The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-18
GRANT AS A TEAMSTER.

His Widow Indignantly Denies the I'm
peaehmsut. but Is Effectively Au-
swered-TO Have Been Teamster In
wolves No Dissrace-Other Great Men
Who Were Tcamsters.
Some months ago Captain Watrous,
of Milwaukee. In the course of some
army stories in the Chicago Times-Her-
aid, told an anecdote or two OF General
Grant, which had to do with the period
of his life when he was a teamster at
Galena. To these anecdotes Mrs. Grant
Indignantly demurred, alleging first
that Grant had never been teamster,
and secondly, that If he had been, 1t
would be unkind to rake the fact up
against his memory. To this objection
Captain Watrous rather aptly replies:
"Supposing 1t were to develop that Gen.
eral Grant had, at a certain period in
his life, been professional teamster or
driver? Could that hurt Grant?
have not seen anything that went to
prove that that ever was his regular
business. but have heard many things,
backed by the most positive proof, that
in the transaction of his regular busi-
ness he had performed the duty OF
driver, and on various occasions taken
the position of driver in an excursion,
both of pleasure and business, as in the
ease of his trip from Galena to James
VILE I'm 1860 Not a soul who has read
the history of Grant will think any the
less of him because of that. No one
would think any the less of him were 1t
established beyond a doubt that for a
year, or for years, he had been a pro-
fessional teamster. A man who Is great
enough to command a million of men
and be president is not hurt by team
ster record, nor can his family be hurt
by it. The fact that in the short space
of four years he could rise from the
rank of a retired captain to that of lieu
tenant general and be crowned with
greater military achievements than any
other man of modern times, and then
serve eight years as president, Is the
best of proof that If he were teamster
he had metal in him for something else.
OTHER TRANSFERS.
"By the way, other pretty good men
have been teamsters. One of the
grandest governors Wisconsin ever had
was q stage driver for years. 1t did not
hurt grand old Jerry Rusk later on to
have it known he had been a stage
driver. He was pleased to hear the fact
mentioned. Who thinks any the less OF
the great war president because Mr..
Lincoln, to keep the pot boiling, split
rails; or of George Washington because
he once carried a chain for a surveyor?
Who thinks less of Garfield because he
rode mule that hauled u canal boat?
Garfield was a professional teamster, in
u way, but 1t didn't hurt his reputation
when he was great enough for presi-
dent. Who thinks less of one Of Wis
consin's grandest characters because,
when he first came to the state he had
to chop cord wood at 25 cents cord or
go hungry? Who thinks less of ex-Gov.
nor w. ID. Hoard because he was u
wood chopper? Men speak Of 1t as q
compliment. Who thinks less Of John
NJ. Thurston. Nebraska's senator. be-
cause he was a drayman in Chicago ut
one time? Or of Ex-Governor and Gen.
eral Alger. of Michigan, who drove q
team in the pineries? Who thinks less
OF MinnesOta's senator, Cushman X.
Davis, because he drove his fathers
team and held his fathers plow? Who
thought less of Henry Ward Beecher
because. when he first began his minis
terial career, he was obliged to milk
the cow and do the stable housewOrk?
Does anyone ever hold 1t up against Da-
MEL Webster because he earned needed
shillings as q chore boy? Who thinks
less of Benjamin Harrison because,
when he first began housekeeping, he
was his own chOre boy and his wife
the kitchen girl? Look back into the
life OF almost any successful merchant
manufacturer, railroad Official lawyer,
doctor, educator. publisher. and You
will find that some time he was glad to
do work for living that was not better
than being a teamster. The teamster
has an honorable calling. II 1t Is In him
to graduate from that calling to the
head of q college, a nation. q railroad
against him."