The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-26

output from the colleges is so great
that the farmer boy is said to have
chance in a thousand. But there are
exceptions to this rule and the excep-
ton makes good every time where the
farmer boy has good common sense
and a capacity for hard work
For instance, five years ago there
was q boy of Is who worked on little
farm down in Usage county and went
to country school between times. He
did not have a chance in the world to
do anything but shock corn or drive
transfer wagon for 81 per day, accord
ing to the rules, but nevertheless he
now has one of the best jobs in To-
peka and as bright a future as any
Young man in the state of Kansas.
Every one around the state house
knows the boy and will vouch for il
that this story about him is not ex-
.aggerated The success achieved by
Fred Partridge, private secretary to
Bank Commissioner Dolley, ought to
be an inspiration for every boy who has
but little chance and no especial talent
or genius for doing things in Won
derful way.
Grew Up on Farm.
Fred Partridge was reared on a
farm in Usage county. He went to
school six months in the winter and
worked on the farm in the summer,
yes and he worked in a rock quarry
on that farm in the summer when the
crops were laid by and he worked in
coal pit on that same farm in the win
ter outside of school hours, and the
coal mine hours often encroached on
the school hours.
Most boys on a farm have a hard
time with the corn lands and the
steers and the fences but Partridge
had that rock quarry and coal pit TO
contend with besides.
wears old when his
folks moved to Topeka. He did not
have any more education than the law
allows nor any special talent He was
just commonplace, everyday kind OF
a boy of which there are millions in
the world He had all the competition
to contend with in his effort to make
a dollar in Topeka that was not other
wise engaged in painting pictures or
studying music, the sciences and the
law. In other words Fred did not
have more than half a chance in forty
thousand. His father engaged in the
business of a teamster and it looked
good for the dumpy farmer boy to
take a place on the wagon and make
his $3.50 per day of twelve hours. But
the boy put in his time in the truck
patch in the spring and had good luck
and went to business college six
months off the proceeds of the toma-
toes and cucumbers.
Entered Republican Headquarters.
Still they turn a hundred kids out
of business college every month or so,
and that meant nothing. The boy who
had dug coal and worked on farm
had no license to excel at typewriter
But he did Within a year he was
working in the Republican headquart-
ers established by Chairman Dolley
when the latter started the Stubs pri-
mary campaign for governor over
three years ago. Now the ex-coal
miner from the rural precincts of
Usage county is one of the crack stem
ographers of the state house and Dol
ley's right hand man in the bank
commissioners office.
The state chairman and bank com
missioner is one of the busiest men in
the state He has large business in
terests outside of his political places
and Fred Partridge is his confidential
man of affairs and attends to all his
private correspondence and the more
important matters of his political
office Fred has been given charge of
the blue sky department of the bank
commissioners Office. and Dolley re-
CARDS this as one of the most import
ant of his reforms as bank commits
sioner.
Fred. it is true. worked fifteen hours
a day with Dolley during three cam
paigns. and also fifteen per during the
legislative session two years ago when
Dolley was speaker of the house Fred
works fifteen hours day now when
ever Dolley calls on him, which is