Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-02-26
HAS HIGH POSITION
New Assistant Secretary of Treas
ury Was Formerly Reporter.
is NOW in CHARGE OF US. CUSTOMS
The Rapid Rise of Robert Burns Arm.
strong Affords Striking Example of
Possibilities of Young Men-Work.
ed for So Week in Des Moines.


Possibilities of Young Men--Work-
eoi for So Week in Des Moines.
The rapid rise of Robert Burns Arm
strong, who was a few years ago a
struggling reporter on a Des Moines
newspaper and is now assistant secre-
tary of the treasury, in charge of the
customs of the United States, posi-
ton second in responsibility only tol
that of the secretary of the treasury,
| a1fords a striking example of the pos
sibilities within the grasp of thel
young men of America. g. ID. Doud,
manager of the r. G. Dun local branch
was personal friend of Mr. Arm
strong when the latter was employed
in Des Moines, and later when he was
IN Chicago as correspondent for the
New York Herald. The new assistant
secretary of the treasury is but 80
years of age and has already since
his appointment made many marked
improvements in the system of man
aging the customs of the country.
A reporter at So a week on strug-
Cling newspaper in 1895, assistant sec
| retary-practically second in command
of the greatest financial institution
| in the world in 1902 The achievement
| OF half lifetime squeezed within the
compass of seven years.
| William Pitt was Chancellor of the
eXchequer of England at %; Alexander
Hamilton was secretary of the treasury
at 81; Robert B. Armstrong, at 20, is
the youngest man ever appointed as
s1stant secretary of the United States
treasury.
! This story, however, is a plain, sim
pie narrative of fact against back
ground Of difficulty, and should prove
an inspiration to any American boy.
Robert b. Armstrong was born near
Des Moines, August IS, 1875. His
father, physician, is still practicing in
| the same town.
Robert B. Armstrong was graduated
from the Des Moines high school at the
age OF IA, and was granted certificate
to teach. On account of his extreme
youth, and the further fact that he was
small. even for that age, it was not
thought advisable for him to apply for
a school. At 16 he entered the fresh
man class at the Iowa state college at
Ames, the college from which his moth
er had graduated twenty years previ-
ously
In Secretary Wilson's Class.
In his sophomore year, while explor-
ing a new college building. Mr. Arm
strong stepped through a blind door
way in the tower and fell sixty-five feet
to the basement, striking upon pile of
i stones Five fractures We're sustained
and it was thought the boy would not
survive but after three months in the
| hospital he emerged apparently sound.
MI. Armstrong was in the classes of
| Prof James Wilson. dean of the college
faculty, the present secretary of agri-
culture, and the secretary advances the
claim that his training and counsel
We're potent in laying the foundation
for his pupils subsequent success.
Mr.. Armstrong depended largely up
on his own resources in obtaining an
education, and the first year he paid
his way by sweeping and shoveling
coal in the college. The horticultural
department, in charge OF Prof. Budd,
was experimenting with 9 new species
OF fruits at that time and Mr.. Arm
strong struck great lead in securing
Il
cents an hour. His duties in this con-
i. nection involved the removal of pol
len from certain flowers and deposit
ing it in the bloom of other species of
fruit. AS a result of the pollonization
experiments and some work he did in
preparing and sending out agricultural
bulletins in connection with Professor
Wilson and Professor Budd, Nh. Arm
| CT nu3 no 1,1
small sum of money. Then came the
, well nigh fatal fall, however, and when
: the boy had passed from the door of
5 the hospital he found himself not only
2 hopelessly behind in his classes but
: penniless.
Learned Printers Trade.
. A sort of grim pride caused young
f Armstrong to vow he would not &C
t home and he determined to hustle 1t
r happened just at that time new news.
/ paper, the Ames Times was being
started, with Lon G. Hardin; as edi
tor an publisher. Armstrong contract
81 ed to work for Mr.. Hardin for his
/ board and to learn the printers trade
S And so he put on pair of old overalls
h and a jumper and swept the office
e WdSuSu iile IOliSTS, SET type, turned JnG
v crank of the old Campbell press, and
J. folded papers publication days.
: After working for his board from
! May until November the apprentice
was granted a raise of IS month
: In the previous six months Armstrong
0 had picked up an occasional dollar by
e writing college items for Des Moines
/ papers. and in this way had been able
d to provide himself with clothes.
o After his return from the Worlds
e fair. Mr.. Armstrong worked in the
o Press office until 1894, and then assum
G ed his studies in college. He made III
J the time he lost in year, at the same
(, time paying his own way. In this veal
It he was assistant steward, having entire
t charge of the kitchen and the dining
room with its 400 students, and in this
r way paid the bill for his own beard ant
n lodgings.
n In the fall of 1894, Armstrong, a
5. that time just of age, went to De
s. Moines and solicited subscriptions 70
al the Daily Leader The Danar wac he