The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-05
THE MEMBERS OF
M'KINLEY'S CABINET
Brief Sketches Of Those Who Will Over.
see the Country's Business.
FEW EVER HELD ANY OFFICE
People Who Have Attained High
Places from Lowly Beginning
Aided Only by American Push and
Perseverance,.


Perseverance.
Washington, d. c., March 4.-Senator
John Sherman, secretary of state, whol
has been the author, sponsor or de-
fender of some of the most important
measures in our legislation, was born
at Lancaster, o., May 10, 1923, and left
an academy at Is years of age to take
a position with government survey
Ing party. 1t lacks but one years or
half century since John sherman was
chosen a delegate to the Whig ma
tional convention of 1S4S. 1t is more
than forty years since he entered the
house of representatives, and he may
be said to have come into the senate
with President Lincoln't first admins
tration, for he took his seat in that
body March 90, 1861 He championed the
national banking system when 1t was
deemed an innovation; he shaped the
refunding act and that providing for
the resumption of specie payments
which he, as secretary of the treasury
under President Hayes. put in opera
tion. When Garfield succeeded Hayes
Mr. Sherman returned to the senate.
LYMAN j. GAGE.
Lyman j. Gage, president of the First
National bank of Chicago, H., is per
haps the most popular man in that city.
Even Tommy" Morgan, the leader of
the Chicago Socialists, approves Mr..
Cages appointment He says that Mr..
Gage is the best man of any whom Nc
Kinley would be likely to appoint. No
man in the city is more approachable
than the head of the city's biggest
bank. Nobody stops the visitor on his
way to see him. Mr. Gage is willing to
seen anybody who wants to talk with
him if he is not too busy just at that
moment
He is Chicago's foremost citizen, and
there never has been a movement in
Chicago which was for the good of the
city, for the good of the people, or for
the good of what Mr.. Gage never calls
the common people" in which he has
not borne an active part
AS bank president his salary is $25,-
600. AS secretary of the treasury he
will receive but $4,000. Mr.. Gage is not
rich. His private fortune is not in eX
cess of 100000, and he is very far from
being the multi-millionaire which some
of the papers have called him.
He began his career as a banker at
the age of II in Rome, n. Y. Then he
was office boy in the Oneida Central
bank, of that town, to which his pa
rents had removed seven years before.
Their old home had been De Ruyter,
in Madison county. n. Y, where Ly-
man Judson Gage had been born on
June 2S, 1886. He stayed in Rome two
years, and then went west to seek his
fortune.
RAPID RISE AS A BANKER.
In Chicago he could find no openings
for clerks in banks. Therefore Gage
went to work in a planning mill. He
spent only a few months showing lum-
ber, when the manager, noticing his in
telligence, gave him place in the Of
flee, where he remained until 1858.
. Then he re entered the banking bust
ness, becoming a bookkeeper for the
Merchants Savings, Loan and Trust
company. From that time his rise in
the profession of banking was rapid
Within a year he had become paying
teller; then assistant cashier,and finally,
1t the age of 20 years, he was cashier of
the bank. TWenty-eight years ago he
began his connection with the First
National bank, having been appointed
cashier. Even then he was the virtual
manager of the institution, which pros
pered greatly. When it was reorgan-
ized in 1882 he was elected vice presi-
dent, and in 1891 he succeeded s. NJ.
Nickerson as president. He is down
at his office before the bank opens in
the morning. He seldom comes down.
town in a carriage, unless Mrs. Gage
Is going to drop him OF on her way to
do some shopping. Usually he goes
down on numbering stage called a
"carette." Often he sits alongside the
driver, with whom he is quite conf
Dental Mr.. Gage has never held an
office. The nearest approach to this
was when he was president of the
Chicago board of directors of the
Worlds fair. When it was decided that
the fair should be held in Chicago
there was no talk of any one else for
the presidency of the board of directors.
1t was he who prevented the selection
of the lake front as the site. Mr.. Gage
resigned from the presidency of the
Worlds fair when he was made presi-
dent of the First National bank in 1891.
There has never been any public
movement in Chicago in which Mr..
Gage has not been interested. The civic
federation, the great municipal reform
association, which is directly RESPONSE
Bile for whatever good there is in the
Chicago city government, was organ
ized largely through his efforts, and he
has been president of it for two years
He has not been a strong party man
but he has always voted for Republi-
cans in preference to Democrats, and
Blaine is the only Republican he has
voted against as a president.
He presided over the conferences be-
tween bankers, socialists, anarchists
and single takers in Chicago, which fol
lowed the riots, and often had the meet.
ings in his own parlor.
In social life Mr.. Gage is also popular
He is member of the two leadine
clubs of Chicago-the Chicago club ant
Union League club. He is a member
and former president of the Commercial
club, membership of which is limited
TO sixty. 1t is popularity called the
Millionaires' club Mr.. Gage was tn,
first president of the Bankers club
In 1888 he was elected president OF the
American Bankers association, ant
held this office three successive years
He is patron of art and has a fine
library.
RUSSELL A. ALGER.
The career of General Russell A. AL
ger, who will have the war portfolio il
President McKinley'S cabinet, is an en-
couraging study for those who hav,
life still before them, He has risen t.
his present distinction and success by
controlling circumstances, by attackn.
and conquering obstacles, by seeing anC
improving opportunities, by a good un
derstanding and careful conservation
and employment of gifts and by pluck
energy and honesty.