The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-10-08
MACON AS BIG MAN
OF The GOVERNMENT
Man Chosen as ssGovernor of
Cuba Praised for His -
Record.
SON OF MINNESOTA .-.
WINS HARD BATTLE
Born Poor, He FORCES to the
Front and Wins High -
BY w. w. Jermane.

BY w. w. Jermane. -.
Washington, Oct: g. "Whos is
Charles E. Ma goona" @.
This question was asked in knot
of men standing in the lobby Of the
presidents workshop the other day,
Just after Magoon had come out of MI.
a. big booming laugh, well, boys, it g
me for the Philippines; Winthrop will
be governor of Cuba. '' -,
The question was not answered at
the moment, but that evening it was
asked of another group Of people in the
president Is lobby, and thai, time sev;
again been summoned to the White
House and the president had reached
up as far as he could and tapped him
on the chest, saying at the same time,
"Magoon, You re agoin to Cuby.. The
president has, a way of being being loeuiar
does sure like Magoon. The president,
having heard from Taft that his
heart was not. hopelessly set on having
Governor Winthrop come from Porto
Rico to govern Cuba, promptly upset
all previous arrangements and sent for
Magoon and made him governor, with
orders to go to Cuba as soon as the Lord
would let him. 1t was all very Roose-
veltian. Not in fourteen lifetimes
would such a cautious president as Nc
Kinley have made the Winthrop an
nOuncement in the morning and the
same night kicked it all over and made
the Magoon appointment. But, at any
rate. it stimulated the answers to the
question:
Biggest Man in the Government.
"Who is Charles f. Magoon9'
The answer came in punches.
''He 8 the man who has made GOOD
yEhorouar no has hoan n1aPaI -
-. "The New York Sun says editoriallY
that he is the biggest man in the gov
ernment'
'"He s the biggest, best natured iol-
lier that ever happened. Nobody ever
heard him say an unkind word about
learned how to be illus trated.''
., "He had played golf with the cabi-
net, been a good fellow at the Metro
politan club and laughed himself to the
front. - .....- - p:
=. 20 Magoon is a large man from the
and diplomacy. He has made his own
way from the bottom and he could do
it again if you stripped him this minute
and left him to shift for himse III =
y. And so they went. Nobody. accused
Magoon of smallness, either physically
he was an undoubted success, no two
were in harmony as to how he had won
his prominence. ="
A brief look into the Magoon per
sonal history reveals that he was a poor
boy, born in Minnesota, and made into
thru his own labor on the farm and as
schoolteacher. He began to practice
law at Lincoln, Neb., where he rubbed
elbows with Charles G.. Dawes, W. )
Bryan and other men who later
achieved distinction, and all the while
the record shows Magoon was add
ing to. his list of friends: By. and by
thru Dawes and George G. Meikelpohn
he was made a special legal employee
of the war department, and for some
time was known as the law clerk Of
the insular bureau. His duty was, IL
fact, to act as legal adviser. to that
bureau, and as the business of holdins
government, he found plenty to do IL
pointing the legal road for those h
served. He was getting $4,000 a yea
and earning it, altho it was a FORUM
as compared to the returns received on
of his law practice before he came t.
Washington.
His Books Made a Hit.
But Magoon seems to have ha
plenty of DAYS work in him and t
have had faith that therein lay his #
ture. He ground away and at lengt
made his mark, after which his ris
was rapid. He had already attracte
attention to himselef by reason OF nj
radiant cheerfulness, his. sturdy con
mon sense and the care with whic
h" turned no with a book he had wri
ten and, which was the legal .sensatio
of the hour. 1t was 1.-THE Law {
Civil Government Under Military O.
cupation,' and in it he had compile
Ill 4Lo 10 nd on
opinions since Pontius Plate. as tt
governor of captive people permitte
the crucifxion of the Savior. r =. !
The book settled Magoon 8 bigne
with this administration. Seeretar
Root, himself regarded as somethin
Of great lawyer, admired Magoon
work with an adulation that could on]
come from an intense. appreciation {
It. Secretary Taft, also a shining sta
in the law, was likewise struck wit
the ability of the gentleman from b
yond the Missouri. And lawyers q
over the country chimed in and sci
for the new book. g.
The next heard. of Magoon was
minister to the infant republic of Pa
do when you are going down road +
the first time came in handy. Sala
$4,000 a year. Then the preside
added to his other duties that OF go
ernor of the canal zone, salary SIT 90
year, and Magoon was really. doi1
very well both for himself and for h
government, when Mr.. DENLY al
others came along in congress and p
thru the consular reform bill whi
made it unlawful for Magoon or an
one else to draw two salaries like the
So ended that connection, for t
president is not one to suffer even t
shadow of humiliation to be throw
upon one who has been faithful to b
work. eaa hssr 81 i 81
!. The Man for Cuba.
Recalled from Panama it was, the j
tention to sent Magoon to the Phil
pines as second in command, wi
doubtless the hope before his eyes
becoming governor general. But t
Cuban affair came up and it was
once seen by the president that he
was the place to get immediate resul
from Magoon's astonishing knowled
of what to do when you have an ali
nation in leash. So, having him ava
able, to Cuba he goes. q
Magoon has a striking personalit
Standing several inches over six &c
\ q \ ~ 90