Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-04-22

From Minneapolis, Journal, April 2, IA.
From the ownership at fourteen of
a little current propelled ferry-boat
to the control and direction Of four
thriving banking institutions at 81; to
have been an important factor in the
political and commercial upbullding OF
a great state epitomizes in a word
something of the history of William
Z. Lee, candidate for the republican
nomination for governor Of Minnesota.
The advancement was not achieved
without long series of struggles in
a new country where opportunity had
to be made. There is much in the
career of William E. Lee that should
be an inspiration to the young Mime
sotan of today, for it again emphasizes
that pluck and perseverance, plus in
tegrity and high ideals, are still the
dominant factors of character con-
struction.
Reads Like Adventure.
The story of the successful rise of
the candidate from obscurity to lead
ership, if fully written, would read
like narrative from the pen of the
late Oliver Optic, whose books thrilled
the youth of a generation ago, and
would include pictures of a boy of
fifteen trudging thirty miles a day
through the wilderness with pack Of
United States mail upon his back;
the same lad working as cook for a
gang of woodsmen in a north Mime
sofa lumber camp, where by the light
of pineknot fire, he worked out the
intricacies of geometry on the mess
house table, his tutor being, strange to
say, the foreman of the camp, and
stranger still, a university graduate;
the opening of little general store
on the banks of Long Prairie creek in
Todd county, Minnesota; the gradual
development of the little store into
large commercial enterprises; an &C.
tive participation in the political life
of the newly formed state; and
through it all, constant ideal of big
ger and better things.
Nature gave Mr.. Lee a tremendous
asset in the way of physical and men
| tai vigor, and at manhood he faced his
career with six feet of height and zoe
pounds of bone and sinew. Today, al
| though his hair is threaded with gray
! he walks with shoulders thrown back
and the swinging stride of a young
man.
In appearance the candidate pre-
sents a curious mixture of the pioneer
and thoughtful and successful man O.
business. His head is large and hi:
! forehead high; his eyes gray, deel
set, wide apart and observing; hi
mouth is we'll moulded and his chil
square and aggressive, and his hands
like his feet, are large, the finger
knotted with the toll of the woods.
Mr.. Lees speech is slow, distinc
and deliberate, and although educate,
mainly in the school of hard knocks
with the lumber camps of a genera
ton ago as his campus, his address
is that of the studious, scholarly man
His public utterances show thoughtful
preparation, and thorough knowledg,
of governmental affairs. Three term
were spent by him in the Legislature
of the state, one as the speaker O
the house. He assisted in the organi
zation of the states first board of con
troll, and has further served the com
monwealth in many important capaci
ties. Of hobbies he had but one, an,
that is thoroughness and system il
his business affairs, for of procrastina
ton he knows but little. His recrea
tons are two-travel and reading.
Pride in Three Sons.
"The best job I have ever accomp
t lished in my career" Mr.. Lee de
clared the other day when asked tn
question, from my way of thinking
has been to raise my three sons, al
of whom I have taught to work.
What would I do if elected cover
nor?" he continued after a moment
pause. Il would see to it that the stat,
got 100 cents worth for every dol
lar. I would endeavor to obtain tn,
same degree of efficiency in state ser
vice that exists today in all of tn,
large industrial institutions. I woult
handle the business of Minnesota in
business-like manner and would do al
in my power to bring about the de
velopment of our many natural re
sources.
Il would attempt to educate tn
farmer to market nothing he could no
drive there on foot; sell nothing blu