The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1893-03-11


Daniel Scott Lamont. who issiated for the
post Of secretary of utter Morch a. Is
Sate secretary Of President Cleveland But it
must not &c forgotten that he is big and
nroe man ana we'll np ca,,ed MIN
Lamont has been politician from hoyhood
He is 4. years old and a native Of New York
Mr.. La,nont's first work was as u clerk In his
fathers store in his native town Of Cortland
He performed this work on the same days that
he attended the village school, where he was
fitted for the Central academy. which succeeded
the acolitionists' college at the breaking out OF
in the class Of ~. 1t is remembered OF
him that he was y diliscnt student and was
usually at the head of his class, so that has
after experience makes nonsense OF the OLD rule
that bright boy in school becomes Ounce
A 20 Lamont was sent a delegate to the
state convention ut Rochester in 1871 That was
close upon the exposure OF the corruption under
Tweed
and Lamont fs proud of saving that onevcry
roll call he voted with Tilden The TACT at
tracted the attention OF Mr. Tilden to the boy
delegate from Cortland-ty far the youngest
member OF tho convention-and thus the two
became acquainted. Tilden won: Tweed's
delegates werc thrown out. and the reform
delegates. under Oswald .Ottendorfer. were
seated.
The acouatntance that was thus begun be-,
| tween Mr.. Tilden and Mr.. Lamont quickly rip
cned into a friendship that was never after
wards broken Though Lamont was only 20
years of age and was not q leader oven in his
own county. he ripened that friendship which
resulted in his betne. closer to Ttlden In the
counsels OF the party than any other man In
his following. He was present at every confer
ence tina. afterwards took place between Mr..
the time of the canal investigation and all
through the presidential campaign and suosc-
Guent contest OF 1876 and 1877.
l. When Mr.. Lamont was 81 he was nominated
by the democrats for county clerk OF Cortland
county, and came within a few votes OF revers-
Ing majority that had stood at 800 on the
other SIDE The next year found him running
for the assembly on the democratic ticket, and
again he had the prize ut the ends OF his fin
gers, but lost it by n very few votes. That was
in 1874, and Mr.. Tilden. who was then elected
Albany. where he again became dep
uty clerk of the assembly. subsequently
me- was n9er n1r John Bisc,ow HE
intimacy with Mr.. 1ilden still distinguished
him. and he found himself one of the young
men whom the governor called about him FOR
assistance in making up his organization OF the
party in the state. Others OF that body guard
Apgar. Charles s. Fairc.1ild. William A. Beach.
Horatio Seymour Jr.. and William e Smith.
busted himself in all the campaigns that fol-
lowed up tho year when he went to Washing
When the Cleveland movement first made its
appearance in New York state poll ties Lamont
was one OF the men who helped to pull the
strings, and Clcveland'S success in the nomt-
nating convention. in which he took the prize
from Gen. Slocun, was largely due to the fine
work of the Cortland politician. who had grad
uated under the sage of Grammcrcy Park.
Lamont worked; fcr Clevelands election pre-
cisely he had for the previous candidates OF
! his party. and after the election Mr.. Cleveland
sent for him to to Buffalo. The two
spent some days together talking OF state
affairs and politics generally and arrans-
ing for the gathering OF data at Albany
| by Mr. Lamont for the new governors first
message. That the first time Cleveland
| and Lamont had ever met. Again. before Mr.
Clcvelands Inauguration governor. MY La
| mont visited him in Buffalo and the post OF
military secretary on his staff was offered to
| Lamont
But when Cleveland reached Albany and was
| inauSurated as governor he asked Mr.. Lamont
| to dine with him. He then said that he had
| not made up his mind whom to choose for his
! private secretary. and asked IL Mr.. Lamont
would not serve in that capacity until a pcrnla-
| nent secretary was chosen. Lamont assented
| and a day or later it agreed that he
| should keep the place.
| In 1889 Mr.. Cleveland retired to private life
| and went to New York to practice law. Mr.
| Lamont had many offers from business men
! who thought him d forccrul and Inanysided
man. but the offer that suited him best was one
that came from William G. Whitney and Oliver
| H. Payne with whose surface railway projects
| in New York he joined his fortunes.