The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1879-08-08
ALEXANDER RAMSEY.
A DEMOCRATIC PAPER FURNISHES A SKETCH
OF THE NEW SECRETARY OF WAR.
Albany Argus lDem.l

| Albany Argus tDem9
Ex-senator Ramsey is seml-officially an
nounced to have been selected by MIR. Hayes
for head of the War Department, IN place
of George W. McCreary, to be nominated
for Circuit Judge, 0sce Dillon, whose term
will expire by resignation September |.
This gentleman has almost passed out of
| public view, so soon are men forgotten after
| they are gone out of public life. But it was
only few years ago, in 1876, when he was
| a prominent member of the United States
Senate. The fact that his temperance is
| regarded in the nature of resurrection
| proves to public men what slight and
easily snapped hold they have on public
memory.
MIR. Ramsey, however, has held more
omces ana been longor putsio ,ass sAa...
any of the present body of advisers around
Mr.. Hayes. The reported appointee is a
Pennsylvania by birth. That fact will
not mollify Mr.. John F. Hartranft, who
has unsuccessfully been pushing for the
same place. 81
Mr.. Ramsey was born near Harrisburg,
in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. on Sep
tember 8, 1916, and though in his 64th year,
he is as vigorous as man of so. He began
the business of holding Office when he was
IS years old. being in 1928 clerk in the
Office of the Register of Dauphin county,
Penna. That position he held for all the
years in which American lads generally are
and generally ought to be at school, Young
Ramsey in this clerkship mastered the rudi-
ments of a good English education aad
showed a marked taste for politics. He
was Wing, and he drew in with every
breath around Harrisburg some idea of
party management and the notion that the
civil service could be made profitable
career to a man for life. He has found it
SO.
In 1910, in the hard cider campaign, Mr..
Ramsey, although only Registers clerk,
was already politician of some power in
the State. His forte was organization -
He got up clubs. He pushed Greeleyis pa
per, "The Log Cabin into great circula-
tion. He secured minor place, which
made itself tell in his favor, being elected
Secretary of the Electoral College of the
State and bearer of the yete to Washing
ton. For several years thereafter he was
Clerk Of the Lower House of the State leg
islature, and what he did not learn about
making points and friends in that position
has not been acquired by any of his sue
cessors. His Office brought power with it.
and he was made Chairman of the State
Central Committee. He also sat in Con-
gress two terms from 1S43 to 1947, and ap-
proved himself quiet. shrewd, painstak-
ing member. sd.
In 1S49, President Zachary Taylor ap-
pointed Mr.. Ramsey Governor of the Ter
ritory of Minnesota, position he held until
1903. Ine GreaJles ne maze Win the SIOUX
| Indians. while Governor, showed unsus.
pected breadth and vigor of intellect. They
are among the too few respectable trans
| actions of the Federal Government with the
red men. They made Mr.. Ramsey very
! popular in the North west, for his skill laid
the foundation of that prosperity which
could only come to that country, by peace
| with the tribal bands that had proved
| themselves in war worse than the Biackfeet
| or the Comanches. @ al
| In 1866, the first office bestowed on Mr.
Ramsey by the people of Minnesota came
to his hands. 1t was the Mayoralty Of ST.
| Paul, then small city, now great one
one, and largely great one because of the
scale on which MIR. Ramsey, Henry H. Sib-
ley, Eugenio A. johnson and the other pio-
neer men projected and extended it.
| At the close of his mayoral term, Mr..
Ramsey was elected governor of the State,
and he was reelected in 1850, his last term
expiring in 1862. He was then chosen a
Senator of the United States, and reelected
in 1859, his twelve years not ending until
1875. His reelection was confidently ex-
pected, but he found a habit of picking out:
new men increasing in the Northwest,
Christiancy succeeding Chandler, Angus
Cameron succeeding Carpenter and Mac
MILAN succeeding Ramsey, all at about the
the same time. Mr.. Ramsey has remained
in retirement since that time. AS Sena-
tor Mr.. Ramsey was "strong" on commit
tees. He was on the committees on naval
affairs, post-ofices and post-roads, patents,
the patent office, expenses of the Senate,
revolutionary claims, the Pacific railroads
and the Territories. OF the most desirable
of these committees, Mr.. Ramsey was Chair
man. He spoke very rarely in the Senate
and never in debate. He would present
| business questions in a business way. His
experience, tact and diligence gave him
| much influence which was assisted by a
! large, gentle, impressive presence, cordial
but moderated manners and an obliging
disposition. - t.
The appointment of Mr.. Ramsey, if it has
been made, to the War office, is not inn
probably the personal act of Mr.. Hayes.
It is not the sort of appointment that any
of the Cabinet would be likely to think of.
Aside from politics, the words BY which
both parties would describe it are sensible
| and respectable. Mr.. Ramsey comes nearer
to being q factionless Republican than any
| man in the Northwest. He waits for the.
party to render decision. Then he agrees
| to it. He contributes much of labor to the
success Of policy, and little council to the
shaping of it. He is business man, and
his business is politics He has pursued it
as . partisan in his affiliations and votes,
but as q genial gentleman in all bis social
relations. He would never be expected to
reform an organization, neither would he
be charged with making it need reform.
Evenness of temper. character and judg-
ment can be predicated of him in large
measure. The War Office 10 o clerical one
| in the main. 1t is entirely within his very
respectable abilities. He is very likely
neither Sherman. a Grant nor Blaine
man. He is on, of those men who are for
| the nominee, whoever he shall be. Mr..
Ramsey's knowledge Of and fondness. for
/ III Il r.