Mower County transcript., 1906-09-26

Albert L. Cole, the Republican cam
didate for governor, was born on a
farm near Canton, st. Lawrence, coun-
ty, N. Y, fifty-nine years ago. He at
tended the district school until he was
fifteen years Of age, when he became
a student at St. Lawrence university,
attending classes during the fall terms,
teaching district schools in the winter
and working on the farm in the sum-
mer. After a few years spent in this
manner he was appointed principal of
a graded school, a position which he
occupied until he was twenty-eight
years of age. Mr.. Cole proved-a sue
cessful and popular teacher. His school
attained so wide reputation that the
last year he. taught the tuition more
than paid his salary, the pupils flock
ing in from all the surrounding coun-
try to an extent heretofore unknown
in the district In 1875 Mr.. Cole was
appointed school commissioner, posi-
tion in which he had 1873 teachers un-
der his supervision. He held this posi-
ton until 1881, when, at the expiration
Of his term, he moved with his family
to Minnesota and settled at Fergus
Falls.
His Work in the Legislature.
The first two years Mr.. Cole was in
the West, he engaged in different lines
Of business. His good nature prompted
him to lend his name to others in
Strengthened circumstances and the
liability was allowed to fall upon him.
It was at time when he could not
bear up under the financial burden,
and he failed in business. He COM
promised with his creditors and start
ed again in business and prospered,
reimburse the men who had released
him from all legal obligation.
Mr.. Coles public career may be said
to have begun with his election to the
state house of representatives in 1902
He had not been long a member of the
1903 legislature before he acquired the
reputation of being one of the hardest
workers and most efficient members in
it, or before his colleagues began to
appreciate the powers of his construct
i've mind and the benefit his services
were to the state by reason of his ca
pacity, his ripe judgment and his un-
firing industry in transacting the busi-
ness of the session. What gave him
the greatest prominence in that legis-
lature, however, was bill introduced
by him providing for the taxation of
j. logs in the counties where they were
cut. In seeking evidence in support Of
his contention that the bill should be-
come law he discovered that under
the then existing statutes, 1t was diff
cult, if not impossible. to locate the
ownership of half the logs In such a
way that they could be placed upon the
tax roll and that in the city of Mime
apolis it had long been the custom to
tax only one-haf the logs that the as
SCISSOR found were owned there. The
= bill passed the house after one of the
hardest fought battles of the session
and, although defeated in the senate,
the exposures made by Mr.. Cole have
4 resulted in the most glaring Of the
abuses being corrected. The lumber
men, however, took notice Of. his per-
I. nicious activity and resolved to punish
him for it. 5 81 #$s "a
Cole and the LAUNDERING lnterests.
In December, 1904, after he had been
rt.In 10
"a an open letter to the press, which was
published In the Twin City papers, in
II which he said: E Il ".
He advised that the appraisal be
8 made In. part BY cruisers appointed by
the state auditor. whose tenure OF Of,