Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1949-05-12
Chase Osborn-a Tribute

an American public official. Chase
Osborn was always servant,
never master. of the people of his
state.
My first, and lasting, opinion of
Governor Osborn was formed by an
incident that occurred during the
period of his governorship, and of
which l had first hand and definite
knowledge.
At the time Chase Osborn was
governor of Michigan was the edi-
tor of newspaper syndicate SER
vice prepared for the daily and
weekly rural press. 1t was then
one of four such services prepared
and sold by different syndicates.
among which there was keen COM
petition. One of the four was re-
leasing a weekly agricultural SER
vice for use by Michigan papers,
the copy for which was prepared
by the Michigan agricultural col
,lege. l wished to issue similar SER
vice, and asked the head of that
state institution to prepare copy
for it, or, if he preferred, to give
me carbon Of the copy he was
supplying to the competitor. He
definitely refused to do either.
Then 1 went to Lansing in an
effort to talk 1t over, but the
head of the college refused to
see me. 1t was then 1 turned to
Governor Osborn. He listened
to my statement Of the situa-
ton, then told me emphatical-
ly that he did not like the owner
Of the company for which i was
working, while the head of the
state agricultural college was a
valued friend. But" he added,
what you are proposing would
be Of service to the people of
Michigan, and it is my job to
see that they get that service"
He then called the head of the
college on the phone and asked him
to see me. To that request there
was a reluctant compliance The
governor asked that / present my
case, and, after doing so. let him
know the result.
did that, and again received an
emphatic refusal When I reported
back to the governor he again
called the head of the college and
asked for the reason for his refusal.
The governor was told the school
faculty did not have time to pre-
pare a similar service, and it was
not ethical to give me a carbon,
and the college head stuck to that
decision.
81, too, am busy" said the gov
ernor over the phone, $50 busy that
1 cannot find time to sign the appro-
priation bill for the agricultural
college now on my desk, when tie
college faculty has not time to
serve the people of Michigan when
opportunity offers"
OF course, got the copy l
wanted, and quick. l also took
away with me an intense admira-
ton for public official who would
not consider personal friendships
or animosities when doing SO would
have sacrificed the people who had
entrusted him with the office he
held.
That incident typified Chase Os-
born. His job as governor of Michi-
gan was to serve the people of the
state. He was their servant. His
personal likes and dislikes could
have no consideration as against
his duty to the people of Michigan.
For several years l saw him at
more or less frequent intervals, and
it was seldom that I did not find
some additional reasons for ad-
miring a governor who demon
strated his determination to be
servant, not master, of the people
who placed him in office.
have known many men in pub
lie life who have made claims to
being servant, not a master. of
their constituents, but in the MAORI
ty Of such cases ! have found such
claims to be phony when personal
interests were involved. In the case
of Chase Osborn they we're proven
to be real.
During the war the public did
not seriously question what seemed
to be wild and reckless spending on
the part of the armed services.
The wastage of war excused, if 1t
did not justify, such spending. In
the full year of 1914, at the height
Of the war, the cost OF the armed
services amounted to a trifle over
$4,000 for each officer and man in
the services. During the past year
we have had nothing more serious
than the "cold war in Berlin, but
the cost of the armed services
amounted to a bit over $4,000 for
each officer and man.
The supreme court has decided
in the past that a, treaty is more
sacred than is the Constitution.
Had the North Atlantic pact we
signed provided for military" aid,
rather than the mere word laid"
the president could have legally de-
clared war had any one OF the par.
ticipating nations been attacked.
The omission Of that one word.
military" maintains for Congress