The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-02-04
sHAW's EARLY DAYS.
Amusing Incidents In the Latest
Cabinet Members Career.
MISTAKEN FOR A NAP PEDDLER.

Future Secretary of the Treasury
Surprises Il Hotel ISecpcr-Ple story
How an Overconadent Lawyer Was
Defeated by the G~OverEor.
The advancement Of Governor Shaw
to the position of secretary of the
treasury has brought out II new crop Of
stories cOnct rning the man who in less
than five years has grown from Il com
paratively OBSCURE country banker to
the chief figure in the financial affairs
OF the country. says IL special from Dcs
Moincs. Ia. to the Chicago Tribune.
In the campaign of lS9G. when GOV.
ernor Shaw made the start which has
brought liiia to Il position only two
points removed frym the presidency,
he travelled over Iowa making Repub-
lican speeches.
Mir. Shaw has i; ready faculty Of
presenting figures in an interesting
and convincing manner, and TO aid him
he carried at all times Il bundle of
maps which had been prepared by
himself. These maps the governor
would unrcl' during his speech and
place on iii" wall and Uy this means
would drive h me to the most cloudy
mind the ch!ci p ints in his argument.
He usually Travelled alone. carrying the
bundle of maps und l. his arm.
On one occasion Il wreck OIL the rail
,-.1 w.. ..I,,, s-., ,,-,I
ing Il speaking date and compelled him
to remain overnight in L small country
town. When he sought the only hotel
in the'toWn and asked for accoElmoda.
tons for The night, the landlord, seeing
| the roll Of maps under his visitors arm
and having had experience with map
peddlers who remained overnight with
him ard thcn compelled him to accept
a map in payment, grutlly Informed
the stranger that it must be under
stood no maps would ''go;;' that he
must have the cash down for lodging.
Shaw laughinsIy Informed the land
lord that he had enough change in his
pocket to pay his bill, and the state
ment was finally accepted, and he was
allowed to register. The landlords
eyes opened wide later in the evening
when a citizen of the place happening
into the hotel Office recognized Shaw
and began II conversation which was
overheard by the hotel keeper concern
ing the making of a loan Of several
thousand dollars from one of the gov
ernor's string of banks.
When the real situation finally dawn
ed upon the landlord and he found that
the man of whom lie had demanded
cash was worth not less than Il quarter
of a million and instead Of a map ped
dler was Il political speaker, he made
n sincere apology, which was accepted
in good part by Shaw.
During the time the public was in
suspense over the reported tender Of
the treasurership portfolio to Governor
Shaw many Of the governors friends
sought to draw from him some word
which would give them light on the
matter. Particularly We're bis friends
DESTROYS Of learning whether or not the
governor would accept.
At a dinner where none except close
friends of the governor was present
and every effort within the bounds OF
propriety was being made to get him
to indicate whether under any circum.
stances he would accept the portfolio
if it should be rendered to him the
governor watched the efforts Of his
friends with apparent amusement and
finally told the following story:
Two boys, Bill and Bob, were at the
dinner table. Some time before the END
of the meal vas reached the pie was
passed. Bill declined to take any, say
ing he was not yet ready for dessert
Bob helped himself to the biggest piece
OF the plate and, turning to Bill, re
marked, bill, allus take pie when pie
is passin'."
, The governors friends saw the appli
cation Of the story to the treasury stu
ton, and all were thoroughly convinc
ed that the governor would not decline
the portfolio.
A prominent Des M0ines lawyer wa!
once employed to defend n case in
county adjoining that in which Gov
ernor Shaw. then a practicing attor
ney, resided. The Des Moines man Ell
joyed a reputation in his profession
, while Shaw was almost unknown out
side of. his home county. 50 that thu