The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-12-03
CLIMAX IN
THE LIFE
OF JENKINS
President Sends Stern Mes
sage and Directs Grimes
TO ACT AS GOVERNOR
UntiII Ferguson Can Assume
His Executive Duties.
10 ACT AS GOVERNOR

Guthrie. o. T., Dec 2.-As a climax to
the stern statement made by President
Roosevelt telling why he could not re-
appoint VIM. Jenkins as governor of Ok
lahonla, William Grimes received the fol-
lowing telegram today from Secretary
Hitchcock:
Washington. D. c. Dec. L
'Wm. Grimes, Acting Governor, Guthrie,
o. T..
The president having removed VIM.
NJ jenkins as governor and appointed
Thomas B. Ferguson as governor and
the latter being absent from the terri
tory, YOU are directed TO act as COVER
nor until Thomas ). Ferguson returns TO
the territor yand assumes his duties.
+. a. HITCHCOCK, Secretary
Mr.. Grimes assumed his duties today
and viii take care Of all the business that
come into the governors Office until the
return Of Governor Ferguson. The tele-
gram from Secretary Hitchcock means
that Mr. jenkins cannot transact no more
business and ordinarily would need to Sc
cure the consent Of Acting Governor
Crimes in order TO remove his personal
belongings from the governors Office.
This decision coupled with the state
ment made By President Roosevelt has
the authorities at Washington had been
too severe in his case; and that the state
ment alone was enough to cause MT.
Jenkins 10 be "a marked man" without
any telegram deposing him from Official
duties after his return and until Cover
nor Ferguson returns from Washington,
to assume his duties in the governors s
Office. Mr.. jenkins is expected in the city
tonight and plans were made today for
several of his ultimate friends &c meet
him.
In the eyes of Oklahoma the action of
President Roosevelt is a surprise. Ordi-
narily a man in trouble, or who could not
be re-appointed. would have been given
an opportunity to resign and that would
have ended the episode In this case,
however, a written statement, signed by
the president and scathing TO the eX-
treme. was published broadcast. and in
the annals OF Oklahoma politics it is
without precedent Politically, Governor
Jenkins no matter what his prospects
might have been for the fulfllment Of
ambitions in this line. can never hope
to rise above the conditions which have
surrounded him and finally caused his
removal.
In regard to the new governor, it is the
concensus OF opinion among the men who
know Governor Ferguson intimately that
his administration VIII be u success In
the affairs of a notice such as the gov
ernor OF Oklahoma, Fer4uson has never
had any experience, but his work has
given him a broad experience and once
initiated into his duties viii undoubtedly
be a success, such * the opinion of men
who know him. Governor Ferguson is n
typical western man. on the hills and
prairies of southern Kansas he under
went the hardships Of the pioneer. In Ok
lahoma his early experience was similar
to the early days in Kansas. In spite of
all obstacles. he has made success. f.
nancially as wen as in other ways, Of his
Oklahoma career.
For time Governor Ferguson was a
Methodist minister in southern Kansas.
After that experience ne became school
teacher and as such entered the State
Normal school at EmpOria. He spent
two years there and his student career
was not without laurels. During the first
term Of his first year in the normal school
he won first place in the intercollegiate
debate. There were four oebaters; and
previous TO that time he had been select
ed from the senior class. In Ferguson's
case he was placed on the list with three
seniors. One Of the seniors made an OBJ
lection to the faculty. stating that a sec
ond year man had been selected to COM
pete with seniors and by such an action
the standar dof the contest had been
lowered. The faculty refused 10 inter
fere and Ferguson debated. George T.
Anthony and Governor Martin were two
Of the judges. When the final reckoning
was made. Ferguson had 176 points; the
closest man 170 and the student who had
objected TO Ferguson debating had re-
ceived III points. In the next term Of
the same year. Ferguson won q prize for
the bes tessay of the student body. This
production is stin preserved in the
achieves Of the institution.
A literary production OF merit coming
from the pen of Ferguson is the great
Kansas Jayhawlzer. which was published
q number of wears ago. Ii deals with
the border rufian warfare OF the early
days Of Kansas. 1t is written ia dialect
and at this time is an interesting book.
A man who has known Tom Ferguson
for twenty years. said.