The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1896-02-26
STORIES OF THE DAY.
Some Interesting Incidents In the LIZ of
Colonel Dan Lamont

| terest the boys Of the country. All
American boys are wide awake and
quick to learn. Tt is story concern
| ing little incident in the life of the
| Hon. Daniel Scott Lamont, now secre-
tary of war. Mr.. Lam ont was poor
boy in Cortland county. He subsequent
~ became clerk III state department
at Albany. When Grover Cleveland Of
Buffalo was elected governor Of the
state, in 1882, he was untried ID all
matters pertaining to state legislation,
and when he arrived at Albany he had
not selected his private secretary. Mr..
Lamont was at that time newspaper
correspondent ON the Albany Argus, of
which the chief owner then was the late
Daniel Manning. Mr.. Manning said to
Governor Cleveland:
"You haven It any private secretary?'
"No," replied Cleveland, land /
want one -
"Well," replied Mr.. Manning 81
have young man here who will help
you until you can select private secre-
tary."
1t was at that time that the secretary
of war was first brought into close COM
munication with Mr.. Cleveland. Mr.
Lamont did not think that he was to re-
main as the private secretary of the gov
ernor, but he remained three Or four
weeks, and then Mr.. Cleveland said he
could not get along without him. Mr..
Lamont from his cradle had been taught
that he must do everything we'll His
parents taught him that he must not
slur the smallest task in life. He must,
they said, pay as much attention to the
little things as to the big things, and
Mr.. Lamont never forgot this training
The time ran along, and Mr. Cleve-
land was elected president. Just before
his inauguration he made that famous
remark that Colonel Dan must go with
him to Washington. This governor of
the state and this first Democratic pres
ident since President Buchanan's time
relied on the painstaking, careful, stu
dious ways of Colonel Dan. For four
years Mr.. Lamont was the presidents
private secretary, and then he returned
with him to New York and was indi-
rectly connected with him for four years
more. When Mr.. Cleveland went to
Washington again in 1892, he took Dan
iel Lamont with him as secretary of war;
If the American boys will visit the
war department., they will find Mr.. La
mont there from early until late. He is
| blue eyed, with an auburn bristling
mustaohe. His ways are just as kindly
as when he was newspaper writer.
A correspondent had pleasant talk
with Secretary Lamont few days ago
in Washington, and he studied the Sec
rotary of war in the interest of the
American boy. The secretary was told
by the correspondent that his own little
son had a telegraph wire leading into a
neighbours house, and this mere state
ment aroused an interest in the secre-
tary Of war.
"That is good thing, said the sec
Rotary. II remember in my early life
that was telegraph operator. If you
once thoroughly learn telegraphy, you
will never forget. 1t remains with you
as long as you live I have not had oo-
casion to use telegraphy for number of
years, but all the boys of this country,
if they have time, ought to learn it.
Several years ago, after my father
death, wanted to bring my mother to
Washington. l was in McGrawville, my
home town in Cortland county, and it
was necessary for me to take a number
of railroads in order to reach the main
line by which / could take my mother
to Washington. 1t was necessary to
change cars a number of times on these
local roads, and in one or two instances
the trains were late, and feared that I
could not get to the main line in time
to reach Washington.
Sat last it became positively known
to me that unless ! could make a GER
tain connection my mother would be
compelled to remain over Sunday in
small and cherries town. I knew a
president of a railroad who, if he were
Informed of my predicament, believed
would help me out. So telegraphed to
him, telling him that my trains were
late, and asked him if he would not
wire to the superintendent of the place
where was apparently destined to be
kept overnight and direct that the train
on the main cad be held for me until
my local train arrived. Before / got to
the local station where the main line