The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1914-04-17


that the atmosphere is foreign to a
Democrat, these republicans occupy
ing the most confidential relations
and standing as barriers between
their chiefs and the folks on the out
side as well as the Democrats who
have managed to get minor places
under the Republicans.
The first thing Director Harris did
was to clean out his own office. He
put Democrats on guard. The Cen
sus Bureau is the only Democratic
Bureau in Washington and william
j. Harris has made II So
Director Harris was born in Cedar
town, Ga, and his wife was a daugh-
ter of General Joe Wheeler General
Wheeler was born in Augusta, and
during the war his command kept
Sherman army from capturing and
burning that city
During the war the famous caval-
ry leader crossed the Tennessee river
at Mussel Shoals, Ala, and spent the
night at the home of Colonel Jones,
whose wife was a daughter of Cover
nor Peter Early, of Georgia. After
the war General Wheeler went back
to the Jones plantation, courted Col
onel Jones daughter and they were
married. Their daughter is the wife
of the Director of the Census. Her
father, General Wheeler, is buried
in Arlington Cemetery in the grounds
which were once the home of Robert
e. Lee.
Colonel Harris has a warm spot in
his heart for the old soldiers. The We
terans Of the blue as we'll as the vet
Grams of the gray appeal to his con-
sideration. Perhaps the fact that
General Joe Wheeler wore both uni
forms and that a pretty little girl
who sometimes brightens the Census
office with her presence is the grand
daughter of the famous cavalry lead
er of the sixties, who later volun-
teered for Santiago, helps to incline
the Directors heart to the old SOL
diers.
Going about the building he found
here and there that younger men had
crowded the old fellows out of the
most comfortable places The Oldest
and worst desks had gone to the Con-
federate and Union vets and the
most uncomfortable chairs were
theirs, A general hint from the Di-
rector re-arranged all that. The old
soldiers were given the comfortable
places and not only were they appre-
ciative, but, remarkable to relate,
everybody was better pleased and
happier for the change.
Several weeks after Colonel Harris
took charge of the Census office he
was examining the reports showing
the cause of absence of some of the
clerks and opposite about a dozen
names he read the word, drunk"
He was rather surprised and started
an investigation He found that
sometimes men would come to the
office under the influence of whis-
key to such an extent that they
would have to be sent home in cabs.
Others would be so drunk while on
duty that they would not be capable
of performing their work. These
cases were comparatively few as the
force is very large one but in the
opinion of the Director one drunk
was just one too many. Further
more he did not like the odor of
whiskey where refined women are
employed.
Colonel Harris decreed that the
DRINKS should be warned, and like
the story in the old blue-back speller
IF neither words nor grass would
suffice" he would throw few
bricks. When three or four old
soaks had been fired the others saw
that the Director meant what he said
and the reformation was complete.
y
Colonel Harris was one of the
original Wilson men. The little
story of how he came to be appoint
ed Director of the Census has never
been told. He was a personal friend
of Woodrow Wilson, having attended
the State University with Stockton
Arson, the brother of Mrs. Wilson,
and when the campaign started in
Georgia he and Colonel Ed Brown
and Colonel Walter p. Andrews were
at the head of it. Colonel Brown is