The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1916-03-23
eY FRANK p. VROMAN.
FRANK p. VROMAN (Inset.)


Eugene Noble Foss was born at
West Berkshire, VT, Sept. "a, 1854. His
one brother, Hon. George E. Foss, is
member of congress from the
Eleventh Illinois district (Chicago).
At nine Mr.. Foss removed with his
parents to st. Adams, VT, where he
attended school and academy and later
entered the University of Vermont.
which he left to read law with his
uncle. Mr.. Foss' desire to be self sup
porting led him to abandon the law
and become salesman.
His remarkable success in this work
attracted the attention of B. F. Sturte-
want, a Boston millionaire manufac.
turer, who employed him. He rose
rapidly through successive promotions
until he is today president of the COM
pany, which has grown under his d.
rection to be the largest business of
its kind in the world
Thus for over thirty years Mr.. Foss
has been a practical manufacturer and
business man and his business activi-
ties have broadened from year to year
until he Is today one of the most sue
cessful and widely known of Ameri-
can business men, with extensive in
terests In textile mills, railroads,
steamships and banks.
Mr.. Foss represents in a marked
degree the practical side of business
life and from experience understands
the needs of modern business indus
try. Unlike the majority of our pub
lie men Mr.. FOss has this wide bust
ness experience to take with him into
the political field.
His public life now is more widely
known than his business life, but it is
OF interest that he did not seek 20.
litical honCrs but was forced into poll.
tics because he knew, as a business
man, what the people had right to
expect from those who administer
public affairs.
Mr.. Foss had long been member
Of the Republican party, but in 1901
he repudiated the high tariff doctrine
Of his party because he believed that
New England was being hampered by
1t. His political career was the out.
come of his interest in reciprocity, es-
pecially with Canada. When the
Payne'Aldrich tariff bill was adopted
he left the party and accepted the
Democratic nomination for lieutenant
governor Of Massachusetts on a low.
er tariff platform. He reduced the
Republican majority of sc, 900 to a lit.
tie over 5000.
In the following spring he was elect
ed to congress, turning Republican
majority Of 14,250 into a Democratic
majority Of 5,640 in a total vote OF
1890. In congress he made a DOW
erful speech on tariff reform and reel
proc1ty and demanded removal of all
duties on the necessities of life and q
reduction on all.
In the same year (1910) he was
nominated for governor on the Demo
cratic ticket and resigned his seat in
congress-. He was elected against
powerful opposition by a plurality of
$4,000 In state which the year before
had gone Republican by 10000. He
was reelected in 1911 and 1912
Eugene N. Foss' record as chief
executive Of Massachusetts has placed
him prominently before the eyes ri
the nation. During his terms the leg
1slature passed presidential primary
law, minimum wage law, laws re-
stricting the hours of work for WON
en- and minors (urged by him, although
he Is large employer of men. and