Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-05-09
LUCK AND ABILITY
Ellis H. Roberts Was Credited
With Having Both.
Elk TREAsuRER YET ACTIVE
"reminiscences Of His Feud With Roe
zoe conkllng and His Final Vie
.ery-Plan to Establish Amer
lean Hospital In Paris.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

Washington.-In the different de-
partment buildings Of the government
there are hanging on the walls pic
lures of former officials whose work
was done in the rooms which their
portraits adorn. In the war depart
ment pictures of the former secreta-
ries Of war hang on the walls Of the
rooms used directly by the present
secretary. Henry l. Stimson. They
are fine old portraits, most OF them,
and they represent q line of men
from the days of the foundation of the
government until the present hour.
By general admission, the finest
work of art In the collection is the
portrait Of Jefferson Davis. who was
president of the Confederacy and who
at one time held the cabinet position
of secretary of war. In the treasury
department there are portraits not
only of former secretaries Of the
treasury, but also Of former comptrol-
lers of the currency and former treas
urers of the United States and of 9th
er men in high official position.
Until a few years ago Ellis H. Rob
erts Of Utica, N. Y, was treasurer Of
the United States. Mr.. Roberts Is
still living and enjoying a virile old
age. He was a keen politician and
was known as one Of the scholars in
politics. He is approaching ninety
years of age and yet he is still max
Ing addresses upon governmental sub
1ects and upon subjects Of historical
interest. 1t used to be said Of Mr..
Roberts In Washington that he had a
luck stone in his pocket and ability in
his head all through his public career.
Feud Between Roberts and conkIine.
Roscoe Conkling, one of the famous
senators of the United States. was
from Utica, and Conkling and Roberts,
although both Republicans, were very
much at outs. For years and years
Conkling tried to put Roberts down
and out, but at the end, 1t Is said,
Roberts had as much to do with put
ting Conkling down and out as any
other man in public life, unless Presi-
dent Garfield be excepted.
Early in life Roberts and Conkling,
as the Washington story goes. we're
the best possible friends. Roberts
was the editor Of a newspaper 10Y no
longer In existence, but in its day one
Of the ablest journals in New York
state. Conkling and Roberts fell out.
The Conkling influence defeated Rob
erts for Congress. He was imme-
diately appointed assistant treasurer
Of the United States at New York
city. Almost as soon as this appoint
ment was made Roscoe Conkling and
Thomas G. Plat resigned from the
senate Of the United States because
they resented another appointment
made by President Garfield. They
asked the legislature of New York to
vindicate them by returning them to
the senate. The influence Of Roberts
and his paper helped to kill Conkling
politically for all time and to kill
Plat for a season.
Later when Conkling had been out
of the political arena for some time,
Roberts, who had held a good Office
all the time, was made treasurer OF
the United States. Plat came back
into political life and became for a
time chief Of the Republican party in
New York state. Conkling and Plat
are both dead. but Ellis H. Roberts is
alive and vigorous and apparently 1t
does not need his picture in the treas
ury department to recall to Washing.
ton men some of the stories of his life
while he was In the midst Of public
affairs.
Sherman Can't Get Away.
The vice president of the Unit
ed States, James 8. Sherman, is
perhaps in n way not the happiest
man this republic claims among its
citizenship. Although he Is the sec.
ond officer in the government. he finds
that he Is virtually chained to his seat
except on those a r occasions when
the imperative call Of duty to his pri-
vate concerns or his family makes him
arrange things SO that he can get
away.
The senate Of the United States has
no president pro tenn. Senator Will
liam P. Frye Of Maine. who was the
duly elected presiding officer to act
in the absence OF the vice president,
died last summer, and yer since con-
gress anne together the senate has
been trying without Rlccess To alacf