The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1903-02-18
HEAD OF DEPAR TMENT.
George B. Cortelyou Secret Try
of Commerce and Labor.


vate Secretary to New York Post
office lnspector-Promoted by Prcsi
dent Cleveland - Private Secretar,
of Mckinley and Roosevelt.
Washington, Feb. 1.-THE senate
has confirmed the nomination of Hon
George B. Cortelyou to be secretary ol
commerce and labor under the acl
creating the new department.
The nomination was referred to the
committee after the senate went into
executive session and the committee
was polled ON the floor.
Senator Depew reported the nomip
alton with favorable recommends
tion. H asked for immediate action
and Mr.. Cortelyou was confirmed with
out opposition.
Mr.. Cortelyou, head of the new de
partment of commerce and labor, wa.
born in New York City July 26
1862. He is descended from a distin.
guishid family, his ancestors being
among the leaders in the colonial ant
revolutionary history of the state
New York. ....-
After attending public and private
schools he was graduated from the
Hampstead institute in 1879 and three
years later completed his preliminary
education at the State Normal school
in Westfield, Mass. On leaving the
Normal school he entered the New
England conservatory of music to con.
tinue the musical studies which he had
begun early in life
Subsequently he became a pupil OF
DR.. Louis Mas, formerly conductor OF
the Boston Philharmonic society. II
is not generally known that Mr.. Cor
telycu is an accomplished musician,
thorough student of the best compos.
ers and a musical critic of rare abil
ity.
In order to equip himself for an ac,
tive business career, Mr.. Cortelyou
while continuing his musical studies
began the study of stenography and
was graduated from Walworth insti.
tute in New York. While acting as an
assistant in the Walworth school, he
took the clinical course in the New
York hospital He became widely
known as an expert medical steno.
grapher, and in association with James
F. Munson, author of the Munson sys.
tenn of photography, reported many
notable cases in the courts of New
York
In politics Mr.. CCrttlyou is a staunch
Republican. His official career in The
government may be said to have be
gun in 1889, when he became private
secretary to the postofIice inspector in
charge in New York.
After serving the surveyor of the
port Of New York as a confidential
stenograpler, he came to Washington,
in July 1891, as private secretary to
the fourth assistant postmaster gen.
eral. His record in tbs postoffice de
paItment was such that in 1895 Presi
dent Cleveland appointed him execu.
tive clerk and confidential steno
grapher.
He served President Mckinley in
the same capacity until 1898, when
on account of the vastly increased
amount of work at the White House,
he was appointed assistant secretary
to the president
On the retirement of John Addison
Porter, Mr. Cortelyou was named as
secretary to the president. The wis
dom of Mr.. McKinleys choice has been
demonstrated thoroughly. While Mr.
Cortelyous ability was appreciated be-
fore the assassination of President
Mckinley, the work performed by him
during all the anxious days at Buffalo
revealed an entirely unexpected phase
of his character. His relations with
President Mckinley we're these of ten
der regard and affectionate friendship,
yet Notwithstanding his personal suffer
ing his outward demeanor was unruf
fed
He preserved his composure, looked
after every degail. provided every care
for the stricken president, comforted
the bereaved wife, and kept the anX
ious people informed of the conditions
of the distinguished sufferer from hou
to hour day TO day. In the presence
of a heart consuming sorrow he per
formed this wonderful work, only MS
smile was absent. Othenwi5s he was
the same courteous, affable Cortelyou
It was at the personal request Of
President Roosevelt that Mr. Cortel
you continued as secretary to the pres
ident and in naming him as the first
secretary of the new department Of
commerce and labor and elevatlng
him to a position in the cabinet, the
president has done gladly that which
Mr. Mckinley probably would have
done had he been permitted to pro
vide for the organization of that de
partment
Both the president and Mr. COrtelyou
have been inundated with congratu.
lations from all sections and class s
of the country on the appointment and
the senate stamped the nomination
with its cordial approval by confirming
It unanimously on the day II received
the nomination.
TO BE coMMISS