The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-09
Times. Dispatch Bureau,
Nfs.t,aA.r 11..llIt..
NYnalllhgtnii. y. al. Irnh

| Washington, ~. g., Fob. 3.
| The 1nan or tho hour IL Frank III
| Hitchcock. Tho entire nation will watcl
( him grow. His feet are got In the way
to glory. II Secretary raft is nomi-
mated to the presidency Hitchcock viii
be tho chairman OF tho national COM
mlttcc. In all probability, and tho man
aRer Of the campaign. This Will mean
that he will be postiiias ter General. tn.
reward given Henry G.. Payne, chair
man OF tho committee which hnd
charge OF the Mckinley campaign, anu
George y. Cortclyou. who resigned a
portfolio to take charge of tho Rooae-
volt campaign. 1T may be that Hitch
cock sees stretching out before him the
career or his long time chief, Mr.. Ctr-
telyou, who has gone from the place
of secretary t6 tho Fourth Assistant
that OF Secretary of tho Treasury tho
second In dignity among Cabinet posi-
lions.
Mr.. Cortelyou was n Democrat in
the days when he was private secrc-
tary to n Democratic Assistant POST
master- General. and rendered. several
members OF Congress still IN tho House
valiant service in tho matter of do
capitatlng Dostmasters appointed under
President Harrison. william A. Jones,
OF the First Virginia District, r.calls
that Mr.. Cortelyou used to help him
In getting the fourth assistant to con-
sent to tho removal OF fourth class
p. ms which Mr.. Cleveland was chnry
about permitting.
Like Mr.. Cortelyou. Mr.. Hitchcock is
not man of deep political conviction.
Mr.. Cortelyou is a typical product OF
the civil service. He never indicated
by any public utterance that he had n
real creed political, save In that speech
ne made a month or so ago in New
York on Alexander Hamilton IT was
necessary then that he assert his faiiI,.
Heretofore he has had only to keep his
eye on the main chance, and keen n
sharp lookout for Mr.. Cortelyou. But
candidate for the presidential nomi-
ration must profess deep convictions
MIR. Cortelyou protested them with Mi
tne airs OF man who has had conyIc-
tons all his life.
Mr.. Hitchcock Is an athletic states-
man. 1T is said that at Harvard he
was the pest all-around athlete in the
university. That had much TO do with
Ills being appointed First Assistant
20, inaster-General by Mr.. Roosevelt.
Hitchcock looks on politics as n game
something like football. where activity.
strength, training. endurance and foot
work and headwork count. He Is the
original gum shoe artist of the admin
istration. He undertook to nominate
Mr.. Cortelyou to tho presidency. He
made such Roadway before his move
ments We're discovered that the master
politician. the man before whom all
wirepullers and performers upon pub
lie sentiment kowtow and salaam to the
nt.tl
but had to issue n statement to the
country. One of the reasons, perhaps
the most powerful one. which moved
Mr.. Roosevelt to issue the statement
that he would not accept another NOM
ination was the discovery OF the fact
that Mr.. Hitchcock, through the liberal
use of his power over fourth-class
postmasters in the South. had so tied
up the Republican National Committee
that it could not be used In behalf of
the Taft candidacy. and that the nomi-
nation Of the administration favorite
was absolutely endangered.
1t was q Rooseveltian stroke to get
Hitchcock to manage the Taft fight
The President knew his man. Al
though Hitchcock was the sworn back
err OF Mr.. Corteylou Mr.. Roosevelt did
not hesitate to approach him with AMI
offer to undertake to nominate Secre-
tary Taft. Nor did Secretary Taft fear
he would offend by making offers to
Hitchcock. Taft knew his man. too.
Hitchcock never WINGED nor baked.
He promptly entered into negotiations,
with the result that within less than
Two weeks thereafter he allows 1t 20
be announced that he would retire FRONT
tho Cabinet to take active charge OF
Secretary Taft's political interests. a
There is little in George 3. Cortel-
you which excites any OF the finer
feelings that sometimes move men,.
Sut there is something pathetic in the
'igure which he presents at this time.
.1r. Roosevelt used him on every oc-
'asion when he could be used to ad-
Mr.. Hitchcock chung to Cor
elyou while Corte,you appeared to be
,asking in the light of the royal
The President used Cor
:elyou when he sent him into Wall