Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-05-28

cans, openly dissentei from the Mckin.
ley law, and in 1892, after the nomination
of Cleveland by the Democrats, he with
others renounced their allegiance to the
Republican party and advocated Cieve-
lands election. After Cleveland was
elected ne summoned Gresham to Lake
wood, n. where, after n consultation,
he rendered him the position of premier
Of the catine. he was forming. Judge
Gresham assumed the duties OF secretary
Of state on March Z, 1893.
Near the close OF Arthur's term, on tho
death Of Secretary Folger, he was ap-
pointed secretary of the treasury, a'posi-
tion he held until October, 1854 Presi-
Gent Arthur, who had taken him from the
bench, had the satisfaction of restoring
him to the bench at the close cf his serv
ice by appointing him to succeed Juigu
Drummord. In lSss JuGgc G-9 '.ain was
made a prominent candidate for thv II =
publican nomination for the presidency II
the Chicago convention. His libc.a. virws
on the tariff created against him the an
tagonism of the extreme prUtect!onists az
Chicago.
During his short term as postmaster
general Gresham accomplished much.
Letter postage to Canada was reduced
was signed. Another important service
he rendered to the country was the re-
establishment of the fast mails. As Sec
rotary of state in the present administra-
tion Gresham had come TO deal with per-
haps more vexatious, intricate and deli
cate diplomatic affairs than had fallen to
the share of most secretaries of state. His
treatment OF these was marked by the
strong individuality which was part OF
the man.
Perhaps from his long judicial expcri-
encc he was disposed To view every qucs-
ton from the standpoint of exact and
equal justice. To him it made little diff
ference how any line of action promised
to affect his own country; he could and
did disabuse his mind of any personal
feeling in dealing with an information al
question, and the first consideration with
him was always absolute fairness; if his
own country occupied false pos .tion in
the matter he thought it was his duty to
set it right, even at n sacrifice OF material
interests as it might appear ut the time.
Secretary Gresham found much to dis
satisfy him with the state of our foreign
| relations when he assumed office the last
time, and in his characteristic fashion he
set to work to shape these to meet his own
ideas without dclly: Such n course was
certain to subject him to bitter criticism,
and he fully realized this in advance, but
was in no respect deferred from doing
what he thought was right This brought
him face to face with the great question
of the hour at that time, the annexation
of Hawaii.
He had decided views upon this matter
even before he came into the cabinet, and
III
Cleveland performed almost his first Of
fcial action by withdrawing from the
senate, where it was pending, the annex
alton treaty negotiated by Secretary Eos
ter. Then Blount was sent to the Island
Republic to make an original investiga-
ton, and upon his report the secretary
made his now celebrated recommendation
that the queen be restored, inasmuch as
she had been deposed by the action of the
officers of the United States.
When congress finally made known its
views the secretary accepted them for his
government, but it cannot be discovered
from any subsequent utterance of his
that he ever changed his view as origin.
ally announced as to the justice of the
action he had proposed. While he was
deep in the Hawaiian negotiations Gresh.
| am was obliged suddenly to give imme.
diatc attention to the Bering sea seal
| fisheries. The arbitration arranged by
his predecessor was in full swing. Here
| was another matter with which he was
| not in harmony.
He did not believe that the arbitration
| would be successful in the object aimed
at by the United States-namely, the pro
| lection of the seals; but regardless of the
outcome he was forced to bring the Brit
| ish government to n renewal of the modu:
| vivendi or quick action to carry out the
award when it was announced, in ordeI
| to guard against the annihilation Of the
! seals. The British were unwilling to dc
the first Of these things, and it was only
| by an exhibition of all of the strength o
| his character that he succeeded in hurry
ing through the British parliament an ac,
| to give effect to the arbitration and then
securing the adoption of regulations.tt
keep off the poachcrs.