The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-12-03
GIVE JIM THAT BELT.
HAS THE RECORD FOR THE LONG
TIME CABINET OFFICER.
He Has Served the Government For
Twelve Years, Eight Months and
Twenty Days; He Is From Iowa
and Beats Out Albert Gallatin,
Who Was Secretary of the Treas
ury in 1901.

Washington, Nov. 29-Once upon a
time, away back in the ancient his
tory of the United States, there was
a financier named Gallatin. Albert
Gallatin, to be exact. He was born
in Geneva, the same being in Switzer-
land, and came to the land of the
free and the home of the brave in
1880. Shortly afterward he settled in
Pennsylvania. He became a member
of the legislature of that state-that
shouldn't be laid up against him, be-
cause it was then very respectable
body, and also acquired some fame as
a fnancier. That wasn't so very rep
rehensible either, because the finance
of those days wasn't of the kind pop
ularly known as 'high." In 1901 he
became secretary of the treasury in
Marse Thomas Jefferson's cabinet.
When Jefferson retired, James Madi-
son handed over the treasury port
folio to Mr.. Gallatin. So it came to
pass that Mr.. Gallatin hung on to mis-
cabinet job for twelve years, eight
months and twenty days, and to this
day his record as cabinet hanger
on has not been equaled.
To this day, mind you. Now we are
getting to the plot, and are about to
lay bare the true inwardness of this
biographical and historical reference.
Listen: Albert Gallatin of Pennsyl-
vania, is a has been. He has joined
the down-and-ou club. He has lost
the championship belt of the presi-
Dental cabinet.
Where llama" Jim Comes In.
Listen again: "Tama jim" is it,
with big /. For he has served as a
cabinet official twelve years, eight
months and twenty days, and tomor-
row morning, when he wakes from mis-
peaceful slumber, it will be to the
realization that he has broken all rec
ords in hanging on to a cabinet job
"Tama JIM" it may be explained
for the sake of the few ignorant per-
sons who don't know, is the Hon.
James Wilson, secretary of agricul-
ture. He was appointed head of the
department of wheat, corn, nogs and
oCHCl eiSiICuiIuidl W plouuClo Ill 1921
President Mckinley being responsible
When Mckinley met his tragic death
and Roosevelt ruled in his stead, Will
son hung on. When Roosevelt was re-
elected, Wilson was still sitting calmly
on the agricultural lid, and refused to
bulge from his comfortable position
When Teddy went the way of presi
dents, and the Great Smile came into
office, the Hon. James Wilson of
Tama, Ia, was the first to .congratu-
late him. Taft couldn't think of dis,
turbing such a fixture, and so, al
base rumors notwithstanding, "Tams
, JIM stood pat.
Hangs to His Job.
: Now that he has broken all cabinet
4 hanging-on records, maybe he will b
e willing to quit and give the young
e sters chance. Maybe. And mayb
c not. Anyway, it is altogether unlike
e ly that the corn belt could yield up
man more conversant with the 10
e than this same James Wilson. Wha
: he doesn't know about agriculture,
md his experts of the department ar
busily engaged in finding out. TIL
J. car of agriculture is seventy -fou
4 years of age, but he has been to
: busy to mind that. He hasn't We
q commenced to get old.