New Britain herald., 1915-08-07
FATHER IF FIGHTING NAVY PASSES AWAY
Gen. Tracy, Lawyer, Jurist and Statesman Was Very Prominent

min Franklin Tracy, who was Presi- 1 dent Benjamin Harrison's secretary of the navy, died of paralysis here l yesterday in his s5th year, after a. 1 period of unconsciousness lasting nine l days
 1 General Tracy's death followed a 1 fight for life that had amazed the att ! tending physician. Only his extraor- dinary vitality had kept him alive for the better part of the past week. Induced By Worry. Three years ago Gen. Tracy sus- tained shock of paralysis, but ral- lied from it after a few weeks and 1 was able to resume his law practice. He was badly shaken up in an auto mobile accident last Decoration day, but from this, too, he speedily recov- cred. The illness which resulted in l his death was induced, it was bel1ev- ed, by worry incident to having been detained a long while on railroad journey from Ithaca, N. Y., to this city, because of a heavy rainstorm and washouts. For years Gen. Tracy had adapted his habits to schedule of almost clock-like precision and regularity. To this. it was believed he owed the. vitality which enabled him to resist his ailment for so unusually long time for a man of his age.
 Prominent In Public Eye.
 Gen. Benjamin Franklin Tracy lawyer, soldier, jurist and statesman, stood prominent in the public eye for more than sixty years. At the age of S3 he argued a case before the supreme court of New York with brilliance undimmed by years.
 Some people have called me the. father of the fighting navy " he had said recently. II won't deny it. I believe am. tried to take the navy out of politics and I believe I suc- ceeded."
 He referred to the days when he served as secretary of the navy under President Benjamin Harrison.
 At that time," said General Tracy, the cruiser Baltimore was the larg- est and strongest ship we had, and she was only a protected cruiser. I saw the necessity of building ships which could fight if they had to-"
 Phrase Now Historic
 Whats the use of building a ship that can't run away from a ship it can't whip?" demanded the secretary in his appeals. The phrase has be- come historic.
 He won the public. AS a conse- quence there appeared three new types of naval vessels, the armored cruiser, the armored battleship and the scout cruiser. He also replaced all steel armor with the present day i11x and literally stripped the armor from the British navy All naval powers were compelled to adopt the new method of protection.
 Had Brilliant Career.
 General Tracy led a versatile and brilliant career. Born in Owego, N. r.. in 1880, he was at play and school mate of Senator Thomas c. Platt. He was admitted to the bar at the age of 21. When 23 he was elected dis 1 trict attorney of Tioga county.
 He helped Horace Greedy organize l the republican party in New York l state at 25 years of age. At the out l break of the civil war he was serving | in the New York legislature as an as- | sem blyman. It Is said that here he l made the first legislative speech in the United States in favor of paper money for war expenses. Like many l of his colleagues, Assemblyman Tracy went to the front after organizing two regiments. He served first as Colonel l of the 109th New York.
 Won Medal of Honor.
 At the Battle of the Wilderness he won the Congressional Medal of Hon. or and was breveted brigadier-general of volunteers at the close of the war, Four times in the Wilderness he ral- lied his regiment to finally sweep over the Confederates ramparts. At the moment of victory. he fell des- perately wounded upon his battle flag. Historians say his deed made possi- ble Sherman's march to the sea, He 1 closed his war record as commander of the military post and prison at Elmira, N. Y,
 General Tracy. met most of the l great Americans of the last half cen- l tury.
 Lincoln Greatest President
 The greatest president that ever came In contract was Abraham Lin- coln,' he said. II did not know him intimately, but the strength of the man fingers in my mind,
 'The greatest president since the ! ei'h WoF, he coiitinueu, tnlnK, 1 was Mckinley, He could make a man i feel happy while refusing to appoint I him to office"
 General Tracy was made United l States district attorney for the east ern district of New York after the 1 war The Wiliskey graft scandal of l 1866 was at it's height. The general