Ottumwa semi-weekly courier., 1903-09-10
sHAw,s MANIFOLD SUCCESSES.

Cedar Rapids Republican-Secre-
tary Shaw has scored a number of
triumphs in his administration of the
great Office of secretary of the treas
ury concerning which the public is
well informed, but by no means all
the good that he has accomplished
is known to the public generally. The
toastmaker who presided at the ban
quet of the National Association OF
Merchants and Travellers given at the
auditorium the other night introduced
Secretary Shaw as "a man whose ster-
ling good sense has won for him the
full confidence of the merchants and
producers of the country and espe-
ciaHy of this great central west; ac-
centuated, perhaps, in the business
world by the high appreciation of the
merchants of his successful efforts in
correcting abuses, dishonesty, and
fraud in the customs service of the
country and his unhesitating action in
removing so-called-to put it mildly
incompetent officials"
One of the greatest merchants of
Chicago and of the world for that mat
ter-stated not long ago that under
the administration of Secretary Shaw
he was purchasing abroad the import
ed goods which were sold through his
establishment. The import of this re-
mark may not be apparent at first
glance. He meant that under the busi-
ness like methods now employed in
customs houses fraud and favoritism
were impossible, and that every mans
goods coming through the custom
houses were honestly and accurately
appraised. Hitherto 1t would seem
that certain importers had the advan-
tage and that interior merchants
were compelled to buy of these impor-
ters instead of buying direct as it
tage to do if there were no discrim-
ination.
Secretary Shaw's remarkable sue
cesses have been due to two things
First to his natural keenness, which
enables him to grasp a situation in all
it's details with something akin to in
tuition. And second by reason of the
fact that he has looked to common
sense rather than to precedents as 6
guide to action.
There are very few departments oi
the government, perhaps that are moi
cursed by precedents. which have beer
built up and strengthened throughout
the pears. People having much bust
ness with the departments as a rul,
contended for reforms with little sue
cess because the presiding officers o.
the department have permitted pre-
cedents to rule. When abuses in his
department We're brought to his at
tention, Secretary Shaw gave little
heed to precedent. If he had allowed
precedents to rule. When abuses il
his department We're brought to his at
tention, Secretary Shaw gave little
heed to precedent. If he had allowed
| precedents to guide him in the none,
market it would have gone unrelievet
and the customs service would no
have been reformed. Whenever an.
| emergency has arisen, instead of ask
| ing what did somebody else do? Sec
retary Shaw went to work and though
out a reasonable and practical solu
tion and then executed it. When h,
| discovered abuses he demanded tina
| they be rectified and where those il
charge showed dilatoriness in execut
| ing these commands they were mad
| to make way for men in sympathy witt
the secretary's purposes.
These are the only secrets of Secre
| tary Shaw's success. But it took coul
| age and it took genius to accomplish
what has been accomplished. Th
| country without regard to politics re
| cognizes his success. He has alread
taken rank among the great secretarie
| of the treasury.