Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-27

auditor. But he is slated to go.
He Is Robert H. Person and he was
born in the little hamlet In Erie county,
New York, locally known as "Wales
Hoiler." 1t Is today one OF the most
dilapidated 'holiers" in the entire state
of New York. Probably ~ ROB" Person
had remained there he would be dila-
pidated too. But when he was about
seven years Of age his mother purchased
for him a pair OF copper-toed COW hide
boots with red tops. On these tops was
embossed this verse:
1t is not wealth,
Nor rank, nor state.
It's git up and git
That makes boys great.
When about sixteen, Person began his
career as a newspaper man. He was the
assistant correspondent at Wales Iiol-
1er' for the Erie County Advertiser.
From an old file of that Journal are
culled a few pieces which Bob wrote
or assisted In writing:
ED Leigh put a new board in the
floor OF his porch last week.
"Peleg Ravens drove TO Buffalo with
a load OF hand threshed rye straw tn
Friday"
"John Mindle killed his hogs last week.
The old white Chester SOW dressed $50
pounds"
"Road Commissioner Keen plugged up
the hole in the roof of the covered
bridge with about fifty shingles on
Tuesday"
There will be a revival at the Free
Methodist church next Sabbath"
These were samples Of his work. They
don't amount to much thirty odd years
later, but they show that r. Person was
an observing youth.
He decided TO git UP and git" and
~ .A-..at. S.e e. n.lato rrha, IL n
few years he had made a name for him
self as a journalist. He owned and pub
lished one of the most influential news
papers in the territory. When the
territory was divided and two ctates
formed he became a factor in politics.
Twelve years ago he was appointed
auditor of the Treasury for the interior.
About all the auditing he ever did was
the payroll of the printer and the devil
employed in the office.
But that motto on the old red-top boots
stuck by him. He continued to git up
and git" He got up early in the morn
ing and he carefully examined every
paper which was brought 70 him for
signature. Inside of six months he knew
every detail of his office. He knew
the capacity and ability Of every one of
the army of clerks under him He has
always been a rigid dis~cipiinarian. He
cut red tape right and left, Topped off
useless repetitions and insisted upon the
prompt dispatch of business in every d.
vision of his office. He introduced sys-
tenn where before haphazard governed
and as a result his office lie the model
for all the others.
About the last official letter written
by Secretary Garfield was addressed to
Person and was a poem of praise for the
L-I
Strengthened out the existing tangies in
the pathway of business between the In
terror and the Treasury department.
But Person had sided with the Kittredge
forces in the Kittredge-Gamble senatorial
fight. Now Gamble and his colleague,
Crawford. want the scalp CT the native OF
Wales Holler. They are senators from
South Dakota.
Martin and Burke, who are the repre-
sentatives from the state in the lower
house. are his warm friends. and Secretary
MacVeigh is satisfied to keep him in office
AS TO Person, he Decent care. He ha,
made his record. He has learned a lot
He Ii willing to leave whenever he is asked
TO do so by the secretary, and 1t is prob
able that the senators will eventually sue
coed in calling attention once more TO thai
motto on those little old boots and thai
once more Robert Person will git up ant
git"
AIdrich Holds the Key.
No one but Senator Aldrich knows wha
the tariff bill will look like when it finall!
energies from the senate, and is sent bscl
to the house, and he probably has only
vague idea. That there will be man!
amendments is a foregone conclusion anC
many Of the schedules in the next prln
will bear little resemblance to those which
were originally reported from the way
and means committee.
It was thought a week ago that TIL
question as TO a tariff on petroleum ha'
been definitely settled beyond a doubt an,
that that product would surely stay on tn,
free list. This was supposed to be a bod.
blow at the Standard oil company an,
everyone, from Judge lands down. 4
against that monopoly. But 1t has beef
discovered that II there is ono concern Il
the world that favors free petroleum 1t 4
that self same octopus. The Standard l
said to own or control at least 90 per cen
of the Mexican oil fields and those field
promise to become as productive as wer
the Pennsylvania fields thirty years ago.
oil is produced today in half the state
OF the union and 90 per cent OF the produc
ton is owned by individuals and companie
entirely Independent Ct the Standard. Their
is a large gathering of these oil men 4
Washington now. They come from Penn
sylvania. New York, West Virginia. Ohio
! Utah. California. ~oklahomaA Kansas an
Wyoming. They have been heard by III
members of the finance committee and b
individual senators and their argument
have apparently borne fruit. II is certai
that at least twenty senators VIII supper
en- amendment to tax petroleum. and
they stick together such an amsndmen
will certainly prevail.
Nor are the oil men the only intcreste
spectators in the galleries of the senat,
There are apparently 500 people at leas
gathered in the capitol and senate offe
building every day. Importers who wan
reductions. manufacturers who insist upo
, increases and even representatives OF foi
eiEn exporters who think their interests /
: jeopardy.
Quick Action fer Your Money-You &c
5 that by using The Bee advertising column,