Evening journal., 1915-02-26
New News Of Yesterday
Americas First Secretary
OF Agriculture
ny Holland.

"As I look back over my political
career and recall one after another
the many men. some or them OF great
prominence. with whom | had asso-
citation, am more and more con-
yinced that the greatest democrat
don't use the word in the partisan
sense-the most ideal representative
Of all that real democracy means, was
jeremiah NJ. Rusk.r
This remark was made TO me by
General Thomas NJ James, who was
postmaster general in President Car
fields cabinet and who would have
been glad if political consideration
had made it possible for Garfield to
name Uncle Jerry Rusk as every
body called him. as ono Of his cabinet
officers.
4 never knew why Garfield did not
offer more important Office to Jerry
Rusk than he did offer TO him. There
We're sentimental and romantic rea-
sons why Garfield should have been
strongly attracted TO Rusk. as. in fact.
he was When Garfield as a boy was
driving a mule along canal towpath
in Northern Ohio SO that he could
earn some money, Jerry Rusk. who
was about the same age, was driving
a stage in Northern Ohio, and tile two
lads then became acquainted.
II u Il
not meet again until Rusk became a
member of Congress- in the latter
part of Grants first administration,
but seem to recollect that Garfield
once said to me that when he was in
the army he met Jerry Rusk. who had
distinguished himself for bravery
and was in command, ! think, Of a
Wisconsin regiment. They did, how
ever, meet when Rusk came 10 Wash
ington to take his seat as member
of the Lower House. and the relations
between them became very cordial
almost intimate.
after Garfield was inauguratet
for President. | think within wcel
or two, he offered Rusk his choice o
foreign mission or the superintend
ence of the Bureau OF Engraving ant
Printing Had either Of these offers
heen accepted the probabilities arr
that Rnsk would not have made thi
wonderful record which he did MAKE
as governor OF Wisconsin.
What a delightful man he was
unassuming, plain, approachable am
yet without any loss Of dignity. HI
, was, | think, with Senator Kirkwood
of Iowa. the best representative o
the truly democratic American citi
I zen. He had great respect for abilit,
and was more OF a reader of book
than most persons suspected. He wa
one Of the first men of public lif
| fully TO comprehend what the agricul
tural possibilities Of that part Of th
United States which lies west of TIL
Mississippi are.
1T was. Of course. his record a
| governor of Wisconsin which mad
him prominent as one OF the candi
dates for President in 1888. Had h
been nominated and elected. he woul
have been accepted as the perfeC
| type Of a true American. I slIppos
il was on account Of Rusks popular
ity and also because the Republica
| convention had given his nominatiO
sumo Huppoll iHdl iNoiuNHt AAdi
SON who was nominated at that con
vention, decided to appoint Rus
Secretary of Agriculture. that de
partmont having just been created b.
| Congress.
Though these two men were ut
terly unlike in temperament and il
many qualities Of mind, yet hav
heard it said that Rusk was th
cabinet officer whom Harrison foun
most congenial and in whose coun
sells he found most to accept"