 cornelius newton bliss (january 26, 1833 â october 9, 1911) was an american merchant, politician and art collector, who served as secretary of the interior in the administration of president william mckinley and as treasurer of the republican national convention in four successive campaigns. ==early life and career== cornelius bliss was born at fall river, massachusetts. he was educated in his native city and in new orleans, where he early entered his stepfather's counting house. returning to massachusetts in 1849, he became a clerk and subsequently a junior partner in a prominent boston commercial house. later he moved to new york city to establish a branch of the firm. the firm, originally wright & whitman, in 1874 became wright, bliss & fabyan upon the death of the senior partner, mr. john s. wright. on the death in 1881 of mr. eben wright, the firm became bliss, fabyan & co., under which name it continued until well into the 20th century. bliss, fabyan & co. was one of the largest wholesale dry-goods houses in the country. ==politics== a consistent advocate of the protective tariff, he was one of the organizers and for many years president of the american protective tariff league. in politics an active republican, he was chairman of the republican state committee in 1887 and 1888, and contributed much to the success of the harrison ticket in new york in the latter year. he was treasurer of the republican national committee from 1892 to 1904. he turned down the offer of becoming united states secretary of the treasury under president mckinley but he served as united states secretary of the interior in president william mckinley's cabinet from 1
1833_births 1911_deaths Burials_at_Woodlawn_Cemetery_(Bronx) Massachusetts_Republicans McKinley_administration_cabinet_members New_York_Republicans People_from_Fall_River,_Massachusetts United_States_Secretaries_of_the_Interior