The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-12-10

Chase's successor. William Pitt
Fessenden, had been distinguished
in public life for quarter of
century.
Following Fessenden came Hugh |
McCulloch. who funded the nat
ional debt and who had served
for two years as Comptroller OF
the Currency before he became
Secretary OF the Treasury. Even
Grant, who shifted his cabinet
more than Roosevelt and whose
Administrator was a series of
scandals. selected men of expert
|ence as Secretary of the Treasury.
George s. Boutwell, had been Gov
ernor of Massachusetts and a MEM
ber of Congress for many years.
William A. Richardson. incapable
as he proved. was an accomplished
lawyer, a student OF finance and
had been the financial agent. OF
the Government in Europe. Benia-
min II. Bristow, who to Grants
CONSERVATION exposed the Whiskey
Ring, was one of the foremost
figures in Kentucky politics and
was the choice of the reform
Republicans for President in 1876.
Lot NJ. Morrill, had been i'm the
United states Senate nearly fifteen
years when he was called to
| the Treasury.
I With Hayes came John sherman,
who had been I'm Congress continu
ally since 1855 and was admittedly
one OF the ablest and most sagaci
GUS leaders of his party. 1t was
Sherman who resumed specie pay
ments. OF his. successors. Window.
Folger. Manning and Foster had all
won recognition as men of force
and ability in public affairs. Even
Fairchild had been Attorney-Gen-
eral of New York and had con-
siderable reputation at the bar.
while John G.. Carlisle was one Of
the most distinguished figures in
contemporary politics. He had been
|
Speaker of the House and a
United States Senator and his repu-
tation as lawyer was scarcely
second to his reputation as a
politician
Mr.. Cortelyou's more immediate
predecessors were both men OF
practical experience. Lyman j.
Gage was recognized as the lead
ing banker of Chicago and Leslie
NJ. Shaw was not only banker
and business man but he had
twice been Governor OF Iowa.
Mr.. Cortelyou never held an cleo
tive Office in his life. He never
served in any legislative body. His
public experience has been entirely
cierical. If he has any practical
knowledge of law of political econ
omy. OF finance there Is not line
of his writing or sentence oI
his public utterances to indicate
such knowledge.
Mr.. Cortelyou was made Secre-
tary of the Treasury because he
had shown great astuteness as a
collector and disburser of cam.
paign contributions but surely these
are not the qualifications of q
successful minister of finance dur.
ing a period of great financial
I. I. disturbance.
, Not only does the crisis itself re
quire Secretary OF grea
, ability and character who can in
, spire public confidence but i'm
: portant complicated and vital finan
cial questions such as currency re
. form and central bank of issu,
= Will soon come before Congress an,
4, the Treasury Department under IL
: present head can be of little |
any assistance in solving thes
probIems.
The act of Sept. ., 1889. Great
= ing the Treasury Department. pro
vides that "it shall be the duty O
the Secretary of the Treasury d
A "ibVoe anu pSpdic pidHS IoT III
=, Improvement and management O
. the revenue and for the support O
y public credit"
II What plans for the support q
If the public credit could Mr. Cortel
l. you propose which would comman
e the confidence and respect of Con
u gress for a single minute?
I'll With all fairness to Mr.. Corte
IS you, The World again asks II hi
n appointment was not one OF tn
= most stupendous blunders, the Pres
ident has yet made and all tn
# greater blunder because Mr. Roost
v welt himself has no head for bus
10 ness. law or finance.-New Yor
World.