Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-07-30

ken food for himself and his brothers
They sat down to rest near Westmins-
ter bridge. Looking up at the great
clock tower the future cabinet mln-
lister exclaimed, Mother. II ever
have health and strength, no mother
shall ever have to work as you have
to. and no child do IN life what | have
to do" He has endeavored to keep his
word. IL Is not so long ago that Mr.
Burns made a will-prohably revoked
by this time He left his best love to
his wife. a sound constitution to his
son, his looks to his parish. and his
debts to his country. The last legacy
at least would he snperluous now.
1t is a singular and interesting his
tory that of this strongtawed stalwaft
man. No one has seen more of the
darker and more laborious side of life
At 10 years of age he was u tiger
a page boy in buttons. Then he worked
at Prices candle factory at Batterse0
at a wage of SIS a week. He has been a
rivet heater in iron works, and served
as pot-boy on Sundays. IL was that eN-
perience that has made him a lifelong
abstainer. Not one minute of his scanty
spare time was wasted. He read every
thing he could lay his hand on and his
meager pocket money was mostly spent
on books. While he was living with
his mother in humble lodgings in Mill
bank he used to be awakened by the
clang of Big Ben at in the morning.
"One of these days / shall be at work
under that clock" he assured his
brother.
Up to the time that Mr. Burns took
office his income never exceeded Go
week. often It was nearer G3. But his
absolute integrity has been proved
again and again. on one occasion hD
was offered a large sum of money to
support "A bill in parliament. His reply
was terse and virile. sir" he said to
the tempter, you are an unmitigated
scoundrel!" And the would-be briber
vanished.
Mr. Burns Increase of salary viii
probably rouse much comment. 1t has
been said that he once declared that
no man is worth more than E50O Il
year. When twitted with his ministerial
salary at a public meeting his happy
knack of retort stood him in good
stead zee, 600 year is the trade union
rate for the job he exclaimed and
] should be a blackleg II l accepted
less"
The local government board is now a
different place to what it was before
Mr.. Burns assumed control. No one
can say that his increase In salary has
not been earned Under his strenuous
way the old-time somnolence of
Whitehall has disappeared. me new
form of government was established
a very few days after MIR. Burns took
office. The manner in which he made
the change was quite characteristic of
the man. One morning he stood in the
hall, with his back to the fire and
his hands in his pockets, watching the
staff as they sauntered slowly in to
work When the last stragslers APP
peared. Mr.. Burns called for the time
books A few minutes afterward the
dllatory officials were summoned TO the
presence of the autocrat of whitehall,
and, stern rebuke was administered.
In plain. unvarnished terms, Mr.. Burns
told them that he expected every man
to do his duty. You receive good
salary wet or fine. sick or WELL he
said in effect. You know your proper
hour to be at this Office and the gov
eminent which pays a good wage, like
wise demands good service; what is
more 1t intends to have it."-London
Weekly Dispatch.