Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-06-13
Joe Wilson, City Editor at $35
Per Week, Declines Jobs
Worth Thousands Yearly.
STAYS AT HIS OLD POST
Wanted to Be Washington Reporter,
But Realized His Writings Now
Would Embarrass Distin-
guished Relative.

In these days or SnlttlnS pOlltlcS we
hear much of the great personal sac
rifices'' men are making in behalf of
their party and the country by accept
ing federal positions. 1t is much rarer
to near of men declining positions at
great personal sacrifice in the same be-
half.
This observation is excited by the
case of Joseph II. Wilson. Of Nashville,
Tenn, only brother OF President Wood
row Wilson.
Years ago. before Woodrow Wilson
was ever thought of for president, Joe
Wilson worked as general reporter for
the local paper in C~larksville, Tenn,
where his father was president of the
Southwestern Presbyterian university.
Joe. in his humble Occupation of col
lecting items for the local and per-
sonal columns of the paper, had a
great journalistic ambition. 1t was to
be sent to Washington as political cor
respondent for some city newspaper,
and to sway national affairs by his
writings.
He worked hard. With Scotch thrift
characteristic OF his family, he saved
willie paper. His father died. And
then, as a step toward realizing his
ultimate ambition. he sold his newspa-
per plant and o a position on the
Nashville Banner
There was drudgery in his new work,
but he toiled faithfully until he was
made state political reporter. His spir-
its bounded. This would be the appren-
ticeship that would earn him the posi-
ton of Washington correspondent of
the Banner. P~ainstakingly. he COM
piled a card index Of Tennessee poll
ticians. and covered" that states poll
tics as they had never Deer covered"
before.
This work won him advancement,
but advancement which seemed to him
off the beaten trail between the Fan
ner office and the press gallery in
Washington. He was made city editor
of the Banner. Still he did not com
increase in salary to $25 per week.
He esolved to work faithfully so as
to be the most available man in case
there should be a vacancy in the Ban
ner's Washington office.
Then. In two or three years. things
happened. Woodrow Wilson became
president. and Joe Wilson'S salary had
grown to $35 per week. Nashville sud
denly realized hat she had the pres
ident's only brother. The rest of the
country realized it. too. Joe Wilson's
mail grew heavy.
Out of an envelope tumbled an offer
from a New York insurance company.
at a salary of $4,000 per year. This
o1er was cast into deep shade a ut
tie later by a letter from a New York
trust company offering $24, 600 for his
service. Realizing that to accept either
would simply amount to selling his
distinguished brothers name, Joe Will
son resolutely put both aside.
Then ollowed an amazing sue
cesston of affairs from great newspa-
pers. holding forth dazzling salaries
to the Banners city editor to repfe-
sent them at Washington. AT last ne
could realize the ambition TOWARD
which he had struggled all his NE. ~
was within his grasp. He conid q
cept all the newspaper offers. syhui.
cate his writings, and thus WIN q
bound, attain affluence and power.
Blu a second thought. II he accepieu
1t would mean that every WORD Oh ms
writings would be taken by the puo,as
as inspired and as coming from sne
president. ut might, nay, 1t Wouiu, y.
come a continual embarrassment 10 :.
sincere older brother, VINO Is trsias
with such devout singleness OF purposs
to be a great president of the oh''e"
States.
One recent day Joe Wilson induisea
in the luxury of adding up -
composite salary Of his newspaper w.
fers. They totaled SIS, 1000 "A year. ro
g Few moments he sat III aps'iac'i ,,s.
dreaming for the last time ms NC
dream. Then he dictated a few ,et.tan
OF refusal, and with a sigh turned oaSA
to his desk and his $35 per.