The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-05-28
TUESDAY, MAY Is, 1895.
The Death of MIR. Gresham.

Last nights early bulletins an
nounced that the friends of Walter
Quinton Gresham were at his bedside
solemnly awaiting the supreme mo-
ment. Before the midnight hour word
was wired that the distinguished secre-
tary of state had breathed his last.
For many months. Secretary Gresh-
am had been out of health. OFTEN he
sought to attend to the duties OF the
department of state in disregard OF the
admonition of his physicians. Ere
quently he was compelled 20 abandon
his desk before the days work was
fairly started and seek rest at his
rooms in his hotel. Those who knew
him we'll have noticed, within the past
year, his changed expression-some-
times he wore the pallor which fire.
quently shaded the face of Blaine dur
ing the months of his declining health.
Secretary Gresham lived TO be sixty
three years old. That is the age at
which Blaine died; it is the age at
which Grant breathed his last on the
heights of Mount McGregor. Mr..
Gresham was a native of Indiana. He
was a product of the common school.
with what else he was able TO add to
his educational equipment as the re-
suit of a partial course in college work.
He studied law. He was successful in
his practice He started out in poll
tics in 1860 as a member of the Indiana
legislature. but he resigned his seat TO
become neutenant-colonel in a regi-
ment that went into the war. In front
of Atlanta he was wounded; he was a
brigadier-general when this wound
forced him out of the service.
The war ended, Mr.. Gresham resum-
ed the practice of law. but politics at
tracted him and be entered that field,
although his successes as a candidate
were few. In 1866 he ran for congress,
but he met defeat. President Grant
thought kindly of him and. in 1869,
named him a federal district judge.
In 1880 he tried IL on for a federal SEN
atorship and failed; two years later
he became postmaster-general in the
Arthur cabinet. Charles J. Folger was
secretary of the treasury under Presi-
dent Arthur. Judge Folger died in
defeat as the rival of Grover Cleve-
land for the office of governor of New
York. Thereupon Gresham was trans
ferred from the postoffice department
10 the treasury; but a few months later
he was appointed a federal circuit
judge.
Mr.. Gresham believed he could be
elected president of the United States.
He craved the honor and. with the re-
curing presidential years. his name
was talked about. He took the field in
earnest in 1855. as Indiana's favorite
son, and in his behalf an aggressive
preliminary canvass was undertaken.
He made a strong showing in the ma
tional republican convention of that
year but he forgot that American poll
tics never produced q colder-blooded
man than Benjamin Harrison. There
IS no telling what might have hap
pened; the history is that Harrison.
from Gresham's state, gave il out that
Gresham wasn't wanted in Indiana
Instantly the Gresham canvass went to
pieces, and Harrison got the nomina-
ton. In politics. no man ever played a
meaner trick upon a neighbor. There
after, Mr.. Gresham's political prefer
ences wavered in the scale. There was
talk, in 1892. that the populists would
nick him up. but it never appeared that
Mr.. Gresham encouraged talk Of that
sort. In pursuit OF the cratic policy
that has distinguished his career in the
selection of men for Office. President
Cleveland. in 1898, surprised the politi-
clans by naming Gresham as his pre-
mier.
Mr.. Gresham's career in the cabinet
cannot be praised; It must be said OF
him that in the entanglements of di-
pIomacy he was a misfit. lie might.
perhaps. have made a better record
had the conditions been those that
usually govern the conduct Of a secre-
tary of state; VIGOROUSLY he was in
name only the head OF his depart
,nent. He was secretary. but he was
secretary 10 the real head Of the state
department. and that is Mr.. Cleveland.
Never was the diplomacy Of a nation
more badly bungled than during these
three years. On Mr. Gresham may not
~est the responsibility for IL. yet he
lent his place in the cabinet. and with
che stupidity Of the state departments
.ervice his name must always be
linked.
The personal traits that gave excel
,ence 10 the life Of Secretary Gresham
viii not escape the thought Of the
american people as the announcement