The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-22

years 1870 and 1871. He was a Repub1i-
can Joining the party when it was or
ganiZed and bringing up his son in the
same faith.
Life for the son of the house of Mer-
RAM began in earnest when he was
sent away to school. Up to the time he
was fifteen, he had been as most boys,
a little more fortunate than some per-
haps, but given to youthful sports,
democratic in his selection Of COM
RAJ es, and a leader in all his boyish
affairs. His training in the local
schools had been supplemented by care
full instruction at home, and when he
went to Racine, Wis. to enter the
academy at that place, he easily made
his way to the top Of his classes. Racine
academy at that time was acknowledge
ed the best place Of learning in the
Northwest, and the new pupil from St
Paul Immediately took a high place in
the affections of his teachers and won
the admiration of his fellows on the
field for his activity and general ex-
cellence as an athletic. Cricket was
the school boys game in those days.
and young Merriam was captain of the
eleven the first year Of his advent to
the school Later he entered the col
lege in the same city, and as in the
academy, was easily the head of his
classes year after year. When he grad
.uated in 1871, he was the valedictorian
of his class. In speaking of that honor
conferred upon him by the members OF
Ibis class. Mr. Merriam has said that
she felt greater-thTill of pride when
Informed that he was to represent his
class at the commencement exercises.
than at any time since in all his public
life.
While at school Mr.. Merriam learned
something Of the life Of an editor, and
perhaps that may have something to
do with his marked liking for the work
ers of the press. He was the editor Of
the college paper and had the writing
of all the heavy editorials, and, if the
reports of his classmates be true, made
a success of this undertaking. as of
every other effort of his career Mr.
Merriam himself is disposed to pass
over that episode in his career with
some haste, and admits that he would
not have made as good an editor as
Horace Greedy or some of hts fathers
intimate friends of that date, but ex.
cuses himself by saying that he was
yet young and that he had not had the
great papers Of the Northwest for an
example of what true Journalism should
be. Throughout his college career he
gave evidence of the prominence that
future years had in store for him, and
his instructors prophesied for him that
he would be a success in whatever ca
reer he marked out for himself How
We'll that prophecy has been fulfilled
his life since fully eXemplifies.
1t was at this period in the young
mans career that his true worth and
sturdinesS of character was manifested.
The son of an indulgent and wealthy
father, the young man had at his dis
posal time and means to make or mar
himself. He chose the routine Of bust
ness life, without even the Intervention
of vacation to see something of life
after his years in college. Returning
to st. Paul he entered the First Ma
tonal bank as clerk at salary Of
$50 a month. Even in a subordinate
position his capacity for the minute
details of the business manifested itself
and it was no surprise to those who
were watching the young man that
In 1873 he was chosen cashier of the
Merchants National bank, a new ven
ture that had been organized by John
l.. Merriam and some of his intimates.
His training in the First National had
been so thorough and so diversified
in the work of such an institution, that
the new cashier took hold of the af-
fairs of the Merchants National with
confidence in himself and possessing
the full confidence of his employers as
well. From that day until the Mer-
chants National became one of the
strongest banks in the Northwest, Mr.
Merriam gave his constant and un-
wearying attention to the affairs of
the business with which he had been