Evening star., 1906-06-16

comes from compiling and dissecting state
ments and reports, and in handling. deciding
and aiding in the decision of financial and
other problems of far-reaching conse-
quences. Politicians of opposite faith admit
that he has greatly systematized and simpli-
fed matters In the controllers oface. HIS
friends. in substantiation OF like state
ment. point to the reports issued by him.
They are about one-hah as bulky as pre-
ceding volumes. and tell as much.
A Judicial Mind.
Mr.. Kelsey Is q lawyer by profession This
should help him In his new duties. But
would not call him good advocate" said
a friend Of years standing. Neither would
l." said another. He's too judicial in his
ways and hasn't the power Of brilliant ar
gument." To one meeting him for the first
time he gives the impression of having the
pois0 that comes of the judicial tempera-
ment. No one has ever known Mr.. Kelsey
to decide a problem of even minor impor-
tance or hand. The deltberation and clear
discernment of a judge are, indisputabiy,
essential qualifications of the ideal insur-
ance superintendent For the sake of sew
eral million policy holders. 1t Is to be hoped
that Mr.. Kersey, as their official watchdog,
lives up to this reputation given him by
friends.
Before he began the study OF law in the
office Of his uncle, William H. Kelsey, who
lived in Geneseo, Mr.. Kelsey had stuck
type" on various western newspapers for
number of years. One was the Denver
Tribune made famous by Eugene Fields 8
connection with 1t years ago. Mr.. Kelsey
began the rather strenuous course that
made him tourneyman compositor after
he left the common schools, and he stuck
to the case until the middle of the seventies.
Then he went to Geneseo. where he has
made llds home since. He was born in Roch-
ester, not so many miles away from pic
turesque Geneseo village.
In Politics.
Mr.. Kelsey's uncle had been a former
member of Congress. Livingston county is
noted for Its politicians. 1t was but nat
ural, therefore. that Mr.. Kelsey should take
an interest in political matters But for
all this he was past forty when he came
before the people for state elective office.
Then he was sent to the assembly and con-
tinued to represent his district there for
nine years. When he ran for county Judge
in 1902 he experienced his first political de-
feat. In Geneseo and Livingston county
he has been known for years as the right
hand man of Representative Jas. w. Wads-
worth. the republican leader. It was due
to the latters efforts that Mr. Kelsey was
first nominated for the assembly. It Is iu-
teresting to note right here that fifteen
years before Mr.. Kelsey began to repre-
sent Livingston county in the assembly
Mr.. Wadsworth had done the same thing.
and twenty-three years before Mr.. Kelsey
became controller Mr.. Wadsworth took
up the duties Of that Office
During the greater part of the session
OF 1899 Mr. Kelsey presided over the as
sembly. Speaker Nixon being Ill. Besides
being on the ways and means committee,
he was chairman Of the cities committee
for three sessions. and for seven terms q
member OF the important committee on
rules. Beginning In '97. when Mr.. Nixon
was the republican leader, Mr.. Kelsey was
the formers right-hand man. and he was
Mr.. Nixon's choice to succeed him as lead
er In 90. There was slip. however, As
semblyman Aids getting the honor. ''kel-
sey took his medicine like a man-with
never peep" said a democrat, then, as
now. In the assembly.
It Is rather interesting that Mr.. Kelsey
has had the respect of his democratic
brethren all along. and rather remarkable
that many democrats, as well as men OF
his own party. strongly indorsed him for
insurance superintendent to Governor Hig-
gins.
II half the good things said about Mr..
Kelsey In these numerous letters Of In
dorsement show In his work In his new
position. he win make an excellent watch
dog for the great army of policyholders
| largely dependent for proper accounting OF
their savings on the personality and Of
fcial conduct of the superintendent of In
surance of New York state.