Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-06
RODGERS OF THE
SPECIAL AGENTS
Ohio Man Who Has Been Ten Years
in the Consular Service in Vari-
Gus Parts of World Is Now
in Mexico


" in Mexico there have been many, and the
latest is Colonel j. Linn Rodgers. Pending
the assumption by Henry p. Fletcher of the
full duties of Ambassador to Mexico, 1t is Colo
mel Rodgers who represents the State Depart
ment before the Carranza Government. Prob.
ably this service will continue several weeks.
Colonel Rodgers is a Columbus man-not
Columbus, N NJ, but Columbus Ohio For 10
years he has been in the diplomatic service
of the United States, representing American
interests in China, Cuba and elsewhere. In
1907 he appointed Consul General at
Havana after record of exceptional accom-.
plishment in the Far East. His designation
as special agent and assignment to tasks of
considerable difficulty and delicacy surprised
nobody who knew the and his record
This is not his first experience in having new
and unloolled.for tasks thrust upon him be-
cause of his familiarity with the Spanish.
American habits and temperament. In recent
years he has been sent to Honduras and
again to Yucatan to straighten out delicate
matters in which the American Government
had vital interest
Colonel Rodgers was accredited to Havana
after he had served two years at Shanghai
He now has been in the consular service long
enough to be protected by the civil service
regulations and probably may continue
long as he finds the service pleasant. In n
varied life he has remained in this work
longer than any other. Next to that stands
his Columbus newspaper career.
From Journalism to Politics
After he had finished his schooling and had
tried his hand at first one thing and then
another, he took a position In the editorial
office of the old Columbus Times. He did not
Nt,o
developed after he got started. He had been
working for the old Consolidated Street Rail-
way Company. His father. the late Major
A. d. Rodgers, was the president of the
company and the late Henry I. Chittenden
was one of the principal officers Mr.. Chit
tenden was financially interested in the
Times. So young Rodgers got chance TO
try out his energies in the field of Journalism.
He succeeded so we'll that he soon had an
opportunity to continue his career on the
Dispatch. Beginning as a reporter in 1889
he advanced to be managing editor in 1895,
which witnessed the beginning of his political
career. In 1896 he became secretary TO Gov
ernor Bushnell, of Ohio, and continued in that
capacity through four years. It was then
that the honorary title of colonel was affixed
to his name.
His newspaper work had served to in
troduce him to the chief executive and his
family connections served to cement the
relationship. The father of ], L. Rodgers was
a friend of Governor Bushnell in the days
when both were working for a career in
Springfield
A. d. Rodgers, of Springfield, married Eliza
Sullivant, of Columbus and they went to
live in the old Sullivant home. which used TO
stand we'll back from Broad Street at the foot
hill The magnificent double row of trees
which still exists led up to their house.
There the Rodgers children were born, James
Linn in 1861. There are three other brothers.
w. S. S., A. Dennis and Archibald Rodgers.
There were also four sisters, three Of whom
are living. Mrs. ], II. Roys, of Columbus;
Mrs Elliott. Of Cleveland. and Mrs. Albert
]. Dibblee Of San Francisco.
Columbus several sizes smaller then
than now. When James Linn was IL years
old his father built and occupied the house
on East Broad street where the family of the
Consul General resides at present.
Colonel Rodgers education was received in
the public schools of Columbus and at the
Ohio State University.
In Many Climes and Countries
Between his service in the State House and
the beginning of his consular career there was
a lapse of five years. For the first half of that
period Colonel Rodgers was associated with
the Buckeye Maleable Iron Company, Later
he helped 10 organize the Ohio Malleable Iron
Company which has since been taken over
by the Jeffrey interests
The appointment to consular duties came
through an agreement of Senators Dick and
Foraker, who then swayed the destinies OF the
state President Roosevelt is said to have re-
marked that he would appoint any man that
these two could agree upon. And SO the ap-
pointment was made. Mr.. Foraker had long
been a warm friend OF Colonel Rodgers