The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-16
Protected by George Matthew Adams.
with it is ability, toward success in the banking business.
 A SENTIMENTAL ASSOCIATION

A SENTIMENTAL ASSOCIATION There had been established some years earlier friendship which was warm and sincere between the elder Bacon and J. P. Morgan, ST. This may pos- sibly have been due to the fact that William Bacon for some years was the representative in Boston of the iii- fluential London banking house of Barring Brothers. The association may be traced even farther back, for William Bacon IS understood to have had in his early life most pleasant relations with Junius s Morgan, the father of the late J. P. Morgan.
 Whatever the reason was, warm friend ship was established between MT. Nor gan and MT. Bacon Both of them were men to whom friendship meant the bind- ing of two men together as though with bands of steel.
 Therefore, when William Bacon in casual chat with J. P Morgan said to him. Mr Morgan having inquired how l the son was getting on, that Robert was l not satisfied in Boston, believing that 1 Ifs opportunities were too limited, ana the field for such ability as he had too circumscribed, MT. Morgan in the blunt and brief manner which was character | istic of him said: ''Send him over here; 1 I have A place for him." In that day Robert Bacon was brought into partner ship with J. P. Morgan & Co.,, and, on the other hand, himself brought into the association his fine cultivation, his | irresistible charm of manner, ana an 1 unusual gift for business diplomacy. This combination might have been so l highly developed as to enable Ropert 1 Bacon to become individually financial power His diplomacy was always hon- orable for there was no trlckery or subtlety in it. He was able to use II so as to persuade able men to do things that were of consequence, as TOT ln- stance when he once in this way per- Ieuaded James R. Keene to do something which was of immea surable importance at the time.
 HE WAS NOT MERELY A MONEY I SEEkE FER
 Colonel Bacon must have inherited a considerable fortune from his father. He must also have received a large pro- portionate share of the yearly earnings of J. P. Morgan x Co. These earn |irgs themselves would have been suf- ficient to enable him to accumulate, while he was a Morgan partner a considera- ble fortune, His manner of life was not ostentatious. He lived as a man of his lvocation and of his family surroundings should live, but never with any extrava- gance.
 Therefore it is presumed that when Colonel Bacon retired from the firm of J. P. Morgan X Co.,, he found himself in very comfortable circumstances and he is presumed to have invested wisely A considerable portion of his principal.
 There were however, other things than banking or the swift and tremendous activities that are characteristic of lire in the financial district to which his mind turned. He often thought of pub lie service, not at first seeing his way c,early to entering into unselffsh voca- 1f l. that he accepted President Roosevelt offer of the post of assistant secretary | of state for there is something in dlplo- matic activity and much in our diplomatic history which greatly interested him.
 His brief service as Secretary Of State | to which office President Roosevelt pro- noted him, after Elihu Root resigned SC that he might enter the United States Senate revealed to him the keener ln- terests the intellectual fascination Wnicf real service in that department makes possible and brought him into closer re llations than he had heretofore held witf inc distinguished men of diplomacy wht renresents other governments at Wash lipgton. All of these ambassadors ane ministers found themselves in delightfu Association with him, speaking often o Ihis charm of manner observing that l < was in no way affected, but was inborn
 COLONEL BACON THE MAN
 
 The simple dignity with which he tool the first opportunity to prepare him self, even as private in the ranks for a soldiers life was characteristic O
 Colonel Bacon. He rejoiced that at las
 ouportunity had come to him to giv
 s;ch sevrice for the welfare of hi Icountry, as was possible. As soldie he revealed the quiet dignity, the fin ]s,mplicity, the gentle courtesy and tn lack of self consciousness which hay been characteristic of almost all grea
 soldiers This, however, was the tru duality of the man. He always recog |nized common humanity of all who lived
 ane he was patient, sincere and unaf
 fected, making no pretense to condescen
 sion or patronage when chatting wit
 the humblest laborer so that the tw
 stood, so far as common humanity wa
 concerned, upon equal ground. He wal in the best meaning of the term.
 aristocratic democrat, or. reversing,
 Democratic aristocrat, and to such stand
 ard he believed that ultimately the me
 and women of the world could
 brought.