He
was unwilling to risk his sownreputation
upon the improved, uncertain aid of par
tisan assistants; and Mr.. Balm was re-
tained; and unbroken harmony, and un-
weakened confidence, and cordial good
understanding were maintained between
the chief and the subordinate until the
close of Mr.. Jenkins term of service, by
which time MIR. Balm had SC
commended himself to the people
of North Carolina for his remarkable
business qualities, and his admirable
personal characters, that in the Demo
cratic nominations for State officers II
the campaign of 1884, the public ant
party eve was intintively fixed upor
Donald w. Balm as the manimperatively
demanded for the position in which
financial intelligence, official skill. com
prehensive information, personal urban
ity and unimpeachable integrity wer'
united to meet all the requirements o
public needs and expectations. Mr.
Balm was elected; and never afterwards
was their serious proposal of displacinl
him, as, quadrennially, new tickets wer
promoted for party consideration. Tern
after term be had been called upon t.
retain his seat, with continued fresh de
velopemcnt of his value and abilities. Ii
his relation with the legislature during
its sittings, his value was especially con
spicuous. A call on him tor informa
ton was so promptly and correctly re
sponded to, that further application wa
rarely made. lie was an infallible ency
clopedia, with statutory knowledge
financial details and the bases upoI
which his responses, reports and sua
gestions were conveyed; and was so wis
and so accurate that they were accepte
always without qualification or discu:
sion. He seemed presented as specis
creation to which there could be oequf
nor parallel, so promptly, so spontan'
ously, so accurately, and, withal, so plea'
antly were the results of his thought
and the stores of his information di
played for the use and good of the Stat
and the people.
Mr.. Balm entered the service OF IL
State in the office of the Comrtroll,
under Governor Brogden in 1857, r
naming in that capacity until appointc
as chief clerk of the Treasury in 1856
, which he retained until election as Trea
urer in 1884. In January 1885 he W;
qualified as Treasurer, and was re-elect,
at the last general election.
! In another capacity he has been amo
as long, as well, and as favorably know
as in that of Public Treasurer. Sin
February, 1869, he had been Grand Sc
retary OF the Grand Lodge of North Ca
olina, giving another and very conclusi'
evidence OF the esteem in which he W;
/. held, personally and officially; for as
, one office, SO in the other, with all Il
mutations OF events, parties and me
Donald W. Balm was so firmly entrench,
J. in the affections, reliance and con6den