Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-17
THE EMPIRE STATE
Men It Has Furnished to
the Cabinet.
HAS TWO AT PRESENT
BUT MIR. ROOT Is EXPECTED SOON
H5E1
TO RETIRE.
Alexander Hamilton Organized the
Treasury Department Of
the New Republic.

Treasury Department Of
the New Republic.
If Secretary Root resigns the portfolio OF
the War Department, as now appears prob
able, the state of New York will have but
one representative in the cabinet; but as
both the President and Secretary Cortelyou
are New Workers. it is not likely that the
interests of the empire state will suffer,
much as his loss will be regretted
The state of New York in wealth, popula-
ton and commercial Importance very natu-
rally occupies a commanding position in
national affairs, and has long been a con-
spicuous figure in national politics. Roscoe
Conkling used to say, LAS goes New York,
so goes the Union,'' and although this can
no longer be said with entire truth, it is
fact that its electoral vote has more than
once decided great contests, and that it is
yet powerful factor, always to be reck-
oned with, in the great quadrennial strug-
giles.
Five citizens of New York have filed the
great office of President of the United
States, and eight that of Vice President.
The first chief justice of the Supreme Court
and six of the associate justices of that
august body have come from that state,
who have rendered an aggregate service
of more than one hundred years. In the
list of Presidents pro tempore of the Sem
ate the name of but one citizen of New
York appears, and but one Speaker of the
House of Representatives from that state
has place in the list. The three great
Speakers-Henry Clay, James G. Blaine and
Thomas B. Reed-have come from Ken
lucky and Maine.
Mr. GnrfoIvyo1V
George B. Cortelyou is the twenty-sixth
citizen of New York to hold a cabinet posi-
ton. In the administration of every Presi-
dent from George Washington to Theodore
Roosevelt, New York has been represented
in the cabinet, with the exception of those
of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and
Zachary Taylor.
With the creation of the Department of
Commerce and Labor and the entrance of
Mr.. Cortelyou into the cabinet New York
enjoys for the second time the unusual
honor OF having two cabinet portfolios at
the same time. During the second admin
istration of Mr.. Cleveland Daniel S. Lamont
and Wilson S. BisseN, as Secretary of War
and POSTMASTER General, respectively were
for time representatives of New York in
the cabinet. as are Secretaries Root and
Cortelyou in the present cabinet of Mr.
Roosevelt.
Thus far New York has furnished five
Secretaries of State, as follows: Martin
Van Buren,, in the cabinet of Andrew Jack
son; william l.. Marcy. in that of Franklin
Pierce; William H. Seward in the cabinet
of Mr.. Lincoln, and also In that of Andrew
Johnson; Hamilton Fish, in the cabinet of
General Grant, and William M. Eyarts.
throughout the entire term of Rutherford
b. Hayes.
Headed the Treasury.
Six New Workers have held the important
$vr,r Go, Il NJ
list is headed with, the name Of that emil
nent American statesman. Alexander Ham
ilton, who, in the first cabinet of Washing
ton, was charged with the herculean task
of organizing the financial system of the
young republic. Years afterward Daniel
Webster gave utterance to the often-ouoted
eulogism of Hamilton's splendid services at
that important period: He smote the rock
OF the national resources and abundant
streams of revenue gushed forth; he touch
ed the dead corpse of the public credit and
1t sprang to its feet"
John Z. Spencer was Secretary of the
Treasury in the cabinet of John Tyler and
John A. DIX Tor brief space in the bewil-
dering and tempestuous last days of James
Buchanan's term 1t was at that time that
General Dix penned the never-to be- forgot
ten dispatch, IF any one attempts to haul
down the American flag, shoot him on the
spot" Charles j. FOlger was Secretary of
the Treasury under Chester A. Arthur. and
his name wildly recalls his part in the ia
nous gubernatorial campaign of 1882 and
the exciting political struggles of that
period, in which Roscoe Conkling James q
Blaine and Chester A. Arthur were prorni-
nent figures, and out Of which Grover Cleye-
land emerged, bearing away the prize they
all sought. Daniel Manning was Mr..
Cleveland's first Secretary of the Treasury.
and, dying in office. was succeeded by Chas.
q. Fairchild, another New Yorker
SAcrefar ies If wor
The portfolio of Secretary of War has
been held by eight New Workers., as follows:
John Armstrong. in the cabinet of James
Madison; Peter B. Porter, in that of John
Quincy Adams; Benjamin F. Butler, in the
last year of Andrew Jackson's administra-
ton; John c. Spencer, under Tyler; William
L. Marcy, under James K. Polk Comprising
the Mexican war period); General John NJ
Scofield, for short time at the close of
Andrew Johnson's turbulent administra-
ton; Daniel S. Lamont, during Mr. Cleve-
lands last term and Elihu Root, under Mr.
Mckinley and Mr.. Roosevelt. OF this group
perhaps John Armstrong and Benjamin F.
Butler are the least remembered Arm
strong served in the revolutionary war. and
was United States senator in 1900 Ben
jamn Franklin Butler was born at Kinder
hook Landing. N. Y, December IT, 1896;
read law with Martin Van Buren,, and was
an influential statesman in his day and
fine scholar. His son, William Allen But
ler wrote the satirical skit Nothing to
Wear" once so widely read. He is not to
be COMPOUNDED with the Massachusetts SOL
der and statesman of later years who bore
the same name, and who after a more or
less picturesque career before, during and
after the war, finally became governor of
his state, to the intense confusion and dis
comfort of his political enemies.
Navy and Interior Departments.
Cornelius N Bliss is the only New Yorker
who thus far has held the Office of Secretary
Of the Interior, but four have held that of
Secretary of the Navy, viz: Smith Thomp-
son. in the cabinet of James Monroe; James
K Paulding, in that of Martin Van Buren,:
William c. Whitney, during Grover Cleve-
lands first term, and Benjamin F. Tracy,
under Benjamin Harrison. The mention of
Pauldings name calls attention to the fact
that the Navy Department has in several
instances had for it's chief men whose fame
rests>more largely upon their reputation as
authors than as statesmen and politicians.
James K. Paulding, who has already been
mentioned as Secretary of the Navy under
Van Buren,, is well remembered as one of
the early group of American authors and
an associate of Washington Irving. George
Bancroft the eminent historian, held the
same portfolio with credit in the cabinet of
James X. Polk and John p. Kennedy
author of Swallow Barn and Horse Shoe
Robinson, well-known in their day and still