Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-06-01

Henry L. Stimson, the new secretary
of war in President Taft's cabinet, first
came prominently into the public eye
when as United States district attor-
ney he conducted successfully a nota-
BILE series of prosecutions against half
a dozen of the big railroad systems for
giving rebates to the sugar trust.
Those prosecutions closely followed his
appointment by President Roosevelt
early in 1906. After he had twice con-
victed the New York Central before a
jury, the Rock Island. the St Paul and
the Central Vermont all pleaded guilty,
and the Great Northern, which held
out, met the same fate as the New
York Central in jury trial.
There followed in close succession
the prosecutions of various paper
combinations and the beginning OF the
cases against the American Sugar Re-
filming company, which resulted in YER
diets of guilty against the trust itself
as well as against Charles r. Hieke,
its treasurer; the superintendent Of the
Havemeyer & Elder refinery in VIII
liamsburg and various men under him.
The sugar trust customs frauds cases
and other prosecutions for violation OF
the customs laws brought $3,435, 1868 in
fines and back duties into the United
States treasury.
PROSECUTED MORSE
The other big financial case OF the
Stimson regime in the United States
attorneys Office was the prosecution
of Charles w. Morse and his convic-
ton for wrecking the National Bank
of North America. Mr.. Stimson was
still engaged in winding up the sugar
cases when he resigned and was sue
ceeded by Henry A. Wise in the spring
of 1909. He continued as special coun-
sci TO the government until the last
sugar trust defendant was convicted.
Then came period of the practice of
law, in which he had been engaged
from the time of his graduation from
the Harvard law school, in 1891.
When the New York Republican
got control of the Sara
toga convention last summer Theodore
Roosevelt made Mr.. Stmson his can
didate for governor and brought about
his nomination, which was followed
by his defeat
Since the first Of the year Mr.. Slim |
son has delivered several addresses |
that attracted attention, in which he |
placed himself in the progressive wing |
Of his party. In state affairs he has |
declared himself a believer in the poll |
cies that Governor Hughes advocated. |
M Stimson is forty-four yefrs old |
and a member Of the law firm of Win
tbrop & Stimson, of which Senator
Root was a member before he entered
President McKinley's cabinet as sec
rotary of war.
Mr.. Stimson's appointment gives
New York two places in the cabinet,
George W. Wickersham Of that state
now holding the Office of attorney gen.
eral.
President Taft selected Mr.. Stimson
for the war portfolio on his own mo-
ton. The president has a high regard
for the New York man, whose record
N the Office Of United States attorney
for New York was eulogized by Mr..
Taft in the campaign last year. Otto
T. Barnard, candidate for mayor
against W. ]. Gaynor, was under con-
'ideration for the appointment for a
line
1t was explained in behalf Of the
secretary, Jacob M. Dickin-
'on, that most Of his private fortune
s invested in a coal company in Ten
lessee. The concern was recently
placed in the hands Of a receiver. In
rider TO protect his interests Mr.. Dick
nson decided to resign. 1t Is his pur-
nose to return to his home In Tennes-