The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-30
WILLIAM wINDoM.
biography of the Man Who Has Twice
Conducted the Nation,s Einances


dom, President Harrison's selection Tor the
Treasury portfolio. would have been GA years
old on the 10th of next May. He was born in
Belmont County, Ohio, in 1927, although
many were OF the belief that Mr.. WINDOWS
birthplace was in Minnesota. The place
which he occupied in the new Presidents
Cabinet cannot be said to have been entirely
new to him. as he filled the same position in
President Gariield's Cabinet, which he held
until Nce-Presdent Arthur assumed the
function of Chief Executive of the nation.
after Garfeld's death. For a number If
years Secretary Window resided in Min
nesota. and represented that State in the
United States Senate with marked ability
for three terms, or a period or eighteen years.
He graduated with high honors in IS4S, aud
two years later, after being admitted To the
bar, lie practlced law at Mount Vernon, Ohio.
His marked aptitude as pleader in the
courts snon brought him into prominence
and in 1852 he was made Prosecuting Attor-
ney for Knox County, OHIO. He held this
position Tor three years, when be removed to
Minnesota. From the time Mr.. Window
cast his first vote he took an active interest
in politics, and his advice was frequently
sought by leading Republicans in his
adopted State on matters pertaining to the
advancement of the Republican party.
He was sent to Congress in 1859 and was
reelected to serve four successive terms, a
period OF ten years, ending his career in the
House in 1869. He was appointed to the
United States Senate in 1870 to fill the un-
expired term OF Daniel 5. Norton, deceased
He was also chosen for the terms ending
1873 and 1883. He resigned, however, in
1881 to accept the Treasury portfolio in
President Gafeld's Cabinet, and upon his
retirement from the Cabinet after Gariield's
~death he was returned to the Senate, where
he served the remainder of his term. Dur-
ing his career in the Senate ne served on
many important committees. Secretary
Window was mau of wide experience in
financial affairs.
Between 1865 and 1880 the public debt fell
from S2,S5o, ,0Ou 600 10 about 50, GOO 900 90 and
as 1t decreased the ability of the Govern
ment to borrow at lower rate of interest
increased. About $780, 600 600 of per cent
bonds fell due in 1881, and Secretary VIM
dom took the respon sibility of allowing the
holders OF them to exchange them for 3%
per cent bonds, redeemable at the pleasure
of the Government. This privilege was ex-
tended to about $500, 100000 Of other bonds,
giving saving OF $4,000, 600 interest. The
AZ per cent bonds of 1S70-7l, that is to say,
$3.50, 100000, are redeemable this YEAR and
the per cent bonds, that is to ay, $685.
OO0,00o, are due in 1907.
The only thing that perplexed Harrison as
TO the selection OF William Windom for Sec
retary OF the Treasury was the question Of
Ills right TO claim State as his home, and
tile question Was asked, "Why not credit
him to Ohio?" He was born in Belmont
County, that State, and gained some PROM
lnence there before moving to Minnesota
Window was mentioned for the Cabinet be-
cause OF his acknowledged fitness fer the
Secretaryship of the Treasury, and also on
account of his close friendship with Harri-
son. 1t was known that Harrison wanted
him for the Treasury, but that he occupied
the awkward position of being ''without a
home" 1t is said that when General Har-
rlson began TO write down he names Of his
Cabinet he wrote:
cf n
Of Maine; for Secretary of Treasury, Will
lam Window of --?" Then he stopped,
ran his pencil reluctantly through the last
name aud passed on to John Wanamaker,
-ieaving the Window matter to be settled at
some other time. Window had quite
diStingui, lied record. and certainly If any
man could be identified with State lie
ought TO have been a Miunesotian. He
served in the House as a Representative
from that State during the Thirty-siXtE Con-
gress aud successively in the Thirty-seventh,
Thirty eighth, Thirty-ninth and Fortieth
and was then appointed to fill an unexpired
term IN the Senate and subsequently elected
to a full term. When Garfield became
President he was made Secretary of the
Treasury. He had but short term of this
Office. but in that time WAS regarded as hav-
Ing demonstrated his capacity as a financier.
Since then he practieed law in New York
and was not much in Minnesota. He
dropped out OF Minnesota litcs and, to
some extent, out of favor in that State. He
is said to have cherished some resentment
at his defeat for reelection TO the
Senate. But that defeat and his subse-
quent loss of favor appears to have had no
more important source than that he made
money and built fine house in Washing-
ton. That line house at Scott Circle is said
to have cost him his prestige in Minnesota
Ills enemies Mt home had photographs made
OF it and circulated throughout the Stats as
an argument that lie was not suitable rep
resentative of the unpretentious new West,
just as during the campaign of 'S4 photo
graphs OF Blaine's house were circulated as
az evidence that he was not honest Both
ne and Blaine were, to an extent, the victims
OF that curious logic that finds bad morals
In big houses After Allisou's declinaton,
Window naturally came up as the most
prominent Western man, who was familiar
with finances. He was supposed to combine
knowledge OF Wall street with sympathy
with the West, aud in that was just the man
General Harrison had been seek Ing for the
Treasury. But whether a man, who had
been so improydent as not to provide HIM
self With State, OF having had one, so care
less as to lose 1t, could be trusted to watch
over the finances of the country was ques-
ton not definitely settled. AS TO his ability
and fitness TO fill the position no one made
question.
MRS. WINDOW.
Mrs. Windonl's maiden name was Ellen
I. Hatch. Her father was for fifty years a
prominent Congregational minister. He
lived In New Hampshire when his daughter
Ellen was born, but shortly after moved to
Warwick, Mass. Ellen Hatch was called
beauty and q belle. She was bright, intelli-
gent, clever, pretty and of most charming
manners. Mrs. Window was 4 graduate of
Mount HolyOke and after leaving school she
taught at Mount Vernon, Ohio 1t WAS there
she met Mr.. Window, who was prosecuting
attorney OF the county. When student she
injured her eyesight by hard study and has
worn eyeglasses ever since This gives a
Slight haughtines5 to her manner, although
she Is really the most gentle of women. AS
a glri Mrs. Window was very pretty and she
IS still pleasing In face and form. OF medium
height she is quite slender. Her brown hair
is turning gray, but to many this only makes
her more beautiful. Mrs. Window shows
careful taste in dress, and, while her home
gowns are plain, in society she is always
an elegantly dressed woman. She has in
stinctive tact, Tor which she is pleasantly
remembered In Washington, where she
spent so much of her life. She has two
daughters and son. The eldest daughter,
Miss Nellie, has been in Ill health for sew,
eral years. She has rare love for music,
and has made IL special study, being well
Known as an amateur performer. When
their fathers were both Senators, she and
Mary Harrison (Mrs Mckee, were the best
OF friends. The younger daughter, Miss
Florence, completed her course in Miss Por-
ter'S school, and was a debutante of last
season. She Is wonderfully pretty girl,
and has the bright, vlvacious ways that will
make her favorite in society. Since their
daughter has been in an Eastern school
Secretary and Mrs. Window lived in New
York at the buckingham Hotel. The ouly
son, William ID. Window, is an architect,
married, and living in Bosioi.
Mr.. and Mrs. Window have two grand
children, the infant son and daughter of the
son. William ID. Window of Boston. The
eldest grandchild is William Hutchinson
Wlndom. and his baby sister is tie second
grandchild: The Windows owned a fine
house in Washington, which they sold only
within n short time Formerly Mrs Win
dom and her daughters resided at their
home III Win0na, MINI. She has a brother
the Rev. j. l.. Hatch, who is an inspector
at the Custon-houSe in this city, and resides
in Oakland.