The Washington herald., 1909-01-25
WASHINGTON CHAT.
Rr THE sPEcTAToR.

BY THE SPECTATOR.
1t has been given out almost officially
that Mr.. Wilson viii remain at the head
of the Department Of Agriculture as long
as he lives. To permit this canny Scotch
man to resign a position he has so worth
Ily filed would not be a popular move
with the country. certainly not with the
agricultural element. who have for the
last forty years looked upon him as their
advocate and adviser. for he became that
Immediately upon his election to Congress
in 1872, and for the past twelve years, as
Secretary Of Agriculture. he has been a
friend and brother 20 the farmer. and,
since Il would be unWise 10 offend the
backbone Of the country" as the agri-
culturists are sometimes called. Il IS safe
10 predict that Mr. Wilson will keep his
portfolio until he elects 20 resign it.
How long that viii be one cannot predict.
for at the age Of seventy-fOur he is as
haze and hearty with as great a power OF
endurance as any man In public life IN
Xs sshington- From the time be first came
to Congress- Mr.. Wilson has been pic
turesQue figure at the Capital. de is tail,
slender. rugged in appearance. with a
shock Of gray hair and gray beard. and
an accent that recalls his birthplace
Ayrshire, which nearly sixty years resi-
cence IN this country has failed 70 ehace.
His most cherished title is that OF farmer.
and, while one does not connect knight
hood with the wielder Of a hoe. there Is
10 Mr. Wilson's credit an act as knightly
and heroic as ever King Arthur Or any OF
his followers performed.
When Gen Grant was dying az Mount
McGregor a bill was introduced in the
Forty-e;ghth Congress to restore him 10
the rank Of general. an honor he earnest
y coveted and one that would bring hap
piness 70 him in his last hours. The
House was Democratic. Mr.. Carlisle was
Speaker, and 70 prevent consideration OF
the bin its opponents resorted TO FL
clustering Wilson held his seat provision
ally II was contested by BENJAMIN
Frederick, a Democrat. As is vel known.
q contested election has the right OF way
in Congress. thus the Wilson Frederick
contest was seized upon BY the antago-
nists Of the Grant bill. and as eager as
were the hackers Of the measure 70 give
back 70 the dying soldier his coveted
military rank. they were not willing 10
sacrifice their colleague 10 gain that end.
and so they were compelled TO resort 20
hiibustering 10 prevent the consideration
OF the eiec ion case. which was exactly
what Its enemies wanted, for. unless I'm
mediate action could be taken upon Il
the Grant bill would be made Intellectual
by his death
It excites ones admiration to recall Mr.
Wilson's action al that time Having
gained the Speakers recognition hs de-
manded 20 know whether the question Of
his election stood in the way OF the
nations exhibition Of common gratitude
10 its preserver. Gould Il be possible.
he asked. that a contested election case
was 20 be the bowlder on which consid-
GRAFTON Of so palpabIe an act Of justice
was 10 split2 If this IS the case" he
concluded, "as & unQuesd0nabIy appears
TO be. the obstacle is easily removed.
Mr. Speaker, 7 hereby resign ny. seat IN
this House 10 my contestant. Mr.. Fred
erick-'' Paademonium followed the an
nounCement The House rang with
cheers. every man IN the body Joined ln
the applause. The anti-Granr men were
stUpefed- They were Unprepared for such
noble renUnciatiOn, such self-abneg5COu-
The Grant bin passed the House. L was
rushed 10 the Senate and al business sus-
pended until IL passed that body IN less
than an hour after James Wilson had
sacrificed his political position By sur
rendering hts seat IN the House. the bin
was signed by the President. and one
more loving tribute Of a grateful coun-
try was laid on the death bed OF the great
general laid there by the strong and
faithful hand, the hand Of a farmer.
Mr. Wilson IS the real father of the
Department Of Agriculture. for at the very
beginning OF his Congressional career he
urged the erection OF the Bureau OF
Agriculture. and its removal from the In
terror Department into a separate depart
ment with a Cabinet officer at its head.
Little did he foresee that he would one
day be al the head OF the department he
helped 70 originate. but since that time
he has been working for the man with
his coat Of" as he puts II. and that he
has worked well the growth OF his de-
partment shows. His Office IS no sine
cure He passes the best part Of every
day there, and he Is the only Cabinet OF
fcer who IS hardly ever seen at social
functions. but he is always at home 70 his
friends in his Office, and there Is no cool
ing Of heels in his ante-chanber for
the old farmers who come I'D 10 applaud.
criticise. OF suggest one reason for his
success is the easy intimacy that he has
established with the men with their
coats Of he is ''one OF them" His
go0d-natured face invOkes sympathy and
confidence. and he has the faculty Of
getting the very best out Of people.
Speaking OF the spproachabIeness OF the
Secretary, a Western farmer had a pro-
ject which he wished the department %
take up. he had had some correspond
ence concerning the matter. but felt that
II he could talk IL over face 70 face with
the Secretary. IT would be sure 20 go
through. He had. however. some .uualms
about appearing before so august a Per
sonage. but he came 70 Washington
to beard the Ion in his den. He wander
ed aimlessly through the corridors o.
the building for some time. and coming
across a pleasant-faced, white-haired old
--ttAiA Atc-t,ltA al talttN e--Al cAlDtEl4
in figure. Re conhdsd 20 him the fact
that he wished 70 see the Secretary.
Come right in said the new-found
friend
Come IN and sit down leading him
through an open door into a pleasant
Office room.
What did you want 70 see the Secre-
tary about?'
Thus invited the gentleman from the
West proceeded 10 unfold his plan. much
TO the interest Of his heaTeT. who in
terrUpted him now and then with intelii-
gent and welI-put questions, and when he
finished said with some enthusiasm
Why, I believe that is just the thing
the department has been looking for, I
an sure Il could not DO better than take
up your idea"
DO YOU think" asked the man. a Ifttle