New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1908-04-22
No Slight Task.

get so out of the habit of work.
No Slight Task.
Secretary Cortelyou has gone far to-
ward changing this inefficient. idiotic
and deadly system of doing things, or.
rather. of not doing them He has cut
has put more hope. spirit and ginger
into the men. has inaugurated more up
to date methods and has actually or
ganized the departments with which
he has had to do into some semblance
of common sense. This has been no
slight task. and even he with his re-
markable ability as an organizer, has
been able to traverse only small part
of the distance toward the goal. But
he at least has gone in the right direc-
ton, aided by the powerful and yirile
Influence of President Roosevelt, and
that is more than anybody else has
done In the memory of man.
When chairman of the Republican
national committee Mr.. Cortelyou also
introduced some of this system into it's
affairs to the surprise and disgust of
the old time politicians. Here the prob
lem was different. The fault with po-
litical committees is not red tape or
mildew, but looseness in business
methods. From the hail fellow, hearty,
wide open atmosphere of the old days
of Hanna and Quay Chairman Cortel-
you made headquarters look like a
great bank or business house. To this
innovation the political workers could
never grow accustomed. But that 1t
was effective was shown by the re-
suits
George Bruce Cortelyou was born in
New York, July 26. 1862. He gradu-
ated from the Hampstead institute and
State Normal school of Massachusetts.
He married the daughter of DR. Kinds,
! the president of the first named school,
He was for time teacher and stud
led music, but decided early to take a
: thorough course in shorthand and be-
come a law reporter He was a pre-
paratory school principal in New York
from 1885 to 1889, when he entered the
public service. He was private secre-
tary to the postofdce inspector at New
/ York and the surveyor of the port of
the same city. He then became pri-
yate secretary to the fourth assistant
postmaster general. This was under
the Harrison administration, and his
| record was so good that. though he of
! fered to resign, he was continued UNI
der Cleveland
AS before referred to, Mr. Cortelyou
J was made confidential stenographer to
the president in November, 1895; pro-
NOTED to executive clerk in February,
1896; appointed assistant secretary to
President Mckinley on July 1. 1893;
made secretary to the president on
! April Is, 1900; reappointed by Presi-
dent Roosevelt Sept. Is, 1901; made
the first secretary of the department of
commerce and labor Feb. Is, 1908;
elected chairman of the Republican ma
tional committee on June %. 1904; APP.
pointed postmaster general on March
Z, 1905. and on March 4. 1907, was
made secretary of the treasury.
A Dazzling Career.
In less than thirteen years, there.
fore, he has been confidential man to
three presidents. has held three cabinet
portfolios and has been general of the
dominant party in the most victorious
campaign of modern times.
| With such a dazzling career before
their eyes, no wonder the spiritless and
detected government clerks at Wash
ington have picked up heart; no won.
der all stenographers think more
worthily of their profession.
4 At dinner given in honor Of Cortel
you last year in New York ex-Post
master General Charles Emory Smith
asked this significant question:
Has he reached the 1imit?''
Instantly the hundreds of postmas
tiers and postal officials gathered from
all over the land thundered:
i NO.
4 All this of course referred to the
presidency of the United States.
Can he reach it?
Six months ago the prospect looked
most favorable. Cortelyou had abou
him his bright and ambitious youne
men, with whom he had revolutionizeG
lhO SulaDCISUluG SERVICE oil iSGV0rdl Gle
partments. He had organized one Of
the most effective political machines
ever seen in this country. He was
working in silence and had made grea1
Roadway before the country awakened
to what was going on When the fac
came to light George B. Cortelyou re
ceived the first serious setback of his
career
From the effect of that he is still
suffering. Can he overcome it ane
continue his upward way?
Cortelyou is the most taciturn mem
Der of the cabinet. He never says
more than is absolutely necessary tt
convey his meaning. Seldom does he
give out interviews. During the cam
paign of 1904 the reporters nickname6
him @Can't-tell-y YOU
He does not belong to the type usual
II known as good fellow and never