The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-02
SECRETARY
DAYS RISE
From Country Lawyer to
Head of Cabinet.
TYPICAL OF OUR SYSTEM
Foreigners Amaz,d at Rapid Ad-
vance OF Public Men.

WASHINGTON. May Especial Few
Americans make rs big leap forward in
. short time as Judge Day of Canton. O.. /,
has made In the last year. Though new
man In public life, unheard of outside his
own immediate neighborhood a year OF
two ago. he is now at tho head of the
American cabinet. He Is the ranking
member Of the government council, occu
pying post which has been the aim and
ambition Of many veterans In the public
service. 1t is a big jump from being a
country lawyer in Ohio to rank with Sal
ishury, Won Bulow, Sagasta and tho great
men OF the worlds governments. But
just such leaps forward are characteristic
of American public life. Our system Is
ono that brings men 10 the front with
rapidity which amn2es foreign observers,
and II is formnately another characteristic
of Americans that when the fates thus
press them onward they rarely fail to moet
all reasonable expectations. This is be-
lieved to be due to the wonderful adapta-
bility of the average American. AZ any
rate, the manner in which our citizens
suddenly called to high posts I'm tho gov
erninent or the diplomatic service SO con-
duct themselves as to stand comparison
with the veteran and trained men Of other
governments Is source Of constant won
dor to foreigners.
Able Americans Diplomats.
1t does not follow, therefore, that be-
cnuso an American has had little training
for high Office he Is going to fail In 1t.
Certainly IL does not fail In the case Of
Judge Day. AS secretary of state he Is
likely to gain very high reputation. Nor
can 1t be said that he lacks experience.
For year or more he has virtually been
secretary of state. He has had full man
agement of the difficult Cuban question
for the president. and surely that has been
hard enough school.
1t will bo remembered by your readers
that In this correspondence / have several
times In the past made tho positive state
ncnt that Mr.. Sherman was soon to retire
from tho state department. At tho time
these statements were made In your paper
their truthfulness was questioned, but
your correspondent knew absolutely what
be- wns talking about. and he know that
the resignation of Mr.. Sherman only
awaited favorable opportunity. 1t was
impossible without doing injustice either
to the president or to Mr.. Sherman to
make public In detail the facts upon which
my statements were based, and 1t is not
necessary to givo them now.
This is not by any means the fret time
that an American citizen comparatively
unknown has leaped to tho highest ranks
Of public service. Abraham Lincoln was
littlo known and had had almost no e.-
perience at all when he was chosen presI-
dent Of tho United States Later Mr..
Olney of Massachusetts was appointed Soc
rotary pf state by Mr.. Cleveland without
any pzpvious experience In tho state de-
paftment or with diplomatic affairs. Yet
he made one Of the ablest secretaries OF
state this country has ever had, and In q
tilt Of brains and courage with tho great
premier Of England camo CT first best In
the Venezuela affair. There have been
many other such instanccs-so many that
IL has become an axiom throughout the
diplomatic corps Of the world that 1t Is
impossible to tell how much strength or
shrcwdness an American Is going to de-
velop In high Office by studying his past
career. 1.-THE Americans--theya are full OF
surprises, said an experienced foreigner
OF high rank, with shrug OF his shoul-
ders.
Tho now secretary of state Is slender
man of florld complexion, very quiet In
bis manners, given but little to talk about
anything and then speaking In low tone,
never demonstrative, but always alert and
quick. His training is that of lawyer,
and as q lawyer he had the reputation out
In Ohio Of being the quetest and most sue
oessful man In tho business. Ho was
known as wise counselor, and 1t did not
-. -I..GS Al 4 To-
He was said TO have a long head, to be
not only shrcwd, but farseeing, and his
ndvico was valued far beyond that OF
many men who were more snowy In court
or public.
Secretary Dny Poor ssan.
OF course 1t Is truo that Mr.. Day owes
bis rapidndyance in public life to the close
friendship which has existed for many
years between him and the president.
While Mr.. Mckinley was a mere congress-
man or private citizen or governor of
Ohio he still valued Judge Days counsel
very highly More than any other living
man the new secretary Of state has been
the confld,nt OF the president, both before
and after the Inauguration. Secretary Day
is not only man with "long head. as
we Americans express Ii. but he Is n close
student He keeps UP his reading. Even
throughout the period Of tension over the
Spanish affair. when the state department.
wns the center Of interest and action, Mr..
Day spent many OF lis evenings In read
Ing upon ell the points Of international
law end precedent involyod. In. other
words. Is was in this way that hsidevel-
cped the American characteristic CT quick
" mastering any Geld Of activity TO which
De was cnllod
The now secretary Of state Is poor
man, comparatively soaking. Probably
bis whole fortune and that OF bis wife
could bo called only modest competence
IN Canton. o., whilo In Washington It Is
Of course very EMall sum indcod. Mr..
Day os nssistant secretary Of state has
found Il necessary TO live modestly In or
der 20 keep within bis income, and as Sec
eetary Of state doubt II he makes any
grc1t departure In the way Of taking a
larger house or Of increasing his monthly
outlay. II viii OF course 10 impossible for
him 70 live within LIS salary. Not moro
than ono or TWO cabines of;ic rs la dozen
gro able 10 do that. Bot tho late Jcdge
Gretham aenlon sflntod that the dignity Ut
eLe o{Iloo OF secretary OF htafe nceu not