Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-10-22
IOWA'S HONORED SON
leslie M. SHAW, SECRETARY OF
TREASURY, TO SPEAK AT
GRAND OPERA HOUSE.
Great Financier to Be in ottumWa on
Monday Evening, October 26-Was
a Poor Boy-Walked to College
How He Began Speaking.

On next Monday evening at the
Grand Opera house the citizens of OF
tumwa and vicinity will have the OPP
portuuity of listening to speech by an
honored Iowa citizen that will be re-
ported in every great newspaper and
closely read not only by every states
man in every state OF the union, but
.yill be closely perused by statesmen of
foreign nations This address will be
delivered by a man who as the son OF
On Iowa farmer was so poor that he
walked from his home town to Mt. Yer
non 10 obtain the rudiments OF col
1ege education but who now as secre-
tary of the treasury OF the United
States controls without doubt the
greatest financial interests in the
world.
Secretary of the Treasury
Leslie M. Shaw. who is
to deliver this address. came TO Iowa
thirty years ago. He had hard strug-
gle to win an education but he did it
by alternately teaching country schools
and going to school himself when he
had money enough to carry him
through term. He WAS admitted to
the bar finally and in time became
interested in bank at Denison
Prominent in Day.
Like Senator j. p Dolliver. Secre-
tary Shaw sprang into prominence as
one of the nations most effective
speakers almost in day. In 1896,
when the free silver agitation was at
its height Banker Shaw was called up
on by the county chairman to go out
and make speech. Shaw hesitated
but finally agreed.
Shaw had no experience at public
speaking and the story OF how he
trained himself for this speech was
told by himself to Hon. A. w. Buchan
an of this city, some years ago. lie
secured a big school black board and
with a supply of chalk and long
wooden pointer he went down into
the basement of his residence. Be
tween writing and figuring upon the
black board he worked, out his speech
AMI then began to practice speaking
"Have You Gone crazy?"
Mrs. Shaw heard the unasua
sounds coming from the basement
searched them out and burst in upor
the practice with the startled exclama
ton: Leslie Shaw! Have you gons
fcrazy?" Shaw expressed some doub
about the matter himself but after a,
explanation and discussion upon thu
matter between themselves he was al
lowed to proceed The result was tina
when the speech was delivered his rep
utation was instantly made and with
In q, few weeks he was considered on
of the ablest and most effective speak
ers of the nation.
Meet Roosevelt.
His speaking tours took him through
the east and in one of these he me
and became personally acquainte
with Theodore Roosevelt, then assist
ant secretary in the navy department
The acquaintance grew into friendshi
and in time to the highest conlidenc
on the part of the coming presiden
in the ability of the brilliant Iowar
After the series of rapid and unusua
changes which placed Roosevelt i
the presidential chair and which lei
an opening for a new head of tn
treasury department this friendshi
and confidence led to the appointment
of Mr.. Shaw, then ex-governor of tn
state of Iowa, as secretary of tn
United States treasury, a post OF tn
most supreme and vital Importance
Not only to the government itself br
to the welfare of every individual III
der its authority.
Leslie NJ Shaw stands as one of til
greatest financiers of the world toda.
He has spoken but few times in o
tumwa and the occasion of his speec
in the Grand Opera house on ne,
Monday evening will afford anothe
splendid opportunity to hear one {
the great men that Iowa has furnish
ed to the nation.