davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1905-07-09

never fails because it is from the heart
have made Secretary Cortelyou master
IF every situation because he was first
master of himself"
When the Department of Commerce
and Labor was established, it was thor
oughly understood that George Bruce
Cortelyou would be its first Secretary,
f-nd 1t was thoroughly approved. It
was known that Mckinley proposed
making him Postmaster General at the
first opportunity The opportunity did
not arise in McKinIey's time, but when
Roosevelt announced that he would be
the first head of the new department, II
there were any who had raised covetous
eyes to that appointment they had the
grace to be silent in the face of such
an eminenIly suitable appointment And
seven years from the time OF his enter
Ing the White House as a stenographer,
Mr.. Cortelyou left it as Cabinet min
lster-as an official and accredited mem
Der of that Cabinet of which he had
been practically a. ninth member for
three years.
The Washington times., 1905-07-09
Entered Government Service.

For four years he was principal of q
preparatory school in New York, and in
1889 he decided to take the civil service
examination and qualify as a stenog-
rapher for Unele Sam. He served first
as private secretary to the postoffiee in
spector, and then to the surveyor of~the
ferred to Washington as secretary to
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Rathbone
Not long after his arrival in Washing
ton Cleveland began his second term.
Maxwell got Rathbone's place In the
Postoftice and Rathbone's secretary. ex-
pecting that his head would fall with
his chiefs. rendered his resignation But
1t was not accepted. The young New
Yorker had made himself necessary and
survived the change Of Administration.
in which his superior fell. He became
Maxwclfs private secretary.
There was just one thing in which
this department clerk was remarkable.
all shat the position required of him
and a little more. Plenty of depart
ment clerks do that-perhaps not the
ma jority, but good many But Cortel-
you never allowed himself to settle
down contentedly in his rut of routine
duties, of comparatively easy hours,
good pay and promotions. sure. If slow.
He studied law in the evening schools
OF local colleges. He took his bache-
lor of laws degree from Georgetown, and
later a master Of laws from Columbian
University
The Washington times., 1905-07-09
3I Want a First-CIass Man"

1t was in 1895 that the door opened to
hirn through which ne entered the path
which has led him to the Cabinet 1t as
told that Cleveland at a Cabinet meeting
in November of that year made known
to the members that he needed a stenog-
rapher in the White House offices ana
told them 1t was up TO them to find him
one.
II want" he said, "a first-class short
hand man. Some OF you must have the
right sort in your Departments, and I
want you TO look around and find him
for me-"
Postmaster General Rissell at once
said he had the very mana handsome
young fellow, smart as chain lightning.
and methodical as machine, and,
above everything else, gentleman" To
the Presidents question OF who this
paragon was and where he was to be
found the answer came. "a New Yorker
named Cortelyou. now private secretary
to Maxwell. Fourth Assistant Postmas s.
ter General. I'll send him to you
1t was rnus-not through seeking but
through thorough preparedness; not
through pull or politics. but through
having built UP reputation for ade-
The Washington times., 1905-07-09
Never Loses His Head.

Surely right then and there Cortelycu
justified, MeKinley's Judgment that he
was a wonderful fellow. who never lost
his head
Nor did he lose It in the trying pro-
cess of beginning a new Administration
under new leader, under exceptionally
difficult circurr stances. 1t was Certel-
you then that held all the threads in
the national skein, and kept them from
fraying or tangling. 1t was Corte1you
who had to keep the wheels running
smoothly in the moment that McKin-
ley's hand fell from the throttle. and
Roosevelt's closed around 1t. 1t was
Cortelyou that prevented jarring and
friction at that crisis. 1t was CortelyoU.
because he kept his head and showed
always the same sanity and wholesome
ness. the same modesty and equansmity.
1t was of Cortelyou, the Presidents
secretary. that Henry B. F. Macfarland
said, in the Review of Reviews: He
is human, he gets weary; doubtless he
makes mistakes, though l have never
heard of his making any sufficiently
serious TO De remembered, and he is a
man of like passions with his fellows;
but in the ordinary days at the White
House offices, which are trying enough
through the exactions of scores of call
ers, and the bristling difficulties OF I'm
portant affairs, and IN extraordinary
emergencies such as try mems souls no
one ever saw him excited or unequal to
the demands made upon him. The
common sense which is so uncommon,
the sense or humor which is indispens-
able, the cheerful calrnness which comes
As strength, and the courtesy which
The Washington times., 1905-07-09

