The Washington herald., 1907-05-05

have been offieial advisers TO the Chief
Executive, and every one of them is
doing we'll
There are three Secretaries" of
State four Of the Treasury, fve of War,
seven Of the Interior, eight of the Navy,
one Of Agriculture. two of Commerce and
Labor, eight former Postmasters Gener-
al and eight former Attorneys General
These figures added make forty-six, but
some of the 'exes' have served in more
than one Cabinet place, while four, Root.
Corteiyou, Metealf, and Bonaparte, are
still Cabinet members.
The oldest of them all. George H. VIII
liams,' Attorney General under Grant
from 1871 to 1915, is eighty-four. still hale
and hearty, al Portland, Greg. The
youngest, Pall Morton, second Of Roose-
velts FIVE naval heads TO date, is fifty.
George B. Cortelyou. now Secretary of
the Treasury. is five years younger than
Morton.
The attorney generalship was by no
means the fiTst place OF Importance TO
be hlled by Judge Williams Born in
New York State, he was educated in the
district school and village academy at
Pompey Hill, where he also studied law.
He was admitted at twenty-one and went
West. When he had got as far west as
keokuk. Iowa. he stayed his journey for
some years. married, was elected a judge
al tWenty-four and went into politics.
working for the election of Franklin
Pierce as President in 1852.
Pierce appointed Williams chief justice
Of Oregon Territory the next year, and
he has made his home there ever since.
For the six years from 1850 20 1871 he was
in the United States Senate from Oregon
and WAS on the Alabama Claims Com
mission. Then Grant took him into the
cebi1Ct. ho resigned In 1915 and Grant
nominated him for Chief Justice Of the
Supreme Court but withdrew his name
Ever since then he has been in the ac-
tive practice Of law: though he was
mayor Of Portland in lg02-O5. It would
not be easy 10 find a more useful. we'll
rounded life than that of this fine old man.
Next IN age 10 Williams is Norman j.
Colman, eighty first man 20 serve as
Secretary Of Agriculture.
The Department of Agriculture was es-
tabnshed just before the end of Cleve-
lands first term. Colman had been
Commissioner of Agriculture and was
made Secretary, but, of course, was dis
placed after Harrison's inauguration A
York State boy, he was educated in the
little red schoolhouse." At twenty he
started West, reaching 81. Louis five
Years later. having tarried in Kentucky.
whcre he taUsht school and was admitted
10 the bar, and in Indiana. where he
praeUced law and served as district at
torney at New Albany Al ST. Louis he
went into agricultural journalism. estab-
lshins g weekly paper for farmers,
through which be became an agricultural
leader in the West When the civil war
came he was made a lieutenant colonel
in the enrolled State militia. He has
nled many high places, including the
lieutenant governors chair, and possesses
a French decoration because Of his ser
vice to agriculture. Mr.. Colman is still
in active life in St Louis.
Paul Morton, as chairman of the Equi-
tables board of trustees, Thomas F.
Ryans right-hand man in insurance
never was in public life before he be
came a Secretary. and has not been
since. He was born in Detroit and his
father was Secretary of Agriculture dur
ing CleVeland's second term. Pauls ca
Teer from the bottom to the top in
railroading-'tis said he began as clerk
at SIS q month, and wound up at $4,000
year-was one Of the romances of success
We read about 1t was Morton who post
ed Roosevelt on the details of railroad
rebating and so made it possible to get
the rate bill through Congress.
The majority of the eight surviving
naval Secretaries have been picturesque
entities. The latest TO leave the depart
ment Charles Joseph BOnaparte Attorney
General at ffty-six. descended from a
king, but American born and intensely
loyal TO the land of his birth. yields to
few in that respect.
William Eaton Chandler, Arthur naval
head. approaches the limit for audacity
and courage. lie is Harvard Law
School graduate and now is practieing
law in Washington and Concord. his
birthplace and present home. As chief
counsel in the suit 10 have the property
Of Mary Baker @ Eddy, Christian
Science head. placed in a receivers hands.
he is specially prominent just now. he
was big factor in the rows accompany
ing the rate bills passage Being
friend Of both Senator Tnman ana the
President he was right in it, and he
uttered his fun share of the Ianguage
generated during that episode. Chand-
Ter is seventy. He was in the United
States Senate from 1897 to 1901. Since
then he has been president Of the Spanish
Treaty Claims Commission al Washing
ton.
The life of Benjamin Franklin Tracy.
who served under Harrison, has been full
of contrast At seventy-seven he is an
active New York lawyer. He followed
Whitney in the department and was a
tremendous force in the nayys rejuvena-
ton.
He was schooled in the village academy
at Owego. y. Y, where ne was born.
He helped organize the Republican party
in the State; he raised two regiments
when the war broke out, and was made
colonel OF the 109th New York Yolun-
teers. He won the medal of honor for
gallantry and was brevetted "a brigadier
general. Then he settled I'm Brooklyn.
where he became United States district
attorney. and later judge Of the New York
Court of Appeals. highest State tribunal,
and for years was State Republican
leader. His services in formulating the
internal revenue laws so that maximum
amount is collected at a minimum ex-
pense were of great value.
At one time his farm near Owego was
famous for its fine horses. cattle, poultry.
and pigs. He is still proud Of a tribute to
his aFricfIrnraT eta,di,,-~ ....s,.5 ~