The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1903-02-20
CORTELyOU /.
REWARDED
His Appointment to Cabinet Position
is Confirmed BY the
Senate.
RELATIONS With LATE PRESIDENT.

According to dispatches from Wash
Ing the senate has confirmed the
nomination of George b. Cortelyou to
be secretary Of commerce and labor
under the act creating the new depart
ment. The nomination was referred
to the committee after the senate went
into executive session and the commit
tee was polled on the floor. Senator
Depew reported the nomination with
a favorable recommendation. He ask
ed for immediate action and as there
was no opposition Mr.. Cortelyou was
confirmed. kra
Few men in American public life
today are more widely or more favor
ably known than Secretary George
Bruce Cortelyou. For years he has
occupied prominent place in the In
terest of the people and the exemplary
manner in which he has met every
emergency that has arisen before him
has won for him the cordial esteem
not only of those with whom he has
been intimately associated, personally
and officially. but also Of the body of
the American public to whom he Is
known merely by reputation.
NATIVE NEW YORKER.
Mr.. Cortelyou was born in New
York city on July 26, 1862. After at
tending 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 West
field, Mass. On leaving the normal
school he entered the New England
conservatory of music to continue the
musical studies which he had begun
early in life. Subsequently he became
a pupil of DR.. Louis Mas. formerly
society 1t is not generally known.
but is quite true, that Mr. Cortelyou
is an accomplished musician, a thor
ough student of the best composers
and musical critic of rare ability.
Ir order to equip himself for an ac-
tive business career Mr.. -Corte'you
while continuing his musical studies,
began the. study of stenogrsphy and
was graduated from Walworth's insti-
stute ,ih New York. While acting a.
an assistant in the Walworth school
he took the clinical course in the New
York hospital. He became widely
known as an expert medical stenogra
pher and, in association with James r
Munson. author of the Munson sys
TEN of photography, reported many
notable cases in the courts of New
York.
SECRETARY TO MCKINLEY.
His official career in the govern
ment may be said to have begun II
1899, when he became private secre
tary to the postofflce inspector il
charge. at New York. After serving
the surveyor of the port of New YorR
as confidential stenographer he camt
to Washington in July, 1891. as pri
vate secretary to the fourth assistant
postmaster general. His record In the
postoffice department was such tha
in 1895 President Cleveland appointed
him executive clerk and confidentia
stenographer. He served Presiden
Mckinley In the same capacity unit
1898, when, owing to the vastly in
creased amount Of work at the Whit
house. he was appointed assistan
secretary to the president. On the re
tirement of Mr.. John Adison Porte
Mr.. Cortelyou was named as secretar.
to the president. The wisdom of Mr.
McKinley's choice has been demon
strated thoroughly.
DARK DAYS IN BUFFALO.
While Mr.. Cortelyou's ability wa
appreciated before the assassination
of President Mckinley, the work per
formed by him during all the days a
Buffalo revealed an entirely unexpect
ed phase of his character His rela
tlons with President Mckinley wer
those of tender regard and affectionat
friendship. yet, Notwithstanding hi
personal suffering, his outward de
meanor was unruffled. He preserves
his composure. looked after every de
tail. provided every care for tn
stricken president. comforted the be
reayed wife and kept the anxious peo
pie informed of the condition Of tn
distinguished sufferer from hour t
hour, day and night In the presenc
of a heart-consuming sorrow he pei
formed this wonderful work, only hi
smile was absent. Otherwise he Wa
the Same courteous, affable Cortelyo,
1T was at the personal request Of Pres
ident Roosevelt that Mr.. Cortelyo
continued as secretary to the preslder
and In naming him as the first secrt
.tary OF the new department Of CON
merce and labor and elevatlng him I
a position in the cabinet, the presider
has done gladly that which Mr. NJ
Kinley would have done had he bee
permitted to provide for the organize
ton OF that department.
DIED AT AGE OF EIGHTY.