River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1918-05-23

4
satisfaction with his business
methods. He pushed his business
unremittingly and thus never al
lowed it to push him. He was
man of ceaseless energy and had
no time to waste even outside OF
business hours. He was always to
be found at his place of business or
at home.
Mr.. Ensign took All intelligent
interest in all public affairs and
served the public in many capaci-
ties upon semi-private boards and
commissions, but never in any po-
litical office. He considered his
time too valuable to go around So
Letting people to vote for him. But
he accepted appointments when
they came to him unsolicited, as
when he was appointed a member
of the Board Of Regents of the
State Normal Schools for two
years. While he had decided po-
litical views, he Stunned all con-
tests of political nature. His fell
low citizens often asked him to al
low his name to be presented for
some political office. but he always
refused. He Stunned the publicity
and criticism that always attend
political office. He much preferred
the quiet life of a private citizen
and believed that he could serve his
country best in the example of the
life of an Industrious private citizen
who attended to his own business
intelligently and energetically,
whether this business was Of pub
lie or private nature. In this way,
Mr.. Ensign always furthered the
interests of the River Falls Normal
school in the forceful and energetic
support that he always gave to the
administration of the school. When
he became local regent of the
school he exerted such an influence
upon the members of the Board
that he had the united respect and
esteem of all the members. When
the growth of the scheme demand
ed more room, he secured an APP
preparation from the Legislature for
an addition to South Hall that sat-
isfed the needs of the school for
several years.
Mr.. and Mrs. Ensign showed
their interest in the River Falls
Normal school by their regular at
tendance upon the alumni meetings
held each commencement. The
success of these meetings was due
in no small measure to their efforts
and the meetings were much enliv-
ened by the characteristic witty re-
torts and repartees of Mr.. Ensign.
He had remarkably happy, hum
orous way OF expressing his
thought at times that tended to en-
liven any social meeting of which
he was member. He was not a
public speaker, but he always re-
GREETED much that he had not taken
more active part in the debates of
the school literary societies in his
school days so as to & lain that self
confidence and practice so essential
to public speaking.
1t is not as a public man that Mr..
Ensign will be remembered by his
fellow citizens, but as a business
nan of great integrity and eficien-
cy by which he won their esteem
and respect. Mr.. Ensign was an
intelligent reader and was unusual
ly we'll Informed upon all the ques-
tions of the day. He was a patriot
ic citizen and gave. freely of his
money to support the government
and his influence sent one son into
the navy and his daughter as a
nurse into the Red Cross hospitals
of the army. That Mr.. Ensign is
not widely known in a public ca
pacity is due wholly 10 his natural
aversion to such a career. He had
the abilities and power to win
friends that would have enabled
him to succeed in a public capacity
as he did succeed in his private
business. The people in it's politi-
cal capacity seldom selects the men
to lead. 1t chooses them usually
that court it's favor. But the gov
eminent in great emergencies Sc
lects its servants from among those
who have succeeded best in private
Il