Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-01-11
NEGRO SIGNS NEW BILLS
W. T. Vernon, Colored Register of the
Treasury, Will Put Name on
Greenbacks Hereafter.

Pretty soon you may look at the new
$50 bills in your pocket and see if the
name wv. T. Vernon" is not written
just above the words register of the
treasury" says the New York Tribune
If you can get no new twenties, wait
q few months and look at your ones and
tWos and hves and see the autograph
of the new register the first full blooded
negro to hold the position, and by all
odds the most representative type of his
race that has yet filled this responsible
Place.
The wonderful presses at the bureau
of engraving and printing which are
grinding out money for us night and
day in Il vain attempt to keep pace with
the Astounding prosperity of the country,
are stamping the signature Of the new
register upon the $40 bills at present,
and as soon as the order is filled will be-
gin placing his bold, busineSslike fist
upon money of small denomination. 1t
will therefore not be long before every
treasury note in general circulation will
bear the name of Vernon upon its
face, and it will be no eXaggeration to
say his will be among the most highly
priced autographs in the world.
Collectors of signatures of famous men
who will pay high prices for the single
specimens of those of George Washing
ton, Napoleon Bonaparte and Oliver
Cromwell feel their ambition realized
when they connect with one of each.
but for the autograph of Vernon they
will have never ending hunger. They
will go on year after year, through
health and sickness, through prosperity
and poverty, with the single purpose in
view of gathering together just as many
of the registers signatures as they can
acquire, and death alone will end their
quest
Such is one of the marvels that the
President of the United States can per-
form by appointment; such is the wonder
that President Roosevelt wrought when
non, school teacher at Quindaro, Kan,
worth nothing, to W. T. Vernon, register
of the treasury of the United States,
worth the ransom of all the kings in
history.
Vernon is quiet. unassuming negro,
who bears in complexion and feature
not a trace of Caucasian blood. His
autograph is Indicative of the character
OF the man who writes it; straightfor-
ward business is in every bold stroke
and at the final scratch of ink. 1t will
make in size nearly two Of the sigma
lures of Judson w Lyons, the mulatto
who stepped out of the registers office
last June, and nearly half a dozen OF
the dainty, feminine, almost microscopic
autographs of Blanche X. Bruce, the
QudQEOu
who held the place before Lyons time.
Power Back of Him.
Lyons and Bruce showed their white
blood more than their black. Both We're
men Of commanding presence, ana
gained their prominence i'll polltlcs be-
fore the lightning of presidential APP,
pointment struck them. But Vernon had
not the platform stature, the gift of
oratory or the following. of influential
political friends to bring him to the no
tice of President Roosevelt lie had
power at his back, however, that was
stronger in this instance than an army
of political shouters. He had host OF
friends who knew how he had built up
little country school for negro children
out on the Kansas prairie from nothing
to a useful institution numbering Its
hundreds of pupils.
of Tuskegee William L. Vernon mad
done at Quindaro. When the President
was searching for q man to I'LL MI.
Lyons shoes, after the latter had round
ed out eight years of service, MI. Nasn-
incton was one of the most outspoken
in advocating the claims of Mr. Vernon
for the position. Other prominent educa-
TORS. white as we'll as colored, told the
President that he would make no mis-.
take if he made Mr.. Vernon register OF
the treasury. His appointment was soon
decided upon, and he took charge OF the
oHica last lime. Since then he has been
signing and issuing bonds OF the Cnlted
States. of the District of Columbia. the
SPANISH indemnity, the three series OF
Philippine islands public improvement
bonds, and the city of Mania bonds' anu
hereafter his signature must appear on
all new currency, both OF rare ana pop"
lar denominations. ,so
Vernon was born thirty-tive years ago
in log cabin on plantation near lie
banon, Mo-, of parents who had pe9 ii
slaves He went to work IN hel e
dra gging hay at eight years. w hen M
teen years old he began his educauon az
state school for negroes i'll Missouri
finishing his course of study When niue ne
tpen He taught school IN Missouri lor
six wears. and then took charge OF west
nrn university, a school tor negroes; al
Onindaro. Kan. The school then had
only six pupils, and Vernon was the o!i5y
teacher. The register points with prlue
To the fact that upon his retirement DIS
head of the college there were fourteen
teachers employed and 200 students
in attendance. The college properly con con
sisted of 100 acres of land, with quit
mos valued at $4,000, and furtner i l
Movements had just been ordered ulu tIs
an appropriation of $1OO,OOO from lhe
| state Legislature :4b LOADING
Mr. Vernon is affiliated with leaoIhs
,oorn organizations. and has had the
de9rea of master of arts aud doctor VI
| laws conferred upon him.
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