Evening journal., 1915-06-05
New News Of Yesterday
Famous Harvard Grad
yates in Public Life
By Holland.


In his thirty years of service as
United States Senator from Massa-
chusetts, George Frisbie Hoar never
permitted an opportunity 20 slip by
to defend, praise OF aid Harvard Uni
yersity, of which he was a graduate.
Second only to his family and his
country Harvard and her interests
were predominant always with Sena-
tor Hoar. Only once during his long
service as trustee CT ovSrseer OF iar-
ward did he refuse to participate in
the commencement exercises. That
exceptional absence was due TO the
fact that Gen. Ben Butler, as COVER
nor of Massachusetts, was to be re-
ceived officially by the university at
commencement exercises. The official
duty which Senator Hoar declined to
perform was accepted by Joseph II.
Choate and was performed with such
tact and consideration as to receive
from Gov. Butler a cordial tribute Of
qualification.
II was the custom of Senator Hoar,
whenever a new Congress was organ
lied and the Congressional Directory
published, to scrutinize every biOg-
raphy so that he could learn how
many Harvard men were members OF
Congress and compare the number
with those who had received diplomas
from Yale. Senator HOar was also
always proud of the fact that Harvard
had contributed two presidents and
he was persuaded as long ago as 1884
that the probabilities were great that
she would at some time contribute a
third in Theodore Roosevelt lie lived
long enough to see that forecas. justi-
fed. He did not live long enough to
participate in the inauguration as
President of the first graduate of
Yale to serve as President-William
Howard Taft.
Two of Senator HOar's cousins, one
a first cousin. William NJ. Evarts, the
other a second cousin, Chauncey NJ
Depew. we're in the Senate, although
not at the same time Wien Hoar was
serving as Senator, and both were
graduates of Yale.
Senator Hoar used sometimes to
speak not exultantly, but with pardon
able pride, of the fact that Harvard
had been many times represented at
the court of St James Sometimes the
Senator would say, 1T was a Harvard
man. Charles Francis Adams, who
served with conspicuous success and
in a very trying time as minister
from the United States to the court of
ST. James,"
In the latter part of the admins
ration of President Hayes, our min
ister to Great Britain, John Welsh, re-
signed. There had been no Harvard
man at the court of st. James since
Charles Francis Adams retired from
that mission. Senator Hoar saw an
opportunity for the appointment of a
distinguished son of Harvard He
therefore urged President Hayes to
transfer James Russell Lowell from
Spain to London. Aid he did that
knowing that his cousin, William NJ.
Evarts, a Yale man. then Secretary of
State. would be likely to oppose Low
ellis appointment as minister to Eng
land. However, in order to head off
Evarts and to be sure that a Harvard
man was appointed. Senator Hoar rec
commended. in case the President did
not see fit to appoint Lowell. that
the President Of Harvard, Charles w.
Eliot, be appointed. He went away
from President Hayes happy with the
assurance that if Lowell was not ap-
pointed President Eliot would be.
Lowell, however. was appointed and
accepted. After his retirement. Har-
ward was not represented at the court
Of St. James until Robert T. Lincoln
was appointed. Senator Hoar himself
might have been ambassador to the
court OF st. James had be been will
ing TO accept appointment from Presi-
dent Mckinley. He did not accept. and
the President appointed another Har-
ward man. Joseph H. Choate. II was
with qualification that Senator Hoar
used occasionally to show his friends
a long list of Harvard men who had
served as minister and in one case as
ambassador to the court of ST. James.
Copyright. 1915. by e. ]. Edwards.
All rights reserved)