Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-07-29
.LAMONT's ENTERPRISE
The Achievements of a Former
 Cabinet Minister.
DISPLAYED TAOT AS 4 POLITICIAN

DISPLAYED TAOT AS 4 POLITICIAN
 While PFesident Cleveland's Private
 Secretary He Lifted the once AL
 most to the Dignity of . Cabinet
 Position-Changes He Made at the
 White House-His Services as See
 refaFy of War.
 The late Dan Lamont, Grover Cleve-
 lands private secretary, is better remembered in Washington than Dan
 iel Scott Lamont, the secretary of war, says the Washington correspond
 ent of the New York Post Before
 Lamont's day the presidents private secretary was concerned solely with routine business. the disposition of mail, replying to unimportant core spondence and the making of appoint ments for his chief. MT. Lamont, dur ing his tenure of the ofiice, to some eX- tent made 1t an added cabinet posi- tion. His personal influence with Mir. Cleveland was on par with that of -any one of the seven counselors pro- vided by law
 Mr. Lamont was a perfect compile ment for his chief. He had tactful- ness. unfailing politeness. the widest acquaintance with public men of any man of his day, an alert. acquisitive mind, personal boise that could not be disturbed, and a temper that was never rufled. The personal impression that Cleveland made on the country during his first four years in the White House was largely due to Mir. La monts suavity and diplomacy. He mirrored his chief to the public as he would have him appear: not wholly as he was. The angles were blunted and the rough sides made smooth. No one recognized more than MT. Cleveland how much of his popularity was due to his efficient private secretary.
 Mir. LamOnt's newspaper training stood him in excellent service He knew the limitations of the correspond ents work, the meaning and value of news. the difficulties with which it was gathered, the importance of accu- racy and the vital necessity of writing accounts of events while they were fresh. He was democratic and help ful, he knew men and affairs and how much to tell of all the inside" events that came under his eye or of which he had. because of his position. first hand knowledge He made the White House a source of accurate. fresh. valuable information such as 1t had never been before. and he was in the best sense of the word what Mfr. Cleveland never became-a ''politi. cian." ....
 Commentators on public affairs in Washington who had known private secretaries under ether presidents were so amazed and delighted at the changes Mir. Lamont made at the White House and so appreciative of the public value of his services that some of them to this day are inclined to call him the brains of the first Cleveland administration" This. of course. Is an exaggerated estimate, but it will serve to show how striking an impression the new private secretary made on men who were not accus- toned to loosing their tongues in praise of public officers unless tribute was eminently well deserved. Here Is a description of him. written "of the griddle." SO to speak, In the days when he was new to the capital:
 His private secretary is Daniel g. La- mont. Lamont Is a wonder He is a emag blond young man of thirty-six with sandy hair and mustache. He has a modest personal appearance. dresses very neatly. and there is no man in New York state. not excepting Samuel J. Tilden. who hes larger acquaintance with prominent Democrats. He is honest knows . man at e glance. and the mo- ment any one comes into Cleyeland's of- flee he can tell what his business is He signifies to his chief by . nod of his head what he thinks of the request about 10 be made. He never loses his head has been with politicians all his life and yet has the most exemplary habits. He never smokes and never swears He is of slight stature and does not at first command the attention 10 which his abilities are en- titled
 A sketch of Mir Lamont. written in 1884. bears the caption The Pleasant History of Pink of Politeness" In 1882. when Mir. Lamont was 6 nominee for the clerk of the New York senate. be had already developed a modesty, . merit and an organizing and working capacity which bad won for him the respect. the regard and the confidence of all who had been brought into rela- tons with him. He had made his mark SO deeply at Albany that when Mfr. Cleveland became president 1t was taken for granted that his private ser. retary would accompany him 10 Wash ington One who knew him in the A. bany days contributes this glimpse of the methods that made MT. Lamont so widely known after he reached Wash ington:
 ''In the executive chamber he always got up 10 reoeive visitors. and his uni versal knowledge of public men al again held good He saw every one coming in at the distant door and spoke their name to the governor. who wss quick to hear. So when smith Of wayback came in and said. You don't remember me. governor. am ss-ata' inc Snveruo- uro-7-lv "a