Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-07-23

| N]ohSOA IL TIC wal WIOle d l0II6T TO the
county newspaper suggesting that he
be made member of the county board.
The editor adopted the suggestion and
he was elected.
Becoming familiar with the county
business and pleasing the people in
his relations with them, he was. in
1877, elected county treasurer. This
was in 1880, and he held the office for
two terms, and would have held it
longer but that in 1884 he was elected
to the forty-ninth congress by the re-
publicans of the seventh district. He
was twice reelected and resigned in
1880 to become United States minister
| to Brazil
Ihls was Major Conger's opportunity
to make use of the peculiar combina-
ton of business sagaeity and diplo-
matte skill which he possessed. To
| him was assigned the new responsible
| lty OF negotiating the first of the re-
ciprocity treaties, and the arrange
ments he made with the Brazilian gov
eminent were so satisfactory to the
United States and Brazil that a unan-
imous request was made for his re-
| turn as minister to Brazil when the re-
| publican party came back into power
in 1897.
He had fairly commenced his work
when it was interrupted by Cleve-
lands second election, and he returned
to Brazil early in the year. 1897 to
complete it.
During his congressional career
Major Conger became a close friend of
William Mckinley. They sat together
in the house and enjoyed each others
| confidence in high degree. When
the president was having difficulty in
finding a man big enough, trusty
enough and sensible enough for the
Chinese mission he thought of Con-
ger and sent for Senator Allison to
know if he thought Conger would ac-
cept.
'EHe is a soldier" replied the sena-
tor, 'and if you cable him and request
him to go to China he will consider
it command and he will co.
The president sent the cable message,
inviting and urging Minister Conger to
undertake what was considered the
most important diplomatic post in the
world at that time.
Major Conger treated the request
precisely as Senator Allison said he
would The position was not of his
choosing, but he said, 81 have nothing
to do but obey ORDERS" and he went.
Minister Conger was gifted with an
extraordinary memory. If he saw a
man once he never forgot him and had
way of attaching men to him by be-
ing able to remember little things
about them. This had helped him to
success in business as well as in poll
tics.
He was heavily interested in the
brick industry in Des Moines, and
few years ago. went to Minneapolis and
brought about twenty-five representa-
tives of that city to Des Moines to in
spect the brick with a view to using
them for paving. He barely met these
men in Minneapolis before they took
the sleeping-car for Des Moines. Ar
irving there, the first thing they did
was to be driven to the state house,
where Major Conger introduced each
man to the governor by his full, right
name.
Mr.. Conger rarely met with opposl-
ton in politics. Things came to him
almost unsolicited. He was one or the
most popular men in the state.
His congressional career was marked
by several important acts. He was
chairman of the committee on coinage,
weights and measures and was mem
Der of the conference committee that
prepared the Sherman silver purchase
act of 1890 He brought about the
transfer of the United States weather,
bureau from the war department to
the department of agriculture, so that
it might be of more benett to the
farmers. The Conger pure lard bill,
which passed the house in 1880 and
was killed in the senate, was his Work.
The home life of the Congers was an
ideal one. They lived during recent
years in modest little frame mousse
not in the most fashionable part OF
Des Moines. All the members OF the
family were active in charitable work
and their home was a haven for many
weary soul.
Four years ago Major Conger was
offered business opportunity IN
Brazil to represent great New YORK
mercantile house that would nave
brought him an income OF S2O,OOo
wear. He found that it would require
him to travel most of the time ana
that he could not expect to have MS
family with him. For this reason he
declined the offer, although it was to
him a tempting one.
He said that he felt he had only
few wears to live, and he wanted 10
snend that time with his family
Some of his relatives and ancestors
died of apoplexy and he had feared the
same fate.