The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-07-22
THE PERSONALITY
OF GARRET HOBART
Glimpses Of His Record In Public and
Private Life.
TALENT FOR BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
His Early Life and Education Lead.
ing Up to His Beginning the Career
of Lawyer..Eflicient Political
Service..Wealthy, but Exceedingly
Democratic in His Approachability.
From the Pittsburg Times.

Only those who personally know him
can fully appreciate the justice and
appropriateness of nominating Hon.
Garrett Augustus Hobart, of Paterson,
N. j., for the vice-presidency Of the
United States. Although he was not
himself an aspirant for the nomination,
because his political ambitions involved
an entirely different programme, yet
he at last reluctantly yielded to an al
most universal demand on the part of
the Republicans Of the state when he
consented to be considered a candidate.
There We're other reasons why he did
not want a nomination that most men
would have worked hard to secure
which would be appreciated were they
fully known, 50 that to those cognizant
with the circumstances he has made a
bigger sacrifice than most people would
imagine.
The "man from Texas" who wanted
to know who this man Hobart" was,
simply showed his own limited ac-
quaintance, for there Is hardly a man
in the country who knows more really
great men of the United States inti-
mately than Mr.. Hobart.
HIS CAREER.
Garret A. Hobart was born at Long
Branch on June 3, 1S44. After attend
ing some preparatory schools he en-
tered Rutgers college. from which in
stitution he graduated with honors in
| 1863. In the same year he entered the
law office of eXMayor Socrates Tuttle,
at Paterson, as student. Mr.. Tuttle
was at the time one of the leading citi-
| zens of the city Of Paterson. If not Of
the state He was a stalwart Republi-
can and u brilliant orator, whose eio-
Quent voice was frequently heard from
the platform during the exciting days
| around the organization of the Republic
| can party. Schooled by such tutor.
Mr.. Hobart had installed in him the
principles of Republicanism of the most
stalwart character, and not infrequent-
| ly the young man was himself pushed
| forward by his friend and adviser, SO
| that before long Mr.. Tuttle's name was
known not more extensively as local
party leader than his brilliant young
protege. Living in the same house as
he did, it was only natural that he
should fall in love with Mr.. Tuttle's ac-
| complished and amiable daughter, the
Mrs. Hobart of today.
Mr.. Hobart was admitted to the bar
in 1868 and three years later was IL
censed as a full fledsed counselor at
law. In 1871 he became candidate for
and was elected the Paterson city coun-
sci. In this capacity he served one
| year and then resigned in consequence
of his being appointed as counsel for
the Passaic county board of freeholders
| taking possession of this office I'm 1872
| He was reapDointed the next year, but
| Immediately rendered his resignation
| because of having been elected to the
| assembly in the fall of 1872, he think
| ing that no man should hold these two
Offices, for fear that they might con-
| flict in their duties. He served with
such distinction in the assembly that he
was not only reelected in 1873, but was
elected speaker over that body of the
| legislature. He Is universally cunced-
| ed to have been one of the fairest and
| ablest speakers the assembly of New
Jersey ever had.
ELECTED SENATOR.
In 1876 Mr.. Hobart declined re-
nomination for the assembly, but in
1876 he was elected senator from Pas
sale county, in which capacity he served
with such satisfaction that he was re-
elected in 1879 by 1889 majority, the
largest majority that Passaic county
had up to that time ever given for any
| candidate. He was elected president
| of the senate in 1881 and again in 1882
and still further proved his consum-
mate ability as Il presiding officer over a
| deliberative body. During his term in
| the senate he introduced a very large
number of bills the major part of which
| he prepared himself. His knowledge on
parliamentary law. and particularly OF
legislative rules and practice, Is con-
| summate. He is frequently referred t.
as an authority ON these subjects
BY this time Mr.. Hobart began to
show an aptitude for business manage
ment that attracted attention outside
OF his local home. His ability as a
| financial manager was widely recog-
nized, and everybody saw that the
young lawyer was becoming wealthy.
A man who can successfully manage
his own business Is regarded as a safe
man to place in charge of the business
of others, especially when the others
have not been so successful in the man
agement. So in 1874 the stockholders of
the New Jersey Midland railroad. now
the New York, Susquehanna and West
ern, seeing the concern going to general
smash through extravaganza and mis-
management, unanimously selected Mr.
Hobart as the one they wanted as the
receiver of the road, and he was ap-
pointed to that position by the court
of chancery. He managed the road so
well that in a very short time it was
placed on a good footing. and the
stockholders We're astonished at the re-
ceipt of substantial dividend. In rec
ognition Of his services Mr.. Hobart was,
on the reorganization of the company,
elected the president. and its improve
ment continued. When it had been
placed i'm first class condition he re-
signed the presidency of the road in
consequence of the pressure of his other
business, which had become to be some
thing immense. About the same time
he was appointed receiver of the Mont
clair railroad and of the Jersey City and
Albany road, both of which he lifted out
of the mire and put in good condition
before turning them over again to the
stockholders.
IN BUSINESS AFFAIRS.
The reputation Mr.. Hobart thus
achieved by his ability to put defunct
and bankrupt corporations on their feet
naturally suggested him as the right
man for receiver of the First National
bank of Newark when that institution
went under. The condition of the af-
fairs of the bank was very bad, and
the stockholders and even the deposit
ors despaired of ever getting their
money back. 1t was in 1880 that he was
appointed receiver Of the bank, and in
side of six months he had so managed
its affairs that the depositors were paid