, 1892-08-12
TOMS FATHER.
Dead Sure His Boy Will Make
Harrison President.
A Typical Old Irishman who has
Always Been "A Red Hot RePub-
Ican-He Tells the Reason why.
An Interest ding InterVIeW.


IIcan-He Tells the Reason why,
An Interesting Interview.
PHILADELPHIA, August 12.-Edward G.
Carter, the father of Thomas A. Carter
chairman of the republican national com
mittee, lives in this city and is voter in
the Ninth ward. He is a night watchman
at the Mint, and has been employed there
for about two years. He came to Philadel.
phia from Washington, and was placed in
the Mint by Director Leech. He is rather
popular with the other watchmen, likes to
hear good story and can tell one, and has
fund Of "reminiscences which he has gath
cred in his travels through the west.
He lives very modestly at the Brunswick
hotel, on Broad stieet, above FIlbert. A
reporter found him there yesterday. He
was sitting alone on a wooden table, with
his legs dangling down, and enjoying a
smoke out Of his old clay pipe. He looked
the picture of contentment. He carries
his So years very easily, and is quite active
for his age. In stature he is rather small.
hardly more than five feet, five inches in
height
He keeps his face smooth shaven and ne
looks at you out of his clear gray ewes
through pair of gOld-nmmed sDectacIes.
He has a strong chin, and the lines about
his mouth denote firmness. His forehead
is filled with wrinkles, which is the onlv
thing about him that gives you any idea
that he has turned the 6O-year mile post.
When he speaks there is just enough ac-
cent to denote that he is a son of ireland.
$50 you wanted to see Tom Carter's ia
ther2 said he cheerily. "Well, | guess I
am he, and he took his clay pipe out of his
mouth, knocked the ashes on the floor.
put the pipe in his pocket and gave the re-
porter cordial welcome.
"Will you tell US something ofyourself2"
he was asked.
"Well, sir, / was born in Ireland and
came over here when was 10 years old.
have lived the greater part of my life in the
West. l settled in Ohio in 1852 and lived
there until 1865. My son Tom and all NV
children were born in Ohio. From Ohio I
went to Illinois, and lived in Congressman
Bill MorrisOn's district for several years.
Since then L have lived in a number of
Western states and territories. All my
children are now located in Helena, Mont.
where Tom made his great success.h
"How did your son come to go into poll
tics 2'
HE was forced in against his will by the
send him as delegate to congress. That
was while Montana was still a territory.
He went to Helena IN 1880 and began TO
practice law and within a short time he
had made friends all around the territory.
He is a wonderful fellow for making friends
and holding them. He's like me. He be-
lieves in always sticking to his friends.
That's why he's so popular out in Mon
tana. The miners and the farmers out
there think he's all right. He don't only
know Montana he knows the whole
Northwest, and if anyone can carry those
states he can. When he went out Of con-
gress his partner wanted him TO keep out
of politics, and after be had been appointed
land commissioner his partner came all the
way to Washington to advise him not to
take the place. The people in Washington,
however, persuaded him to accept the place,
and that, guess, is what led to his present
position"
"A western paper stated some time ago
that your son had once been democrat.
Is there any truth in that2"
There's not drop of democratic blood
in his veins" was the reply, while the little
mans eyes blazed with earnestness. II
have been republican ever since the re-
publican party was formed and all of nv
children have been republicans.
"a great many people have asked me in
my life how it is that / am republican.
luby Juluh DeCdubb 4 am an lrlSnman /
ought to be a democrat. My answer is that
the principles Of the republican party have
made this country the most prosperous on
the face of the earth.
II remember in the days of democratic
rule before the war, when we had a demo-
cratic tariff, men worked from sunrise to
sunset for 70 cents a day. They would 70
for weeks and weeks at time without see
ing a dollar of good money. All they
would get would be shinplasters which
they would exchange at the company's
stores. Free trade in this country would
mean a return to those conditions. and
that is why am not for free trade"
Have you ever taken any part in poll
tics ~,
ooh, yes, in a small way. I guess if YOU
were to go out in Illinois or Colorado or
Wisconsin, you would meet some people
who know me. In 1888 / was running a
construction train on the Denver & Rio
Grande in Colorado. There was an excit-
ing election on. There were twenty-six
votes in the precinct 1 was in and only
four republicans out of the twenty-six. I
got IS Of the % democrats to vote for the
republican candidate for sheriff and those
votes elected him. That is about as coed a
piece of work as / ever did"