The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-01-30

Governor. When the delegates arrived it
was evident that q large majority were for
Mr.. WINDOW, but Hon. Tom Ford, OF Rich
land, the adjoining county north of Knox,
was nominated for Northumberland.
and another one inst south, SO that part of
the State had been more than amply pro-
vided for. while the Western Reserve had
received no place on the ticket. 1t claimed
the position of Attorney general. which
was about all that there was left. and the
convention cordially indorsed the reason
able request. and nominated their candi-
date.
In 1856 Mr.. Window removed to Winona.
Mimi. where he has resided ever since.
About this time be married a Massachusetts
lady, who las blessed him with three chill
dren-a son, who is about thirty-one years
old. and two daughters. twenty-three and
twenty years old, respectively. Mr.. Win
dom soon acquired great popularity among
his new ~neighbors, and in 1859 he was
elected to the Thirty-sixth Congress as a
Republican. He was reelected to the
Thirty-seventh. ThIrty-eighth, Thirty
ninth and Fortieth congresses, In which he
became conspicuous by his services on
various committees, including those on
public lands, public expenditures, Indian
affairs and several others. He was also an
able member on the floor of the House. He
was a member of the special peace commit
tee of thirty, which was formed after the
election Of Lincoln. At the end OF
his fifth term he declined further
he was strongly urged to accept
q reno mination. But he was not permitted
to retire from public life. Almost immedi-
ately July, 1907 he was appointed by the
Governor of Minnesota to fill the ~unexpired
term of Senator Daniel 8. Norton, deceased.
Soon after he was elected for the term end
ing in 1877. when be was reelected for
another term by the unanimous vote of the
Republican members of the Legislature. In
March, 1881. he resigned his seat in the
Senate to become Secretary of the Treasury
in General Garfeld's Cabinet. The vacancy
was filed during the called session Of that
year by Alonzo J. Edgerton. under execu-
tive appointments. In October of the Same
year, after Mr.. WINDOWS withdrawal from
the Treasury. On the death of President
Garfield. be was elected by the Minnesota
Legislature to I'LL the vacancy caused by
his resignation carly in the year. and he
served until the close of the term in 1888.
8 HIS POLITICAL ELIEF
From early life Mr.. Window was q close
adherent of the doctrines of Henry Clay,
and devoted himself to q treatment from
that standpoint of all questions relating
to the material interests of the public. He
was actively identified with the home
stead law of 1862. He was always In favor
of o protective tariff, and devoted especial
attention to the problems of interstate
commerce., cheap transportation and the
NouCcnlcub VI dSilCuiluidl lubclCSt6.
he also strongly favored extending liberal
encouragement TO manufacturing and CON-
mercisl interests. He always voted for
a protective tariff and a sound financial
policy.
In 1873 Mr.. Windom was chairman of a
special Senate committee on transporta-
ton. of which Senators Sherman, Conk-
ling. Mitchell and others were members.
The report of this committee, written by
Mr.. Window. and covering several hundred
pages. Is regarded as n STANDARD work on
the subject of transportation. One result
of this report was the deepening of the
mouth of the Mississippi river. the most IN
portant Improvement in the interests of
the West and South ever accomplished by
legislation.
Although his first career in the Treasury
Department was a short one, he achieved a
splendid triumph, his care and foretbought
the national debt with complete success at
a difticnlt period. he paid, or called in for
payment, all the 5 and q per cents. that the
holders had not voluntarily asked hin to
extend at gig per cent, and retained for the
government the power to pay of any of the
extended bonds ut pleasure, doing all this
with the surplus revenue, and without de-
plotting the reserve held for the redemption
OF notes.
Senator Window was a candidate for the
presidency before the Republican conven-
tion of 1880, the Minnesota delegates casting
their ten votes for him until the twenty
ulntu UdilOt, Wucu bOiuc Vi Tic NOtcS WoIo
transferred to Senator Blaine: Three del
egates voted for him until the close of the
balloting. After his retirement from the
Senate in 1888 Mr.. Window spent his time
between Minnesota and New York. practic-
ing law and attending to business interests
until he was, for the second time, called to
the Treasury portfolio by President Har-
rison in 1889.
His second administration of the Treasury
Department has been marked by the same
high order of ability and integrity that was
displayed in his first. The distinguishing
feature of it has been the gradual with
drawal of the surplus funds of the govern
ment. which, under the Cleveland admin
istration. had been deposited In the ma
tional banks. and their application to the
purchase and cancellation of United States
bonds, thereby keeping the money in cir
c%ulatIon and saving the government millions
in interest charges. His excellent measures
for the relief of commercial centers during
the recent financial s~tringency, and the
manner In which the customs duties have
been readjusted in accordance with the
new tariff law with the least possible frIc-
tion. are matters of current comment.