Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-29

wants In his cam-e
pelgn that he w. n. wIIiror
sHopia choose man who has -.
recognition by work for the nub,,o -
NOT Tor himself. In three notable asr,,os.
wneok mas given the people Of Naw
.oFh city and State a taste OF his MAJ.
ae-in putting on the map of eonssrtss s
parts OF the metropolis parks that hay.
fsuuoed the mortality of Manhattan i.
s'ving the city an efficient mail svst.r,
ana IN inaugurating the Public IJtl,,tss
commission, with O series of rata.,-
.nat ofeke the Ice In the fight asains,
me special privileges OF monopoly
out IN the realm Of politioa ~.
choice is excellent in that It is New yor,
ohief OF the pivotal States that has hs,.
hted by Wilcox's work and knows NJ.
best. The fact that ex-Presldent Roosov.,.
mas recognized his ability and character.
naVihg appointed him Postmaster. mt,
| hlm IN sympathy with the Prosrssslya
wing OF the party. And his leadership viii
appeal to all public service men wort,s
Tor the election of Hughes In the arso,
doubtful States of the Middle west a.
the new patriotism is that which begin.
at home-that is, In working first for tho
interests of ones city before seel,ins /.
place In national councils. In this Hurhe,
ana Wilcox have had similar records.
Taught School in Country
Wilcox was born at Smyrna, N. v
IN 1863 He went to the public schoela
OF Smyrna and resolved in spite Of nav.
erty TO get good education, worked his
way at the University of Rochester re.
fusing to allow his parents to give him
financial help that would embarrass them.
He became principal of country school
ana when he had accumulated $500 de.
termined to seek career in New York
city. His friends tried to dissuade him,
he went ahead. He became an instructor
In private school. He also acted as
private tutor and found time, somehow
to read law. Attending afternoon lee.
lures at the Columbia Law School he got
his degree in 1889. In the next decade he 8
won for himself recognition as one of the
best OF the younger New York lawyers
Mayor Low picked him as the oest
man for the Park Department in 1892.
WILCOX found that somehow the poor Of
distribution of parks. Seward Park. in
he heart of the crowded East Side, was
waste, utterly neglected and desolate.
lie turned 1t into a charming centre OF
ecreation, and followed this by estab,
lshing similar Fairgrounds Throughout
he city. The mortality of the city was
'wered, in the opinion Of vital statistics
xperts, chiefly from this spreading Of
ne city's lungs" Graft was eliminated
rom the department, incidentally. Roose.
cit appointed him Postmaster of New
ork city in 1905. His extraordinary
apacity for labor and mastery Of detail
'upd abundant opportunity for exercise.
uring part of the time in which he was
ltting the system on new basis he
orked on an average IS hours day,
cluding Sundays. The 5000 employees
ere stimulated by the knowledge that
ithful service would win promotion and
'erything possible was done to insure
cir comfort. the Postmaster believing
at much OF the success of the servics
pended on their immediate surround
gs and conditions of work.
Hughes Gives Him New Work
His work In the postofice attracted
3 attention of Governor Hughes When
3 Public Utilities Commission law went
% effect he turned TO Wilcox to make
, commission successful In dealing with
} perplsxing problems coming to u for
ution. Wilcox had planned much.
eded vacation; he was going TO Europe
III his wife and young child. but he
Ve up the vacation TO respond 20 ths
appeal. The marriage OF
8 seif-made man was. by the way,
peculiar interest, first, because u had
n supposed he was Q confirmed old
helor-he was ovar 10 when he mar
land second. because the former
ntry schoolmaster and frlsndiess
ms lawyer won the hand Of an heifess.
wife. who was Miss Martha J. Have
yer, was the daughter OF William Fred
* Havemeyer.
ut, though nov beyond the need
work. Mr.. Wilcox threw
self into the most difficuit task OF
lnizing the commission. The history
lis six years ssFyies a. chairman =
ually the history OF the advances
10 in New York IN subway develop
L. In the various rate reforms ana
~ activities that come under tha
lryision and direction Of the commits
Before issuing any orders for lns
soysmsnt Of surface car lines VIE
) commission decided to set to tAs
pm OF the complex conditions soYsfls
this service in New York, and te thls
inAuguratsd the now famous Inter
invsstisatieB. To
disclosed resulted In what nay p
d the most amazing exposure sinss
downfall Of the Tweed rlnE