Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-04-08

years old. It was toward the end Of
the contest. When he came out he
began preparing himself for the future.
He educated himself for college. He
made his way through the University
Of Nashville. from which he gradu-
ated at the age of twenty-one. He
took up the study of medicine, but
abandoned 1T soon after and went to
New York, where he took course in
the Columbia Law school. 1t was the
turning point of his life. He went
abroad and supplemented his law
studies by term at the University of
Leipzig. and later he finished in Paris.
For several years before his law
course he was professor in Wander
bilt university. He was admitted to
the bar in 1874. He married Miss
Overton in 1876.
Soon after his marriage he held his
first Office. but it was not an elective
one, for he has never been a candidate
In that sense. His first was on the
supreme bench Of Tennessee and this
was held by special commission.
When President Cleveland called
Judson Harmon into his cabinet as at
torney general. Mr.. Dickinson was APP
pointed an assistant in that depart
as a Democrat in 1896. when he sup
ported Palmer and Ruckner as against
Bryan He voted for the Parker ticket
and has always insisted up to the time
of his present appointment that he was
and is now a Democrat. AS a Cleve-
land Democrat he gave his influence
! to Taft and Sherman, but he says he
did not vote the ticket. This Is his po-
litical career.
Club Life In Chicago.
| Fur some time before he became Sec
rotary of war he had been general So
| licitor for the Illinois Central Railroad
company at a salary Of $4,000 a year.
This work kept him most of the time
In Chicago In that city he grew into
. popularity He became a member OF
| the Chicago club, which is the most
prominent nonpolitical organization Of
the western metropolis. Its member
ship is composed of the leading mer
chants. lawyers and jurists of Chica-
go. Franklin MacVeagh, secretary of
the treasury. is one of the influential
members. 1t was In this club that Mr.
Hitchcock. postmaster general, met
Mr.. Dickinson The new secretary Of
war is also a member of the Iroquois
club of Chicago. the Democratic head
quarters Of the party in the city and
the state. AT the time Of his appoint
ment as chief justice of the supreme
court Melville w. Fuller was an Iro-
quois.
Mr.. Dickinson's appointment as head
OF the war department has given gen.
eral satisfaction In the south. Chica-
go is especially pleased with the se!ec-
ton, for the new appointee is so closely
identified with Chicago interests that
the city regards him as one of her peo-
pie. Thus. from Chicago viewpoint.
the city has two places in the cabinet
Of the new administration. Mr.. Dick
inson's fellow counsel upon the Illinois
4 Central staff say that for the first
two years when he took charge he was
rarely heard from. but then he came
forward with a complete grasp OF
every detail concerning the road.
War Secretaries Of the South.
i In the first part Of this article refer
ence is made to the fact that Mr.. Dick
inson Is the nineteenth secretary OF
war from the south since the organiza-
ton of the government. Most OF his
predecessors from his part Of the coun-
try were men of ability and reputation
The first, as previously stated. was
James McHenry, from Maryland.
4 The next was John Marshall Of vir.
ginia. He was at the head Of the de.
Iiipartment in the administration of Johr