The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-02-15
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It's not a case of waiting for dead
al James S. Clarkson is one of the
most alive men in the country as some
mighty big republicans who wanted
him deposited last year found out-but
no other man in the country today
holds a position that SO many other
men are after as General Clarkson.
Now, he happens to be from Iowa, but
early in his first administration Presi-
dent Roosevelt appointed him surveyor
of the port of New York. Certain
New York republicans kicked about
the appointment like Texas steers, but
General Clarkson, though from Re
west, was too big a man in his party
to be dethroned and he is going to
stay until his term expires-which will
be on April next.
The general, as he is affectionately
called by those who know him init.
mately, enjoys the unique distinction
in politics of having acted as axeman
in two national administrations, with
out knowing what it meant to be de-
captated himself When reports were
keeping the wires hot about the retire.
ment of Clarkso the general simply
kept calm and said nothing.
He savvies politics like buckwheat
cakes for breakfast All his life-and
that covers quite period, for he was
born in Indiana in 1S42-he has been
on the firing line. He was a printers
was twelve years old, and in small
country town there is no Allah but the
state boss, and the editor is his proph-
ct. Clarkson was reared in an atmos-
phere of politics. He could repeat the
list of county chairmen before his
childish lips could squirt tobacco at
crack, and by the time that he was en-
titled to a vote he was ranked as a
Glass A hustler by the political chiefs.
And he has never lost the yellow but
ton of the political mandarin.
He made the postal service pretty
near unanimous in it's republicanism
and then resigned, because he thought
he had deserved rest. And then Col
Roosevelt found that he needed a ma
chine down south that would not back
fire when he wanted it to go thead. He
told Clarkson to build it, and Clarkson
did. It's still there, in tip-top run
ming order, although Frank Hitchcock
is handling the throttle just now. 1t
may have been because of this service
that he was made surveyor of the port
of New York in 1902. Nor did he for
get his activities in politics. 1t wasn't
in Utah, and gossip has always insist
ed that the Mormons chung to the
Roosevelt banner because of Clark
sons missionary work.
An attempt to relate Gen. Clarkson's
activities in the past forty years would
be equivalent to writing a political his
tory of the United States. A straight
forward, uncompromising republican,
he has never been attacked except on
partisan grounds. He was chairman
of the national committee when Har-
rison was elected president, and for
sixteen years was a member Of that
committee. He might have been q
senator from Iowa if he had wished
He has been president of the republi-
can league of the United States. He
has refused dozen or so foreign mis-
sions because he could have more fun
at home He has been a sturdy, in
domitable, husky fighter all his life,
and during his years of journalistic ac-
tivity in Iowa he made himself known
across the country for his virile re-
publicanism.
AS surveyor of the port of New York
customs frauds.
In 1867 he married Miss Anna How
ell, of Polla, Iowa, and three children
have come to their home. Since 1902
he has been a resident of New York,
and it is assumed he will remain here
to watch over his large business in
terests, now that he is to retire from
the federal service.