The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1909-07-30
WILLIAMS or
ELLIS ISLAND.
Career Of New immigration Com
missioner at New York.
SILENT, BUT KEEPS IN ACTION

P0 SSSS~"1 Z" ~ -
welt Administration-sen Of Yale and
Mountain Climber. Viii Good Re-
form Record
william williams, the new commits
stoner Of immigration for the port of
New York. returns to hat post tc
complete the work of reorganization
n reconstruction begun by him seven
years g after his appointment by
former President Roosevelt. Then
Williams remained less than three
years In office. resigning abruptly
when "housecleaning' on Ellis island
was In full swing. No explanation
was forthcoming at Washington, and
none could be obtained at that time
from the retiring commissioner
His action was as unexpected by his
subordinates as by the public, and the
day that he left the island every man
and woman n boy on the govern
ment payroll, although many of them
had felt the silent mans sharp disci-
pline. was In the big hall to shake
hands and say goodby.
Just to show what they thought OF
him the employees produced a huge
silver loving cup, which cost some
thing like 500. and a testimonial con-
tanning a picture Of Ellis island and
200 autographs.
When asked the reason for such a
demonstration In honor Of a man who
had caused the upheaval and disturb
ance of time honored customs, one OF
the men said.
Every employee on the island knew
ha nnDlId 0af a Znnar daQl fHarn Tho
commissioner"
tom of things ia the immigration blu
reau had uncovered much graft and
corruption. Then. suddenly. he stepped
down and out.
Evidently President Taft thinks that
his man md his Ideas on reform are
not so visionary as the advisers of
President Roosevelt would nave had
him believe. VILLA ms was prevailed
upon to take up his work again solely
upon the grounds hat 1t was a public
duty which he could not decline. He
did decline at first, but the argument
of the president finally prevailed. and
the quiet man OF Ellis island goes back
to that important station satisfied that
this time he will have a free hand II
Tue thsk DeIOTe uim.
A man with Independent means and
a comfortable law practice, Williams
ts under obligation to nc one and
every success he has attained since
leaving New London, Conn. the place
OF his birth. has beef won by sheer
force of energy and ability.
His family put him through the pub
lie schools and hen sent him to Ger
many, where for five a he vas a
student at the German gymnasium In
Wiesbaden, and he entered Yale with
the class of "a. being graduated and
taking a course In law at Harvard.
He began practice In New York In the
fall of 1888 and has been a resident of
that city ever since.
In 1923 Williams acted as Junior
counsel for the United States I'm the
Boring sea arbitration in Paris. Five
ear later. when war with Spain was
declared. he left his law practice and
went out as a private with the war
troop of Squadron A. His energy and
ability were soo rewarded by promo
ton. and he went into the quarter
masters department with the rank of
major, taking a troopship to Porto
Rico. This was the end OF his mill
tary service. typhoid bringing him
down and making him an invalid un-
til the following year. when he went
to the practice of law.
President Roosevelt In 1902 asked
him to 60 to Ellis island. n he ac-
cepted. In 1905 he resigned.
The president publicly commended
him for his administration. Yale uni
verstty conferred the honorary degree
of master of arts upon him, and he re-
tired to private life. Since then he
has practiced law and climbed noun |
tains, with considerable distinction In
both. although the public knows little
about either.
As q mountain climber he has scaled
the highest peaks In Switzerland. has
qualified for and been elected to the
English Alpine club n was complet-
plans to tackle some of the highest
peaks In eastern Europe when the
present situation confronted him.
Such, In brief. is the career of a man
upon whom considerable public atten- |
ton win be focused In the mex -four
years. No port Of entry into the Unit
ed States bears more closely upon the
grave problems arising from the
tide OF alien races daily breaking
against the country's gates.
With Williams wihen he retired from
ONCE went many who had helped him
In sweeping the island clean, who had
the work of building a larger
and more sanitary immigration sta
ton. who had helped In the reorgan-
of the system OF handling fg- |
norant aliens. who had substituted
and honest dealings in place
@ hEnNnlr anA morcona- y naacfiona |