Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1897-08-06

slX cents 10 Albany. Inere was Il urIn
of brewers named Taylor in Albany |
who had just completed a big ware
house. There wasn't another as big |
outside Brooklyn. 1 rented that ware
house for 81 800 for year 1t is stand
ing to-day in Albany. 1 made arrange
l..cnts with them to have the corn
turned over regularly until the 1st of
June. 1 put about half the corn in
there and the rest L brought down to
Brooklyn and stored at regular rates in
different warehouses. Well, sir, the
market turned pretty soon and corn the
next year was worth double what it had
sold for. I made handsome profit ON
my speculation. l made something on
my wheat, but not SO much. They did
not understand then what could be done
with spring wheat. Modern processes
make Just as good flour out of spring
as out of winter wheat. The people of
Europe then didn't know anything
about corn. They've learned a good
deal since. guess 1 did about as much
as anyone to teach them.
81 never bought another bushel of
corn. They thought out in Chicago
that was going to be a regular buyer
after that and got more than hundred
letters the next year asking if didn't
want some. There were not so many
men then who would buy million
bushels at a time"
Over Mr.. Sage's desk hangs an inter-
esting photograph. It is a group of
men with whom he served in congress
Justin S. Morrill,, of Vermont; John
Sherman, of Ohio; the late n. 7. Banks,
of Massachusetts, among them. They
served at a troublous time--a time
when the credit of the country was in
| the hands of congress. Speaking of
that period, Mr.. Sage recalled Lincoln's
anxiety about borrowing the money
necessary to carry on the war, and of
the part he played in an important
conference held in New York in 1860.
"Presidert Lincoln was doubtful
whether the government debt could be
increased to 1900, 100000, and he want
ed an expression of opinion from some
representative fnanciers," said Mr.
Sage. "Mr. Seward called meeting
to be held at the Astor house in this
city, and he wrote me a note asking me
TO be sure to be there. Mr.. Seward was
always one of my warm friends. We
had big room and there We're repre-
sentatives of about all the states there.
Mr.. Weed presided. l went there eX-
pecting that I might be asked to say
word or two perhaps at the end of the
meeting, but nothing more. Well, when
the meeting was called to order Mr..
Weed called on me first thing. ! was
very much surprised. 1 told them 1
had come expecting to say something.
but not to be called on first, and l
supposed they had called On the
younger men first because it would
take them very short time to tell ali
they knew" Mr.. Sage smiled and
stroked his smooth-shaven chin as he
recalled his oratorical fight of nearly
10 years ago. Then I told them" he
continued, that 1 understood we were
called together here for the purpose OF
sounding the sentiment toward increas-
ing the public debt by S400,000,000 for
the purpose of preserving the govern
ment. In the first place, / said, if we
did not, what was going to become of
the other 81 GOO, ,00O,00O?" Mr.. Sage
paused and emphasized this convincing
argument with a wink Then he con-
tirued: "But 1 said after that: We
are considering increasing the public
debt to 50, 600. 100000. l am in favor Of
| raising it to 81 100000 or any other
} sum that is necessary to preserve the
. old flag That gave the keynote to the
, meeting, 1t created a great deal Of en-
: thusiasm. Mr.. Seward told me after
: ward that Mr.. Lincoln was very much
5 pleased with that meeting-the result
: of it lifted great load off his mind.
Still later Mr.. Lincoln told me so him
! self"
: Mr.. Sage's astute secretary had been
lowering in the doorway with a visit
, or's card. lie broke in on the inter
view with it and cut the thread Of Mr..
Sage's "reminiscences.
; "Show him in" said Mr.. Sage, and,
} grasping my hand cordially, he bade me
good day.
Mr.. Sage is one of the most method
} ical men in New York. He gets to his
: office at ten o'clock every morning. He
stays there until 8 or $3.50 o'clock
= in the afternoon. Meantime he sees
men who call to talk with him
about loans, attends meetings Of the
directors of banks and other institu-
tons in which he is interested, and
takes luncheon in the Western Union
building. He is at his desk winter and
summer. He has country place at
Cedarhurst, where he goes in the warm
months. During the winter he lives on
Fifth avenue. Many years ago, when
. he was making a fortune, Mr.. Sage
travelled great deal, looking after his
railroad enterprises. Now he seldom
gets out of reach of his Office. He never
, goes on the stock exchange, though he
has been a member for 80 years. He
l leads busy life, and no doubt he will
keep busy until the end
: GEORGE GRANTHAM Balm.