The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-17

Lndb OluCcY b1ldb ny OOAoCAt AlC
was made the choice of his party for the
chief magistracy of Massachusetts,.
1t seemed to be mis- fate to lead forlorn
hopes and his successes were astonishing
even to himself. He had an excellent
command of oratory, was devoted to the
interests of the people and he attracted
men TO him. An admirer has said of him
that mo one ever talked with Russell
who did not 60 away his friend"
An incident in Russell's first term as
Mayor is thus related by Hon. Samuel
Roads of Massachusetts, formerly Rus
sells private secretary:
''He was only 81 years old when he was
brought face to face with the great crisis
of his life. 1t was an emergency which
should make or mar him, before which
many an older and more experienced but
less courageous man would have quaiIed.
There was a great strike OF streetcar en-
pIoyes. have forgotten the merits of the
controversy, which is immaterial, but l
remembe Der things began to assume very
ugly look; the strikers were defiant; it
looked for time as if the civil authority
was to be Knocked at. The strikers were
stubborn and refused to listen to reason;
the company would not tolerate the
thought of compromise.
Russell, the boy Mayor the youngest
Mayor ever elected in Massachusetts, and
perhaps the youngest in the country, 6e-
termined to settle the strike, and, what is
more wonderful, he settled it in such a
manner that both sides were satisfied, the
strikers as we'll as the company. This
action not only won HIM the confidence
! L. ~ Ia l.
him the attention of the entire State, and
showed that he had something besides
youth and eloquence and personal mag
netism at his command"
His appearance was decidedly boyish
when, in 1885, he received the Democratic
nomination for Governor, and his oppon-
ents made light of the youngster. He was
beaten that year and ran again the next
year, but once more a Republican was
elected. Once more in 1890 he headed the
ticket. The campaign he made that year
was a wonderful one. He spoke night
after night for months, and met on the
stump men of National regulations and
whose names were household words. Rus
sell was elected. It is a remarkable thing
that during the three years he held Office
as Governor, with single exception, every
Republican on the State ticket, saving
only the head, was elected, so that while
The Governor was Democrat, every other
official, from the Secretary of State down
was a Republican. The sole exception
during those three years was the election
of a Democratic Auditor. But Russell
maintained friendly relations with his sub.
ordinate officials, and, political considera
tons apart, they all entertained for him g
| sincere liking.
! While in business and political matter.
| Mr.. Russell was cold, calculating and in.
/ tensely self-contained, he was a man O.
| naturally warm impulses and generou:
| instincts. During his tenure of the guber
material Office he was constantly doing
kind and graceful things, which, If known
would have helped him in a great many
ways, but he studiously avoided publicity
'I remember" Mr.. Roads said, ''tha
one of the elevator men in the State HOUSE
met with an accident and broke his arm
Every morning for some days after that
when the Governor came into his office h'
| brought with him basket, which during
the course of the morning disappeared
He said nothing TO me about the basket
but my curiosity was aroused, and | fount
that the basket contained nourishing fooc
and other things for Tom tie elevate
man, and that every day in the quotes
and most unobtrusive manner the Gov
ernor sent the basket to the sufferer.
~ remember another incident showing
his goodness of heart. On his second in
auguration, after the ceremonies wer
over. he went into the council chamber
which was magniticently decorated witt
flowers There was one basket finer thai
all the rest. The Governor looked at it
minute and then said 81 wish you woult
jump into a carriage and take these flow
ers to Frank (the Governors stenographer
who was sick at the time) and find on
how he is getting along 1t was littl
thing, and yet how many other men a
such a time would have thought of hi
sick stenographer2"
While Mr.. Russell was Governor Their
lived in Essex County, Mass, an old lady
lifelong friend OF the family, who wa
in Indifferent circumstances, but VIII
formerly had been well off. Ever
Thanksgiving day he sent to her Goa
enough for the entire winter, bountifu