Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-08-25
A 1000 WORD SKETCH
OF EDWIN DENLY
Secretary of the Navy

~ "oo "llObSh III lAAC
Edwin DENLY was appointed Secre-
tary of the Navy in President Hard
ing's cabinet, that the 100000 odd
bluejackets and marines should,
without quibble, bestow on him that
title of oection among fighting men:
''The Old Man" For ever since his
fifteenth year, when he was lad in
china, Edwin DENLY has lived a life
Picturesque in color and rich in ad-
venture. The only veteran of the
World War in the Cabinet, he has
swabbed decks as COB and done his
trick at kitchen police as leather
neck. Small wonder that rank and
lie acclaimed his appointment.
A youngster in the service of the
Chinese Maritime Customs, a stall
Hart forward on one of Michigan's
crack elevens, a gunner's mate under
FIRE in Cuban waters, member of the
Michigan legislature and then of
Congress, pioneer in the automo-
ollie industry with large financial in
terests when he enlisted in the Ma
cine Corps as a buck private one
week after we had declared war on
Germany. A slim outline that, but
the framework of career that has
made DENLY the most picturesque
Cabinet figure of his generation.
And the ink was barely dry on his
commission as Secretary of the Navy
when he left Washington to sling his
hammock with the fleet and give the
high sign of comradeship to the re-
giments of sea soldiers doing duty
in Haiti and Santo Domingo.
In more sober fashion Edwin Den
by began his career in Evansville,
Ind, on February IS, 1870, the son
of Charles DENLY and Martha Fitch
DENLY. From 1885, for a space of
twelve years, his father served as
Minister to China and there young
DENLY entered the customs service,
working with English fiscal experts
to put the Mandarin Empire on its
feet. He was "a years old when he
entered the law school at Ann Arbor
and his powerful physique won him
place in the line when the Michigan
eleven was on top of the football
heap. He won his degree in 1896
and began the practice of law and
his naval career as apprentice sea-
man in the Michigan naval reserve
the same year.
Fighting the Spanish Dons
Truman Newberry was then in the
reserve and their carers ran along
in an odd parallel for both were ship
mates on hte U. S. S. Yosemite
when that converted FL Rio liner
broke out her Yankee penant in the
spring of 1898. DENLY was then a
gunner's mate third class and New
berry was in the officers mess. Later,
when the spanish dons had had
enough fighting, the gunner's mate
won the nomination for Congress
that Newberry ran for, and now
DENLY is occupying the portfolio that
Newberry later held in Roosevelt's
cabinet.
The Yosemite was no Stacker in
that war, taking part in the blockade
of avanna, destroying a rich Spanish
prize, and covering the landing of
Huntington's battalion of 900 mari
mes from the transport Panther at
Guantanamo, which they held as a
base for SIMPSONS fleet against the
fierce attacks of Spanish troops.
Denby came naturally by his love
for the sea, as relatives of beth his
father and his mother served as
American naval officers.
Denby Enters Politics
With the end of the war, however,
DENLY turned his talents to law and
politics. He was elected to the
Michigan legislature in 1902 and
tnen michigan sent him to Congress
in 1904 for three terms. In Congress
DENLY served on the House Com
mittee on Foreign Relations, where
his familiarity with Far East condi-
tions made him a valuable member
Back in civil life DENLY was at
tracted by the building automobile
industry in Detroit. He was ar
original stockholder in the Hupmo.
bile Company and later its treasurer
and became one of the organizers OF
the DENLY Motor Truck Company
His interests fiourished but he sail
found time to head his law firm anc
to act as President Of the Detroit
Board of Commerce.
ttnlists as a Marine
DENLY had had his share of hare