Through the Spanish war. when the
secretary's duties were naturally far
greater than they normally are Mr.. Cor
telyou, beeausa OF Secretary Porter's i'll
ness, did double duty. In the tragic
week after the Buffalo catastrophe,
when the nation was watching at the
bedside OF a dying President he was
practically acting President of the
United States. He had to act for the
President and act as the President. Was
1t easy, do you think. when his chief
had fallen dying in his arms. when the
nation was standing aghast at what had
happened, when the multitude was
wrinsing its hands in horror, and sug-
gestions and advice were pouring In on
all sides. when score of doctors were
Offering their ServiceS-was il easy to
take command and evolve order out of
the moments chaos? It was simple
enough. OF course, to ask Director Mil
burn. who knew, to select the physicians
on whom so much was to depend-bu.
it required Judgment quick and uner
ring. And when those physicians said
an operation was necessary, was 1t easy
te shoulder the responsibility and say
Begin at once"
The Washington times., 1905-07-09
M c0RTELY0U5
LIBRARY Mills
WASHINGTON HGnE.
eroro. ( orxa.Gnr
ClfNtDfN51 vVssr

quacy and reliability. that George Bruce
Cortelyou. Republican under Demo-
cratic Administration. at the age Of
thirty-three went to the White House.
Cleveland liked him from the first, as
everyone who has ever had to do with
Mr.. Cortelyou likes him. In three months
he was executive clerk of the White
House, and as such a year later C1eve-
land warmly recommended him to Nc
Kinley. In 1888, during the Spanish war,
John Addison Porter, the first to hold
office as secretary to the President in
contradistinction to the Presidents pri-
vate secretary, asked for Cortelyou as
his assistant And two years later when
failing health compelled his chiefs resig-
nation, Mr.. Cortelyou became secretary
TO the President, as matter of course.
Equally as a matter of course ne was
reappointed when Mckinley began his
second term And still without question
after the tragedy at Buffalo. Roosevelt
retained him in office. though had a diff
ferent man held the position he would
probably have made way for William
Loeb, 3r., who WAS then Roosevelts pri-
vate secretary, and was appointed as
sistant to Corteiyou, whom he has
eventually succeeded.
The Washington times., 1905-07-09
After Ten Years.

The shift that placed him at the head
OF the PoStoffice was not unexpected.
II was known that Roosevelt would
carry out McKinleyis plans for him at
the first opportunity But to those
who see only discouragement in the
Life Story OF a Department Clerk there
should be food for reflection in the fact
that George B. Cortelyou was ten years
ago a clerk-the Fourth Assistant Post
master Generals ster rographer-and that
he is today head of the department in
which he began his labors in Uncle
Sans service And that he achieved
his success without a pull
Throughout his career his promotions
have been so undeniably fairly earned
as to GtsaTm opposition on the part, not
of his enemies. fer he has none worth
considering. but of the men who wanted
his job for their proteges- Only once
has there been serious opposition on
the part of polircians to his appoint
ment to any position-and that was
when they kicked strenuously but vain
ly against his selection as the RepubN-
can campaign manager. They admitted
his genius for organization. his years
The Washington times., 1905-07-09
Combines Frankness and Discretion.

For nearly ten years he has had more
TO do win the newspaper fraternity than
any other man In the country and in
that time he has won the liking and ad-
niration Of every last member of it by
his tactful combination of frankness
and discretion. More, he has proved
that it is possible for the secretary to
keep official secrets without making enc
mics either for himself or for the Pres
ident
And the secretary to the President has
no sinecure. His relations with his chief
are more intimate than those of any
member of the Cabinet. He is on duty
all his waking hours. When not with
the President he must be to many
people, on many important questions, the
Presidents representative his alter ego
He acts as deputy President of the
United States FAR more frequently than
the Vice President does.
He must direct large clerical staff
and oversee the tremendous volume of
business in the Executive Offices, be-
sides keeping an eye on all that goes
on In and around the White House.
Especially ii is up to him to keep
people away from the President-and
that. without giving offense to any. He
must safeguard his chief from unneces-
sary Intrusion. and from every possible
The Washington times., 1905-07-09

danger. He must aid him in making en-
gagements. both political and social; see
that his dates do not conflict: plan
and supervise hts journeys TO their min
uteSt detail.
1t is told that during the time that he
was Secretary to the President, Mr. Cor
telyou was always at the White House
by 8 o'clock, and rarely left IL until
after midnight. And during all those
years he almost never allowed himself
to accept social invitation, though
he is a mar who apart from those that
would naturally accrue TO his official
position, would be in great demand.
Personally he has always been popu-
lar, a man of brains and education and
experience, and a man absolutely with
out egoIism. But he was afraid that
social pleasures If he allowed himself
70 indulge In them, would interfere with
his duties He accepted no invitations,
because he might be needed
The Washington times., 1905-07-09
His Hcane Life Well Guarded.

