The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1909-07-16
-
WILLIAMS OF
ELLIS ISLAND,
Career Of New immigration Com
missioner at New York.
SILENT, BUT KEEPS IN ACTION

|
William Williams, the new commits.
sioner Of immigration for the port of
| New York, returns TO that post to
complete the work OF reorganization
| and reconstruction begun by him seven
years ago 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 commissioners.
His action was as unexpected by his
subordinates as by the public, and the
| day that he left the island every man
and woman and boy on the govern
ment payroll. although many of them
had felt the silent mans sharp Glsci-
pline. was In the big hall to shake
hands and say goodby.
| Just to show what they thought Of
him the employees produced q huge
silver loving cup, which cost some
thing like $70O, and a testimonial con-
tanning picture Of Ellis island and
200 autographs.
| When asked the reason for such a
demonstration in honor of man who
had caused the upheaval and disturb
ance Of time honored customs, one Of
| the men said.
Every employee on the island knew
he could get square deal from the
commissioner
williams zeal In going to the bot
tom of things in the immigration bu-
reau had uncovered much graft and
corruption. Then, suddenly. he stepped
down and out.
Evidently President Taft thinks that
this man and his ideas on reform are
not so visionary as the advisers Of
| President Roosevelt would have had
| him believe Williams was prevailed
upon to take up his work again solely
upon the grounds that It 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 in
the task before him.
A man with Independent means and
comfortable law practice, Williams
Is under obligation to no one and
every success he has attained since
leaving New London, Conn.,, the place
of his birth. has been won by sheer
force Of energy and ability.
His family put him through the pub.
lie schools and then sent him to Ger.
many, where for FIVE years he was a
student at the German gymnasium IN
Wiesbaden, and he entered Yale with
the class Of "a. being graduated and
taking course in law at Harvard.
He began practice IN New York In the
fall Of 1888 and has been resident Of
that city ever since.
In 1923 Williams acted as Junior
counsel for the United States In the
Boring sea arbitration in Paris. Five
years later. when war with Spain was
declared. he left his law practice and
went out as private with the war
troop Of Squadron A. His energy and
ability were soon rewarded by promo
ton. and he went into the quarter
| .
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 IN
til the following year. when he went
back TO the practice of law.
President Roosevelt IN 1902 asked
him to go 30 Ellis island, and he &C.
cepted In 1905 he resigned.
The president publicly commended
him for hts administration, Yale uni
versity conferred the honorary degree
Of master OF arts upon him. and he re-
tired 30 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
ing 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 Will be focused in the next four
years No port Of entry into the Unit
ed States bears more closely upon the
, many grave problems arising from the
, tide Of alien races daily breaking
against the country's gates
a With Williams when he retired from
office went many who had helped hin
In sweeping the island clean, who had
started the work Of building q larger
and more sanitary immigration sta
ton, who had helped In the reorgan
, ization Of the system of handling ig
norant aliens. who had substituted
humane and honest dealings In place
. Of brutal and mercenary transactions
that once existed and who had sue
ceeded In driving grafters from tht
servtce
Wfllfn ms Is not a plodder. he acts
and ho keeps IN action, accepting full
and complete responsibility for every
, thing he does and demanding obedi
T enc<a loyalty and a maximum work
! ing ttne tSom every subordinate.-Nev
, York po0.