The chronicle=news., 1913-06-11
WILSON'S BROTHER
HUMBLE EDITOR

Nashville. Tenn. June l0.-in
these days Of shifting politics We
hear much Of the great personal
sacrifices men nre making In be-
half Of their party and the country
by accepting federal positions. u
II much rarer TO hear or men declin-
inx positions st great personal sac
rificc In the same behalf.
This observation IL excited by one
case Of Joseph Il. Wilson. Of this
city. only brother of President Wood
row Wilson.
Years ago. before Woodrow VII
ron ~ns ever thought of for Prcsi-
dent. Joe Wilson worked ns general
reporter for the local paper In
Clsrksville. Tenn. where his father
was president Of the South~estrrn
Presbyterian University. Joe. In his
humble occupation Of collecting the
news for the local aud personal col.
umns Of the paper. had great jour.
nalistic ambition. II was tn be- sent
to Warrington ~ political corrcs-
I,ondrnt for some city newspaper.
aad to sway national affairs by his
writings.
Hc worked hard. With Scotch
thrift characteristic Of his family. he
saved hts money until he bought the
clarksvilic papcr. His father died.
And then. ~ u step toward realizing
his ultimate ambition. he sold his
newspaper plant and took = position
ON the Nashville Hammer.
There was drudGcry In his new
work. but he toil~d faithfully until
ne was made state political reporter.
His spirits bounded. This would be
tho apprenticeship that would earn
him the position Of Washington cor
rsspon dent OF the Hammer. Painstak-
insly. he complied a card index Of
Tennessee politicians and covered
that states politics ~ they had
never hon covered" before.
This work won him advancement
hut advancement which seemed to
him off tho beaten trail between the
Hammer office and the press gallery
In waxhinEton. He Was made city
editor OF the Hammer. SIN he did
not complain. since the new job
brought an increase In salary to S35
per week. lie resolved to work
faithfully 20 rs to he the most avail
able man In case there would he n
vacancy In the Hammers Washington
office.
Then. In two or three years.
things happened. Woodrow Wilson
became president and Joe Wilson's
salary had grown to S36 per week.
Nashville suddenly realized that she
had the Presidents only brother.
The rest OF the country realized II
too. Joe Wilson's mail grew heavy.
Out Of an envelope tumblcd an
offer from New Yort insurance
company. at a salary Of ,12.OOO per
year. This offer was cast into deep
shade a little later by n letter from
a New York trust company Offering
$2A. 900 for his services. Realizing
that to accept either would simply
amount to selling his distinguished
brothers name. Joe Wilson resOlutc-
~ put both aside.
Then followed nm amazing success.
sion OF affairs from great newspap-
crs. holding forth dazzling salaries
to the banners city editor TO repre-
sent them at Washington. Al the
last he could realize the ambition to-
ward which he had struggled all his
life. Il was within his grasp. lie
could accept all tho ncwspnpc offers.
syndicate his writings. and thus
with a bound attain affluence and
power.
hut n second thought. II he ac-
cepted II would mean that every
word OF his writings would be taken
by the public as inspired and as COM
ing from the president. II might.
nay. would become continual
embarrassment to the sincere older
brothcr. who Is trying with such de-
..'ss ssassaness of purpose to be a
great president Of the United States.
One recent day Joe Wilson indulg-
cd himself in the luxury OF adding
up the composite salary Of his news
paper offers. They totalcd $4,000
year. For few moments he sat
in abstraction dreaming for the last
time his life dream. Then he die
tated a few letters OF refusal, and
with n sigh turned back to his desk
and his 335 per.
A great deal Of pleading guilty Is