New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-29
NR. OUAY'S CAREER.
HIS Part an National and PennsyI-
CGniI Politics.


san strategy and campaign rnanagernent-few
/ leaders Of our day have shown greater ca pacitv
! or Won greater distinction than Matthew S
! Quay Directing his energy as a public man to
! partisan geaeralship. not 70 legislation or ad-
/ miaistration, he cannot be ranked among the
/ constructive statesmen OF his period. Yet for
/ forty years he eZerted a commanding influence
4 II the politics Of one Of the greatest states OF
the Union and for twenty years his leadership
/ II the broader arena of national politics had
/ 10 be conceded and reckoned with. As chair
man of the Republican National Committee in
1883 he won a difficult and brilliant party vic
tory. In Republican national conventions since
then he was conspicuous personal force and
as . United States Senator he often had a de-
cIsiTe snare in shaping the Republican party's
acts and policies.
Reared in a school OF politics dominated by
simon Cameron Mr.. Quay's methods We're
never free from suspicious OF venaIity anc IN
scrupuloUsness- He believed, apparently, that
IN politics, as III war the end justihes the
means And his ends, even If personal and cen
surADIe. ne usually avowed with cynical frank
- 4 1850 Al o---e- @-V-iiAeS- "ea7 OF Ten
and corrupt political boss" de was a boss"
ana frankly admitted H. He never tried TO
play li- BOSS IA private and 10 pose out
wacdly IS high minded and unseIfSh states
man But though not Puritan IN politics Mr.
quay possessed many political virtues He Ia /
or Judgment and an extraordinary CAPACITY for
judging the unGercurrents of poliritaI sanri-
EenJ No man was better qualified than he 10
measure the political conditions which his party
might Al any given mon. NJ be called upOn to
-ace- In his own personal career he triuuphed
over scandals and weaknesses which would
nave ruined any politician less CaDabIa or le~e
resourcefuL He gave little thought 10 states
A-al-sillP. lie lacked entirely the gift of
oratory- He staggered al times under heavy
burden OF suspicion and odiuu. But out of each
lefeat he emerged stronger. Each assault on
MS political fortunes aT N tFar,
strate his extraordinary mastery OF the arts ana
practices OF politics
Matthew Stanley Quay was born at Oils
burg. York County. Penn, on September so
1903. His father. Anderson Quay. was a Scotch
Irish Presbyterian minister. who at that time
lad a pastoral circuit in York Adams and
Franklin counties. IN 1889 the Rev. Mr. QUAY
removed 10 Pittsburg. and thence 10 Beaver
the county seat OF Beaver County. on the Ohio
north OF Pittsburg. Young Quay studied as "a
boy under his father and at Beaver and Indiana
academies At thirteen he entered Jefferson
College. then situated az Canous5urE. Penn.
He was graduated in go and Went 10 Pitts
burg 10 study law. But poor health or a desire
for travel and adventure soon led him 10 drop
his law stUdIes- With a college mate he started
South Taking along a stereopticon outet the
two gave illustrated lectures through Louisiana
and Texas.
In Texas young Quay settled and tried teach
ing school But. bearing thar the state Legs
lature had passed a law raising regiment of
rangers TO operate against the Couaucae Ind
ians. ne closeG his school, invested in a pony
and rife and started for Austin He got u the
capital the Gay after the legislature had aa-
jCUrned and discovered, 10 his great dsappoint-
ment, that no funds 10 pay the proposed rangers
had been provided. The regiment could not D.
organized, ard the would-be Indian fighter was
left stranded.
= shall never forget Quay once said. SPEAK
ing OF his arrival IN Austin, The luCicrous
scenes in the streets OF THAI town or that event
ful and TO me unfortunate day. The town was
full OF young men, each with = pony and ride.
but without a dollar IN their pockets and NAM
miles from home. All had come down as I had.
expecting 10 join the regiment. and had iu-
vested all their cash in outfit for the service.
Selling his pony and rife, he managed 70 get
back 10 New-Orleans. and soon after started
back for Beaver
Settling thers he studied law three years anc
in 1874 was admitted 10 tie bar. In 1855 he
was appointed proth,lotssT Of Beaver County
TO I'll a vacancy He was elected 10 the
Office for three year term Il 1888 and re-
elected in 1853. In 1861 he gave up the pro
thonotaTyship 10 enlist n the 1lth PeansyI-
vaniR Reserves. in which organization he was
atterward made a first Lieutenant Before this
regiment was mustered into the service Of the
United States Lieutenant Quay was nominated
an assstan. commissary genera. with the
rank Of Lieutenant colonel. on the staff Of Cow
ernor Andrew G. Curtin- Soon afterward he be-
came the Governors private secretary
In the SUNNI Of 1852 he was appointed
colonel OF the 134th PennsylV'--a Infantry
Assuming command IN Augu :: Ia participated
with the regiment IN the Antetam campaign
and while in camp late in October he was
stricken with typhoid fever Returning 10 the
field N December. while the Army Of the Poto-
.Tsa~ Oh FsF~
pronounced unfit for duty. and the ad"ice OF
the regi-2ental surgeon he serC IN his resiEna-
ton. This was accepted before BuSnsldes
sault on Fredericksburg took place But find
ing an action imminent, Col17el Quay remai1eG
with the army and volunteered as an aid on
General Tylers STAFF He took part IN the
Eault on Lees lines receiving Subsequently
medal OF honor for conspicuous ga!lantry IN
that battle. Il IS related that the surgeon who
had examined him and advised him 10 resign
told him that he was a fool TO go into battle
under the circumstances, and that Colonel Quay
replied: Il had rather die fool than live a
coward"
In 1868 Colonel Quay was selected by Cow
ernor Curtin as Pennsylvania military agent
at Washington. The same year he became the
Governors military secretary, and acted as
chief OF transportation and telegraphs. These
two posts he filed till near the close Of the war
when he resigned to accept a seat in the lower
branch OF the Pennsylvania Legislature. 70
which he had been elected in 1864
In the lower house he became at once an IN
huentiaI factor. He VS. appointed in MS first
session the chairman OF its Ways and Means
Committee In 1867 he a candidate for
Speaker and a supporter OF Governor Curtin IN
the latter's fight for election TO the United
States Senate against Simon Cameron Quay
and Curtin were defeated and Cameron was re-
elected But in the next year the anti-Cameron
forces won a victory in the State Convention
under Quay's leadership. He became the sec
re.arzy Of rhe Republican State COMMITTEES and