Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-11-13
GOVERNOR ROGERS.
THE EXECUTIVE TO-BE INTER-
VIEWED AT HIS HOME.
His Home SurrOundings-His Fam
ily-SOme of His Views Regarding
Public Affairs "A Conservative
Policy PrOmised-A Already Over
run by Office Seekers.
Cor. pnSt-Iufclligcncer

| WI.
The home Of the G0yernor-elcct oI
the State of Washington is in the fer
tile valley of the Puyallup river, famed
for its hops, and in the town famou,
| for its aspirations to become the capi.
tai. Puyallup is one of the oldest set
Elements in the State, and shows it,
age in the substantial character of the
buildings which have gone up with its
growth and in the absence of newness
in its orchards and farms. 1t has the
general aspect of small Western
town, with its main business street
diversified by tentative efforts of enter
prising landowners to divert the
channel of trade by the erection OF
small business blocks, which await the
recurrence of good times for full occu-
paLcy. The homes in the suburbs
which include all the settlement ex-
cept the principal street-are modest
and usually situated in the midst of
fruit trees and berry bushes. They do
not bear the dilapidated appearance OF
many villages, but are in good repair
and painted, their little orchards
showing both thrift and taste.
In such a house, occupying perhaps
Il quarter of block, but as modest
and unpretentious building as ever
sheltered the Governor Of a common
wealth, is now the home of John r.
Rogers, Chief Executive of Washing
ton for four years from January next.
Reached from street distinguished
by a full sidewalk, by means of a plank
walk, it stands back from the roadway
behind plain fence. 1t is a square
house of two stories, under a peaked
roof, and boasts of n porch supported
by unturned pillars. In front a vine
aids trellis in shading the front
rooms from the sun, but otherwise it
it without any pretense of ornament
or display. Its window shades are
trim, and behind them are neat cur
tains, indicative of housewifely taste
and regard for the little comforts of
life. To the right the lot is set out in
berries, but evidently not for the pur-
pose of profit.
The family consists of the Governor
elect, his wife, a pleasant-faced woman
who looks as if she had lived life of
domestic activity, and two daughters.
The elder of these, Carrie, was type
setter, and formed a chief part of the
working force of the Citizen when that
newspaper was run by her brother,
Bert, who is now in Portland. The
other Helen, graduated from the pub
lie school and is now one of the best
teachers in that institution. Her
elder sister has taken up that vocation,
and is also one of the teachers in the
local school. The eldest son of Rogers,
Edward r. Rogers, is member of the
firm of Rogers & Raymond, which
runs a grocery and general country
store in Puyallup. He arrived some
time before his father and has built up
steady business. This is where the
GOvernor-elect makes his present
headquarters, and the recent election
has not tended, of course, to diminish
the number of callers at the store. 1t
is not large establishment, but the
stock is we'll kept; there is activity be-
hind the counter and an entire alb
sence of the shiftlessness, tobacco
juice and lofiang associated with a
country store environed by Populist
affiliations. Thanks to this young
man, who married in Kansas, the Gov
ernor-elect is doubly a grandfather.
Seated in the little Office to the rear
of the store Governor-elect Rogers
was found, opening the mail which
had swelled the Puyallup postofiice
bags prior to election and is assuming
portentiOus proportions since. A
rather tall, spare man, with whitening
moustache, rather rugged features,
prominent nose, cheekbones and
Adams apple. At first glance Rogers
looks like middle-aged man, but the
deep lines indicate the wearing years
no less than decided characteristics.
He usually dresses in professional
color and fashion, long frock coat
and buttoned up black vest, topped
off with a Grand Army hat.
In conversation he is rather en-
phatic, some times hasty in expression,
but trained to the careful choice of
words in formulating an opinion.
His education is not of the college
variety, but he has evidently been a
painstaking reader on the subjects
which have brought him so conspic-
uously before the people. He seems
to be in earnest. To a large number
of people-even to many who voted
for him-he is only the standard
bearer of a movement for change, with
very little rack for the consequences.
He is generally known only by his
pamphlet, "The Irrepressible Con-
flict." To those who agree with him.
! he is reformer; to those who do not,