Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-17

up going to college he perfected a deal to
make money out Of supplying the senior
class of a small New England college with
their graduating clothes. Needing money
more than most he Just had to acquire H.
and that is why he is now one of our ricn-
est men.
His first public service, like many OF Pcr-
ter's services. has been almost forgotten by
the public. 1t was rendered in 1873 and
had to do with the famous Alabama claims :
at that time, with the late Jay Cooke of
Philadelphia. he helped in bringing about
a transfer of S15,O00OOO from the govern
ncent of Great Britain to the government
OF the United States In settlement.
His career as Office holder began early
in the eighties and closed late IN the nine
ties. His recognition from first to last was
due not to brilliant addresses, nor to good
stories, for he speaks indifferently and
likes much better to listen than to talk.
But he has always been an adept at the
practical side of carrying on the public
service, and having gathered money by the
million, has always been ready to spend 1t
freely in all sorts of philanthropies, besides
supporting his party literally.
1t is about as hard to find lively anec
dote about this former American diplomat
Its as 1t Is to dig UP good story that he
has told; still he IS interesting figure. IL
for no other reason, because he Is one of
the comparatively few remaining repre-
sentatives of that class for which the big
western republic We live in has made itself
famous the world over-poor, uneducated
cial opportunities, have raised themselves
from the greatest obscurity and the utmost
insignificarce to places Illuminated by the
same white light that beats upon royal and
imperial thrones.
Woodford a Civil War Veteran.
All the former diplomatists now living
in New York, save Grant and Straus. be-
long to an older generation than that which
is now generally in the saddle, though one
conspicuous member thereof. Whitelaw
Reid. is now in active diplomatic service
as ambassador to Great Britain.
Gen. Stewart l.. Woodford. who was
made minister to Spain at about the same
time that Gen. Porter was sent TO France,
and who encountered a more difficult task
than any other American diplomatist in
more than generation was a soldier in
the civil war, enllsting es a private and
coming out colonel. with the breyet rank
of brigadier general. He wasn't a poor
boy, though. and he didn't have to make
his way through the world without college
training.
His profession is the law and It has al
ways earned him excellent income.
though he Is not now a man of great
wealth.
He had a lively time in Spain trying to
do his part along with the queen and Presi-
dent In keeping the peace at time when
there n sufficiently large segment of
the population in both countries anxious
April. 1893, In the course of his journey
through Spain to the frontier. after his re-
CALL the train which he was a passen-
ger was attacked by angry Spaniards, but
he got away without being hurt.
The only one OF the former diplomats OF
New York who now seems entirely "out OF
IT. so far active life goes Is Gen. Daniel
r. Sfckles, who like Woodford, was sent to
Spain when trouble brewing That was
in 1873, when the Virsnius case was acute.
when President Grant talked OF hurrying
over to Spain with ships and men and WHIP
ing the whole Hidalgo nation off the map
Gen. Sickles was then young, handsome and
ardent as he Is now decrept and old and
there some who remember very we'll
that his career in Spain was highly roman
tic and entertaining. and that 1t gave to
him. briefly, the title of the Yankee King
of Spain.
II is a little misleading to speak of DR..
White and Gen. Grant as New Workers.
Still. the metropolis Is their present head
quarters. though the doctor spends more
time in Ithaca his real home than In the
larger city, and the general is In New York
only because the headquarters of the de-
partment of the Atlantic is on Governors
Island in the harbor
DIR. White Is still active as writer. is
one OF the few college presidents who has
been a diplomat. and has had a wider dip
lomatic experience. probably, than any
other living American. Gen. Grant is one
OF the two living Presidents sons who have
filled high diplomatic place, Robert T. Lin
coin being he ofber