He has cared absolutely nothing for
the sort Of society that spells itself
with a capital s. While he was the
Presidents secretary he was content TO
live in the unfashionabie northeast
section on a quiet side street, not too
far from his daily scene of action. OF
his home life little has been said, chief
1y because MI. Cortelyou preferred thai
It should not be. Fl married a Miss
Kinds, daughter of the superintendent
of the Hampstead Institute, from which
he was graduated as a boy. Women re-
porters might easily have waxed sloppy
sentimental over his beautiful home
life. But Mr. Cortelyou would not have
It. Officially no man Is better known
TO the newspapers of the country, but
he has never laid bare the privacy of
his home to the observant eye of the
newsmonger.
Mrs. Ccrtelyou has had the brains and
the character and the education to help
Mr.. Cortelyou realize his honorable am
b:tions. She has had none of her own.
She has been devoted to her children
and her home. She has not cared to
shine socially. but She has known the
Lecessity of going through certain so
cial motions. and she has done it. She
HAS hSpl up Will IeT CoilipieA Soeisii
outies as thoroughly as her husband has
Kept up with mis- swarming official
dutie&
Since entering the Cabinet, the Cor
teiyous have moved out to Bancroft
place and have naturally been a little
more active socially-not in any spirit
OF snobbishness, but simply because Mr..
Cortei. od has realized that as a. Cabi-
ret member his position requires of
him q certain amount of entertaining
and being entertained just as surely as
| his position as the Presidents secre-
| tar3 required that he escheW society.
| sie has always given his position what
it required, full measure pressed down
| and running over.
The Washington times., 1905-07-09

of training. his acquaintance with every
politician of prominence in the country,
his thorough understanding of political
conditions in every section OF the coun-
try. his resourcefulneSS, his energy, his
entire raStworthiEess-but against all
this they placed his lack of political
experience, the fact that he was not
practical politician Roosevelt, an
usual, had his own way, and the result
as every one knows was a triumphant
vindication
just where his abilities will lead him
before the life story of this department
clerk reaches its final chapters none can
say. The general verdict is that the end
is not yet. But at any rate 1t is shin
ing example of what a department clerk
may achieve
Not any department clerk, but the oo-
casional one who is ready to take the
tide at the flood which leads on to for.
tune. Postmaster General Cortelyou."
says an admirer, would not have
achieved his success If he had not had
the integrity and the industry required
for any degree of success anywhere. but
without diminishing the value OF his ex-
he has accomplished could have been
done only by a man of peculiar power
ard with exceptional opportunities Sue
cess in a degree will doubtless come to
any young man who prepares by hard.
steady and intelligent effort, as Mr..
Cortelyou did. for whatever opportuni-
ties may come to him. But he may not
have the opportunities leading TO great
success, or he may not have the ability
required for them. Mr.. Cortelyou has
demonstrated by the way In which he
has improved unusual opportunities that
| he is a man of unusual abilities.
In fact. from all the testimony at
hand and from the swelling chimes Of
! praise on all sides one Is tempted TO ask
/! if Mr.. Cortelyou is not one of those for
whom was written he warning, Be-
ware when all men speak well of youI'
The Washington times., 1905-07-09
But Cortelyou Stayed.

