The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-03-10

post OF secretary OF war after March T. is
| known To the country chiefly as the former pri
waite secretary OF President Cleveland. Hut il
must not be forgotten tina; he is hig and
broad man. apd well equipped to I'LL the place
| TO which Mr. cleveland has called him. Dan
Lamont has been politician from hoyhood.
| He is g. years old and native OF New York
| Mr.. Lannon'S first work was a. 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 abolitionists college al the breaking out OF
the war. He finished his academic
course and entered Union college
in the class OF -. II Is remembered OF
him that he was diligent student and was
usually at the head OF his class so that his
after experience makes nonsense OF the old rule
that bright boy in school becomes a Ounce
| afterward.
\ 10 Lamont was sent as a dele gate to the
! state convention at Rochester in ISL That was
| a famous convention the one that followed
| close upon The exposure Of the corruption under
| Tweed.
Every step IN the convention was contested.
| and Lamont is proud OF saying that on every
roll call he voted with Tildcn. The fact at
| tracted the attention OF Mr.. 1ilden 10 the boy
delegate from Cortland-by far the youngest
member Of the convention and thus the two
became acquainted. Tiden won. Twced's
delegates were thrown out, and the reform
delegates. under Oswald Ottcndorfer were
seated
The acquaintance that was thus begun be-
tween Mr.. Tilden and Mr. Lamont quickly rip
encd into a friendship that was never after
wards broken. Though Lamont was only 20
years OF age. and was not leader even in his
own county he ripcncd that friendship which
resulted in his being closer To Tilden in the
counseis OF the party than any other man in
n
ence that afterwards took place between Mr..
Tilden and his leading licutenants during all
the time OF the canal investigation and all
through the presidential campaign and subse-
quent contest Of 1876 and 1877.
When Mr. Lamont was ~ he was nominated
by the democrats for county clerk OF Cortland
county. and came within few votes OF revers-
ing "A majority that had stood AT 100 on the
other side. The next year found him running
for the assembly on the democratic ticket. and
again he had the prize at the ends OF his fin
gers. but lost IL by very few votes. That was
in 1874. and Mr.. Tilden. who was then elected
governor sent for Lamont TO 20 TO
Albany. where he again became dep
uty clerk Of the assembly. subsequently
he was appointed chief clerk OF the
state department under Mr.. John Bgelow. His
intimacy with Mr.. Tildcn still distinguished
him and he found himself one OF the young
men whom the governor called about him for
party In the state. Others OF that body guard
were senator David u. Hill. the late Edgar X.
Apgar Charles :. Fairchild William A. Beach
Horatio Seymour. Jr. and William +. Smith.
Taking To politics as duck does To water. he
busted himself In all the campaigns that fol
lowed up to the year when he went to Washing
ton as the secretary OF President Cleveland.
when the Cleveland movement first made It's
appearance IN New York.State politics Lamont
was one ~ the men who helped to pull the
strings and ClYelands success In the nomi-
mating convention. in whi, h he took the prize
from Cen. .Slucum. largely duo TO the fine
work OF the Cortland politician, who had grad
uated under the sage Of GraT1mercy Park
Lamont workcd,for cleyclands election pre-
ciscly AZ he had for the previous candidates OF
his party and after the election Mr. Cleveland
sent for him to 80 TO Buffalo. The two
spent some days together talking Of state
affairs and politics generally and arrang-
ing for the gathering Of data at Albany
by Mr. Lamont for the new governors first
message. That was the first time Cleveland
and Lamont had ever met. Again before Mr..
Cleveands inauguration AS governor. Mr.. La
mont visited him in Buffalo and the post OF
military secretary his stan was offered TO
| Lamont
| hut when Cleveland reached Altany and was
| inauguratcd as governor he asked Mr.. Lamont
To dine with him lie then said that he had
not made UP his mind whom to choose for his
| private secretary. and asked II Mr.. Lamont
would not serve in that capacity until perma-
nent secretary was chosen. Lamont aSscnted
and day or two later II was agreed that he
| should keep the place.
| In 1880 Mr. Cleveland retired to private life,
and went 10 New York to practice law. Mr..
Lamont had many offers from business men
who thought him forceful and many sided
man. but tho Offer that suited him best one
that came from William G. whitney and Oliver
II. Payne. with whose surface railway projects
in New York he joined his fortunes.