New-York tribune., 1909-04-10

ETHAN ALLEN HITCHCOCK.
Former Secretary of the Interior, who died at
Washington yesterday.
Washington t. place himself in the hands of spe-
ctaists who had attended him in his official career
here. He suffered from complication or kinney
heart and pulmonary diseases Ever since he ar
rived here he had been confined to his bed and con-
stantIy attended by physicians and trained nurses
His condition had become steadily worse IN the laSt
few DAYS and last night all hope for his recovery
abandoned
At the bedside when the end came were Mrs
Hitchcock. the three daughters. Commander sims
and a nephew. George c. Hitchcock, Of St Louis
The body viii be taken to St Louis tomorrow ar
rvIng there Sunday night The funeral viii be held
on Monday the burial being BeIlefontaine Gene
terry. in that city
President Taft sent The following letter of con-
doIeuce 20 Mrs Hitchcock,
death Of your husband mas iusJ come. Mrs Taft
and I extend 10 YOU and your JalH 81 re-
ORE ora i3f ea, fTasse3 IIan the country 10y his ef
fcierIr cord!ct Of the Interior Department and his
dEuifed and able repreSentation Of this country Try
abroad The gratitude OF his fellow citizens ana tne
high respect for his memory may In time nope
lls@ts ,1cete [z ,o,rs 14-S''+S '' WILLIAM II TAFT
All flags ON the Interior Department here and on
all buildings throughout the country under the
jurisdiction Of that departmehl VIII ea H., ar1 a.
ory Of Mr Htchcock as the result of an order IS
sued by Secretary BaIinger to-day
Ethan Allen Hitchcock made his most enduring
reputation as watchdog II the public domain. h's
career as Secretary Of the Interior was con-
tinuoas and successful warfare with the most
r,y,erfn Of criminal political Influences Every
barrassueut that human ingenuity could devise
was put in the way of his enaeaVor 10 release the
government lands from the wealthy d'spoiiers- h"
brought about the indictments Of so persons OF
whom elghtv-rine were convicted before he left
Office More Of them have been convicted since
one Of the most popular methods Of stealing pub
lie lands was fence lu tract and use II for
pasture without paying rent Many Of the tres
paFsers had come 10 regard the privilege as
vested right In some instances local judges re-
fused consider such cases. Among those who
opposed the Secretary's crusade were United States
Senators. members Of Congress. Land ONCE Of
hciaIs and federal judges. Mr- Hitchcock put
seventy-fve special agents ar work In one year
alone 22f cases Of timber stealing were reported
and S3>53o acres Of land restored 10 the public
II was as Minister. and later as Ambassador, 20
Russia that Mr. Hitchcock won the recognition that
made him Cabinet officer He had been appointed
tc this post by President Mckinley by reason OF
the Presidents personal knowledge OF his special
fitness to strengthen the relations between the
United States and Russia and TO find a market
for surplus American manufactured articles.
Nr Hitchcock was a -reat-graudson OF Colonel
Ethan Allen the Robin Hood Of the Green Noun
tains, who captured Fort TiconderoGa. In the
name OF the great Jehovah and the Continental
Congress" lie born in Mobile. in 1s25 After
completing his education in New Haven he took up
business, ana in 1850 went 10 China. where ne en-
tered the mercantile house Of Ouphaut & Co. For |
twelve years he remained in China. Returning 10
this country. he settled In St Louis where he soon
became prominent in business and acquired large |
wealth He president Of several manufacturing
concerns, among them the Crystal Plate Glass |
COMPANY ana controlled large railroad interests |
Ia August 1891. he made Minister To Russia |
which post elevated amba ssadorial rank |
during Mr.. Hitchcock's incumbeucy. thus giving |
him the honor of being the first American am F!
bassador 10 the Russian lie became Score |
tary Of the Interior in December 1895 to succeed
Cornelius y Bliss. and served In that capaciry for !
eight years
Mr. Hitchcock was Republican Of the stanchest |
type and ideaiist 10 extent almost fncred- |
ible to those whose association with practical poll
tics has been extensive. He assumed the office |
Of Secretary Of the Interior with the conviction |
that Republican Senator or Representative
would upon him the adoption Of a policy |
which would not reflect credit the partv or |
the appointment 10 public Office of a man whose |
character or lack of efficiency could the slightest
degree detract from the repute Of the adninistra-
ton. Unfortunately. this almost quixotic conf |
dence in his fellow Republicans received some |
severe shocks during the first years OF his admin
isration of Of the most difficult the federal
departments.
His blind faith in the recommendations made 70
him by Republicans in Congress led him 10 make
a number of appointments which he subsequently |
regretted, and in some instances to adopt policies
he was later compelled to reverse. With the real |
izatIon that his confidence had been abused Mr.
Hitchcocks idealism changed to a skepticsm al
most exaggerated. and Senators and Representa-
tives found that lrdless OF their standing in the
party, their every recommendation was regarded by
the Secretary with grave suspicion.
His was a rugged honesty which brooked no |
compromises. Partisan expediency e could not uu-
derstand. Every policy suggested him he found
either good bad. Every responsible enpIoye of
his department he regarded above criticism or
beneath contempt. Having lost the confidence
he had originally placed in the members of his
party in Congress- he sought TO decide all policies
and problems unaided. and, although he worked
eighteen hours of the twenty-four in his ef-
forts ably ard conscieuuously administer his
department, he often unable 10 keep pace with
the work which accumulated his desk
Mr.. Htchcocks intense honesty and sincerity OF
ration Of President Roosevelt Of whose Cabinet he
was for three years a member. although there was
no Cabinet officer of whom members Of Congress
carried more complaints to the Chief Executive.
AR Roosevelt realized that Secretary Hitchcock
had accomplished great things in his department
that he had with the utmost bravery attacked an
extensive system of land frauds and made that
form dishonesty perilous to be longer attrac
tive: that he had been confronted With a desperate
situation in the General Land Office and had erad-
icatcd dishonesty and materially improved its ad-
but by many members of Congress
he was wholly misunderstood and few gave him
credit fer the good that he accomplished His
successors Secretary Garfield and Secretary Bal
fialt he by he |