The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-05-05
ECKLES A SURPRISE.
Looks Like a Boy, But Said to Be
a BTainy Man.

How He Surprised the Rock-Ribbed
Vermont Democrats-Mr. Cleveland
Calls Him One of His Mistakes"
and Expects Him to Astonish the
Country Some Day.
From the New York Advertiser.
Washington May new controller
of the currency, James H. Eckles, has
just assumed the duties of his position.
Strangers who have business in the con-
troller's Office, when they are shown in
the private room of Mr.. Eckles, always
insist upon seeing "Mr, Eckles." They
express establishment when the gentle
man answers that he is the person they
desire to see. Most of the people who
have Mr.. Eckles pointed out to them have
an idea that he must be the son of the
controller AT glance Eckles docs not
look to be much over 20 1t was much on
the account of his youthful appearance
that there was so much difficulty about
his confirmation. Everybody who had
seen Eckles hanging about the capitol
supposed him a mere STRIPPING and re
garded his ability as the preCociousness
of youth. This led every one to lump at
JIlC NOl4NluSlOll LlloJ WI. 1lCNtidllu Adu
made a mistake. 1T was not the first
time the President had been accused of
making mistake regarding Mr. Eckels.
Indeed, Mr.. Eckles' youthful appearance
is a kind of a hobby with President
Cleveland.
In speaking about Mr. Eckles and the
time that was made over his confirmation,
the President said to a friend the other
day that he believed that Mr.. Eckles' APP
pointment as controller would turn out in
the same brilliant way as another alleged
mistake that he made years ago. Mr.
Cleveland then told the story of the al
legged mistake. 1t was while he was gov
ernor of New York, and Eckles was a law
student at Albany. Eckles used to hang
around Mr.. Cleveland a great deal, and
Cleveland was amused at the bright
things Eckles used to say. He always
felt-although he knew better-that
Eckles was Is, and it seemed funny to
have youth indulging in such sparkling
things as Mr. Eckles was in the habit of
saying to the governor of the great En-
pire state.
Eckles had often told the governor that
he was a good speaker on the stump, and
one day Bradley Smalley of Vermont came
down to Albany to see Gov. Cleveland.
The democrats, although having no hopes
of carrying the state. had determined to
make a very vigorous campaign for the
first time in thirty years, and they were
anxious to get lot of good democratic
speaker" from New York. Mr. Smalley
asked MIR Cleveland to suggest one or
two. The first name suggested by the
governor was that of Eckles Mr.. Cleve-
land said he was splendid speaker, and
Mr.. Smalley went back delighted at the
thoughts of securing him. He decided to
open the campaign in one of the large
mountain towns in the interior of the old
Granite state, and they advertised
meeting for Ecklcs, but Mr.. Smalley
or no one else in Vermont ever
having seen him, they advertised in the
most extensive way There was to be "a
barbecue and big meeting in the after
noon. The morning of the day of the great
event Mr.. Eckles arrived in town and he
was met by the chairman and the mem
berS of the county committee at the depot
There was also a brass band. From one
of the cars of the train emerged little
fellow. who looked to be about 10 or Is,
and even small for that age. He walked
up to the chairman of the committee and
said that his name was Eckles.
Where is your father, sonny? Isn't he
coming to keep his engagement said the
chairman, taking little Eckles' hand.
90" said Eckles Il don't guess you
mean my father Tie isn't tallxer. lam
the person. AT am The person Mr.
Smalley invited mere" The chairman
was exceedingly indignant, and said that
Mr.. Eckles had better leave, as he wasn't
wanted You see, f." continued the chair
man, "that this is the first democratic
meeting we have held in this part of the
country for nigh on thirty years, and we
want man to speak to us, We do not
want little boy, and if the folks see
rl,nf a hnN DI,l
come to the meeting and the republicans
will have the laugh on us"
Mr. Eclzles felt very much Inundated,
and said he was very sorry, but that he
was not a boy, for he was pretty well to-
ward 30, and that he had experience upon
the stump, and he thought he could enun-
ciate principles of democracy that would
arouse enthusiasm, even in Vermont The
chairman said then that he would dismiss
the band and allow Mr.. Eckles to speak
provided he would follow his Instructions
in the meantime. To this Mr.. Eckles con-
sented
well, " said the chairman, "you must
lock yourself up in the room of the hotel
and let nobody see you, and we will bring
you TO the meeting after the crowd has
assembled so that they will not be able to
go away. If they should see you up in
town we could not have any meeting"
MI. ECkleS remained IN bne room OF the
hotel all day, and was even afraid to look
out of the window in case somebody would
see him. Finally the hour for the great
meeting arrived. There were democrats
there from all parts of the country, and
the republicans had no idea that there
were so many democrats in the old Gran
tie state. Finally the chairman called
the meeting to order and said that he was
about to introduce one Of the most famous
democratic orators of the west, the Hon.
James H. Eckles. Mr.. Eckles, in his
quiet way, arose and bowed The peo-
pie began TO laugh and some irrevelant
person hollered out: Where did
You get the kid~ This did not embarrass
Mr.. Eckles in the least, as he was used 70
such remarks. Before he had uttered
more than three or four sentences he had
the friendship Of everybody in the crowd.
He spoke for three hours, and his speech
was full Of good stories and the sound