Indeed. az that time the question was
not whether Mr.. Cortelyou's resignation
was desired, but whether 1t was fair to
ask him to stay in a 5000 position,
when it was an open secret that he could
draw at least five times that salary in
any one of half a dozen commercial en-
terprtses that were bidding for his SER
vice. But Cortelyou stayed.
No one man probably ever served
three such different masters as Cleve-
land. Mckinley, :ind Roosevelt It
would be hard to find three others In
public life whose theories were more
radically opposed Each has his own
point of view, his own way of transact
ing business. his own way even OF pre-
pairing public papers-characterist of
his own strongly marked temperament
Corteiyou suited all of them. and each
IN turn learned to depend on him not
merely as secretary, but as friend.
He served each with a single mind, and
with apparently no thought to wheth-
er or not he was advancing the fortunes
Of George Bruce Cortelyou. And he
builded better than he knew. In sery-
ing them he served himself. The opin-
ion each formed Of him is quoted else
where.
And one Of the things that has endear-
ed him to the press, and through the
press 20 the people, is the fact that he
is never blowing George B. Cortelyou's S
horn. He is not, and never has been,
Cortelyou's press agent Unless II be
honesty there is nothing more attractive
to the newspaper man than nlodesty.
And II Is even rarer. It was delightfully."-
characteristic Of him that he neglected
to mention the glowing and deserved
personal tribute Roosevelt paid him two
or three years ago, in addressing the
normal school from which he graduated
at Westfield
The Washington times., 1905-07-09
Esteemed in Financial Circles.

More recently his being asked to take
hold of the Equitable Company is sure
proof of the esteem IN which he is held
In financial circles, and of the conf
dence he has won from the country at
lCrge For the stockholders knew that
the company was navigating troubled
seas, and needed a firm hand at the
helm and a clear head directing it.
They wanted a practical business man,
one thoroughly familiar with modern
business methods, one of the unstamped-
able few, and they realized that the pub
lie temper demanded the choice of a man
whom the whole nation trusted. at
whose integrity no dog might bark. And
so they sounded Secretary Cortelyou.
He considered and did not go.
There was money in IL, doubtless
clean money, for a man Of Mr.. Cortel-
you's character. But he preferred to
remain in the Cabinet. Cabinet posi-
tions are not financial prizes. Tae
s., 900 year salary does not meet the
social demands the position carries with
it. But 1t is a position of honor and dig
nifty and is as much sought today as il
was in the days when the Nation was
yet young and Washington lived the
simple life, and thrifty Cabinet officer
could save money.
He was not university man." this
man who has been intimately connected
with three Presidents; this man who al
forty was a political power without
ever having been politician. and who
at that age entered the Cabinet. which
is q thing few have done, and entered
it not only without opposition from any
OF the political wire-pullers, but with
other candidate being seriously consid
ered-a thing that no previous Cabinet
officer had ever done. To be sure, he
The Washington times., 1905-07-09

I" OR those who read the final chap
- tsrs of the Life Story Of a De-
partment Clerk" in these pages
last Sunday, with a feeling that
IT. was useless to enter Uncle Sam s
service, here is yet another story.
That was an interesting story, con-
yincing and well told. But it was d
tftter arraignIneEt OF that pull
which defeats time and again the pur-
pose of civil service, a diseouraging tale
OF experience to those who aspire to
rise in the Government service to honor
and a competency if not to riches. Pull
certainly Is lion in the pathway of
the irresolute. But here is the story of
q department clerk who made good-of
George Bruce Cortelyou, of Hampstead,
L. T., who. without pull, climbed in
seven years from the position of depart
nient clerk to that or Cabinet officer, by
sheer force OF character ana eternal fit-
ness
It is the remarkable story of a re-
naarkable man, who was born in New
York city. in July, 1862. He comes OF
good American stock, people of ciarac-
ter and conscience, of education and
standing In the community, but not peo-
pie of wealth And George 3. Cortel-
you has proved himself a chip of the
family block. Any time in the last five
years he could have taken his choice Of
many positions of trust-and salary, and
infinite money-making opportunity. At
ter McKinley's death, Z was SO thor
oughly understood that some of the
biggest financial institutions in the
country were Offering him all sorts Of
inducements to enter their service that
II was a question as to whether he
would choose to remain Secretary to
the President at measly little 5000
year. He stayed.
The Washington times., 1905-07-09
Post Master General.
C0rtelyou,5 rapid rise.
II, the G0vernn1ent1errlce
To the head of the -
DeDartf2zelLf WHICH he
Entered rs an ordinary
NeIt03ThpkeI.

has won-cerain degrees, but he has
earned them at night courses and by
hard study after his days work was
done; earned them in desire te fit
himself for whatever the future might
have in store for him as a boy he
studied at the usual public and private
schools. graduated from the Hampstead
e. II Institute, and went up TO the
Massachusetts State Normal School at
Westield for course in stenography.
AT twenty-one he was an expert stenog-
rapher, able to act as verbatim report
er of court proceedings Subsequently
he did act in that capacity in the su-
perior court of New York, and gained a
special reputation as medical re-
porter.
The Washington times., 1905-07-09
A PRIMER LESSON.

