The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-09-18
STORIES OF DAN LAMONT.
lRuffalo Evening Times.)

(ButtdlO Evening 1 liIleS.}
Daniel S. Lamont's LEAP into jour
nalism in 1887 was as great surprise
to those who knew him as were the
many political moves he has made. He
had been deputy clerk in the assembly
of the state twice, chief clerk in the
state department under John Bigelow,
secretary of the state committee and q
shining light in the convention that
nominated Tilden. He could have had
almost any political office he wanted
I'm 1876, and yet in 1887 he dropped
everything to become the legislative re-
porter of the Albany Argus.
You're a fool" said an intimate to
him, abiding TO his change.
Well" he remarked in his quiss
manner, Il think that is perhaps true,
but it seemed 10 me that as political
fame is so fleeting l should like to
gather somethinS more substantial"
One of the best points in Lamonts
character during his early career was
the entire absence of anything like
cOnsequentiality or display.
One day during Governor Robinson 3
administration, Lamont. then about %
years old, strolled into the assembly
and took his usual seat among the re-
porters. 1t was then about II O'Clock.
He worked steadily until nearly !. when
he turned to one of his co-Workers and
said: Il say, H. l have little bust
ness of a personal character to attend
to today, | wish that you would look
out for the Argus for me. VIII your
"Au right" was the reply.
About ? o'clock that afternoon the
man who had promised TO do his work
met Lamont hurryins toward the rail-
road station with bag in his hand
Hello, DAN You're a nice felloW!"
ha nil ~ T~n4F al ma
had some personal business in tc4n.'
We'll, that's all right" rejoined La
mont without relaxing his sprinting
gait It's out of town. you see. I'll
be back tomorrow"
AT 2:30 Lamont left Albany. At s
o'clock he was in New York. At he
had delivered to Hubert o. Thompson
his commission as sheriff. and shortly
after midnight he was one of the party
that broke into the sheriffs office ar
the city hall and took possession of it.
When the deposed sheriff (Gumble-
ton of the Kelly ring) arrived the next
morning he received his deposition pa
pers from Lamont. The afternoon Of
the same day at , O'ClOCk-almOst be-
fore the news was known in the street
Lamont was back at his work in the
legislature as pleasantly unassuming,
but also as uncOmmunicatiVe as before
The only direct way in which he con-
ncctcd himself with the matter was
when he said to the friend VINO had
worked for him:
We'll. really. H, you know
couldn't have got back sooner and yet
attend to the personal business
This same lack of desire to achieve
/ nOtOricty Was shown at the time Of
his appointment as secretary TO MI.
Cleveland when the latter WAS made
governor. 1t was then the custom of
the various newspaper representatives
at the capitol To gather at the telegraph
office and there write the story OF the
day for their papers. Lamont, who
was then the New York sun CORES
pondent. came in as usual on the night
in question. He sat down at the table
where the other reporters were work
ing and scrubbed away for a little while
in silence. Finally the majority of the
writer's finished their work and went
away; but one remained with him. He
looked IN after a time and said quiz
zingly: What news have you got to-
night. Dan, that makes you so quiet;
anything important"
Wei, nothing exceedingly startling, ="
Lamont answered, continuing 10 write:
but after nause of some minutes he
/ looked IN and said, much as he might
have SPOKEN of the condition of the
weather: We'll. old fellow. / guess
that YOU can announce that / am TO
be military secretary"
LamOnts name having been men
toned for private secretary. the other
| correspondent said, rs that aI?" 20
which Lamont laconically replied
Yes, that's all at present. Z may turn
! into some other office" And he did.
His friendship with Mr.. Tilden gave
| Lamont the credit with the lesser poll
ticians' OF Being a power behind the
throne" and there is no doubt that his
influence was not overrated: but L is
not known that he used, much less
abused il. He asked for 10 roliticol
positions for his friends and placed
himself under obligations TO no one.
From the rush OF political life to that
other and entirely different activity
| which characterizes great business
operations Lamont found himself sud l.
denly removed. and Whitney discovered
that he had not misiudged him.
Adaptability was one of Lamont's tai
ents, and he proved quite as service
able in those great business under
takings as he had as the right hand
nan of Cleveland. as he was some
| times called.
The contact with business mon and
business life. calling into play some OF
the qualities necessary for successful
! Politics and others unknown 10 DOliti-
clans was a revelation and DELIGHT 10
Lamont The ambition to gain distinc-
ton and fortune in business seized him,
4 VouDo man of Icce moral Hha,. ~ a.,