Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-09-01
NEW SECRETARY is A MAN OF
FINE PARTS.
TRAINED UNDER LINCOLN
He's Lawyer, Journalist, Historian,
Poet, Diplomat and Man of the
World-DescriDed as a Conserva-
tive Adviser-Always Careful in
Speech and Never Stops Over"


Hay, lawyer, journalist, secretary,
historian, diplomat and man of the
world has been chosen by President
Mckinley to take the leading place in
his cabinet as secretary of state.
Perhaps no other selection could
have been made which would so near
ly dlsarm criticism. 1t is felt by
everyone that, while Col. Hay may
not be diplomatic giant like Web
ster, Marcy or Seward his gifts and
his experience qualify his as a safe,
conversatiye adviser and executive in
the difficult diplomatic work which
il before him.
Col. Hay is keen and incisive in
speech. Every word is correctly
placed every sentence says exactly
what Col. Hay means it to say. You
can see his mind at work as he
speaks He utters nothing carelessly
Some find him cold. His manner is
positive, but courteous. No one ever
mistakes him. He Is finished speak
er, but in spite Of his ready wit not
sufficiently magnetic to be a great
popular orator. He is man who will
never "slop over" or say at night
what he will regret in the morning.
His hearers are never nervous for fear
he will make break. Col. Hays
eye is keen and not large. 1t is black
or very nearly so, and rests full upon
the man to whom he speaks. His
hair and beard are dark brown, and
time is beginning to sprinkle them
with gray. He is fifty-nine years Of
age, but his slight physique and
tense energy of manner suggest a
Younger man. In London, where men
consider their clothes seriously, Col.
Hay would hardly pass for a we'll
dressed man, in spite of his scrnpulous
neatness. He prefers a sack coat to
q frock
Col Hay married Clara the daugh-
ter of Amassa ]. Stone Of Cleveland,
o. She brought him fortune OF 81
600 COO; yet it was no uneven match,
for che obtained by her marriage
distinguished husband and an exalted
social positic0. Not that these con-
siderations entered into love match
which was and has remained model.
Mr.. stone was Cleveland's greatest
millionaire in the days before the
Rockefellers were heard of. He was
a friend + Mark Hanna, but pub
lic-spirited citizen. There was some
thing more than business shrewdness
in Stones head. When his son Adel-
bert died, he founded Adelbert col
lege in his memory. Grief caused nm
to take his own life His will 1T the
college the full third of his estate
which W uld have been Adelbert
StcGe's had he lived. The will was
never disputed.
Col. and Mrs. Hay have d daughter,
Helen. In London society, Il son has
lust been graduated from Yale, aud "a
younger son and daughter are IN
school The Hays home in Lafayette
square, Washington, has ben called
the finest private house in America,
not because of its cost, which has
been often surpassed, but its perfect
arrangements. 1t is a masterpiece Of
the late H II. richardson Americas
greatest architect The library is
huge room filed with costly books.
There Is in it no copy of Pike County
Ballads Magnificent paintings,
costly old masters many of them, line
the walls. But there is no garish
note. All is subdued, harmonious
and modest. Here Mr. Hay Will live
ana entertain as secretary of state.
In spite # wealth and of honors
that might turn a mans head, Mr..
Hay is democratic in his tastes and
manner. His closest friend in Wash
ington is John l. Nicolay, his old as
sociate as President Lincoln's secre-
tary. la /. ndon hi chum is Henry
James. He Is a fine scholar. He
would live in his library if he could.
His ch associa es are literary
men and thinkers, not politicians.
Circumstances have made Col Hay at
home in the houses of foreign noble
me0, at ease in scenes of state but
he is by instinct writer and likes
the society Of writing men He would
make an ideal college president.
From Brown university Proyi
dence. Col. Hay went west mere
boy, "a 1859, and entered Abraham
Iincoln's law Office He was admit
ted to the bar, but events prevented
him from becoming practicing law
yer, although he has been deep stu
dent If law. especially international
The war broke out The railsplitter
Z the Sangam0n went to Washing
ton. a see.h ug sea Of selishness. Of
griva self-seckiug and public ter
3 rism. He wished to have about
him men he knew. Fle asked John
G.. Nicolay and John Hay 70 be his
sacra taries Nicolay was the senior
Hay Icing stll In his early tweatias
These were men Lincoln trusted.
William Dean Howells. son OF an
Ohio printer. wrote the campaign
life q Lincoln He was rewarded by
the cOusulsh'p i0 Venice, an abuse o.