See the woman.
Why is she SO cross?
oh, she's having a lot of dresses rlads.
See the other woman.
Why is she so cross?
Because she isn't having a lot of
dresses made
Women are queer creatures are they
not2-Louisyile Courier~Journal
The Washington times., 1905-07-09

. OR those who read the final chap
- tsrs Of the Life Story Of a De-
partment Clerk in these pages
last Sunday with n feeling that
The Washington times., 1905-07-09

THREE OPINIONS OF CORTELYOU.
Ihavee known CLEVELAND.
Coreyou wonderful fellow He
publ
He is nvalua
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1905-11-01

Clark Miller of Redwood Falls has
made arrangements to put in rural
telephone line between Vesta and Luz
can.
Miss Agnes Olson, teacher of the in
termediate department of the Vesta
school went to Wabasso Friday on a
visit.
Dr. Arnold of Redwood Falls has
been looking after his horse patients in
this section of the county during the
past week.
Rev. Nicholson of Redwood Falls de-
llvered a very interesting sermon in
the Presbyterian church of this place
last Sunday.
f. L. Tout returned from his hunt
ing trip Wednesday evening. He re-
ported very fine time and gave few
OF his friends a taste of wild duck.
W. H. Currie purchased a team of
thorough bred horses of Mr.. Forbes OF
Marshall, and those who have rode be-
hind them claim that they can show
the dust to anything in this part of the
state.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1905-11-01
VESTA.

Gus. Larson went to Cotton wood on
business Thursday.
Miss Holt made a business trip to
Mankato Thursday.
Gust. Sickman was Seaforth caller
between trains Friday.
Mrs. Uraas moved into Mrs. s. A.
Lees residence, recently vacated.
Ethel Hodge of SeafOrth was the
guest of Mrs. F. L. Tout few days.
Mrs. Janet Wyman moved into Yes
ia from her farm west of town, last
week.
w. Ell. Gold of Redwood Falls was
over looking after some business mat
tiers last week
Mrs. A. Harvey of Kasota is visiting
with her folks, George Brundage and
family this week.
Mrs. Mcintosh, who has been quite
i'll during the past week, is much inn
proved at this writing.
Edward Mcleod. who was operated
on at the hospital few weeks ago,
was able to return home Friday.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1905-11-01
WALNUT GROVE

Jas. A. Larson left for Marshall Mon
day morning.
Attorney Owens was attending court
in Slayton last week.
George Bjore went to Nicollet Friday
to visit with relatives
r. E. Atkinson of Wasera spent
Sunday With his daughter, Mrs. u.
Dilger.
The theatrical troupe here for a. few
days lastsweek, gave satisfactory enter
tainments.
Joseph Ludwig, Andrew Ludwig
and A. G. Walker left for Ross, North
Dakota, Monday
Miss Bertha Larson went TO Red
wood Falls Friday to visit with friends
and her sister for few days.
Miss Florence montgomery, who is
attending'school at Sleepy Eve, spent
Sunday with her parents al this place.
Geo. Saulker presented Jas A. Lar
son with three fine dp"ts Monday
morning, but Jim Was nd home. and
the Larson family have To return the
thanks
Mis- 0. K. Bjore. who was called to
NIcollet on account Of the serious i'll
pess OF her mother returned home
Friday and reports her mother very
much improved
Misses Blanche Mcdonald and Ao-
mes Unlee went to Tracy Friday TO at
tend a musical given by their music
teacher, Mrs. Rice. They report an en-
PERTAINING time.
The water works extension ia about
completed and the trenches are disap-
pearine from view. But how about
the street lights and the defective side
walks, which some day may cost Wal
nut one or more personal injury suite2
Daniel Keil went to Morgan Mon
day to get Mr.. Meissing's lost hunting
dog, which was advertised in the Iasg
issue of THE GAZETTE. The animal is
valued at 800 and the adv. in this ma
per restored him to the owner. 1t pays
to advertise.
Ii you are troubled with Indigestion,
constipation, sour stomach, or any
other pain, HOLSTERS Rocky Mountain
Tea will make you well and keep you
well. 80 cents Tea or tablets. HIM.
Hitchcock.