The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-08-22
Nathan l.. Miller Mentioned as
Successor to Judge Ebert GdrA
Called Gear With q Human Side

course of events deviate from the
normal path ever so slightly, the
stock market is apt to respond with
q gyrating succession Of falling price
quotations.
Yet when Judge Ebert H. Gary.
chairman Of the board Of the Unto
States Steel Corporation, died sud
denly, the market remained firm. L.
S. Steel common dropped five eighths
of point; then, before the day was
over, it rallied and even went IN Il
trfle.
There probably are several reasons
why the death Of one Of the nations
leading industrialists failed to dis
turb the market. One Of them. un-
doubtedly, is Judge Nathan l.. Miller.
Judge Miller, it is generally cx-
pccted, will succeed Judge Gary
as arbitcr of the great steel COM
binc. The behavior Of the market
on the day Of Judge Gary's death
gives hint to his character and
reputation.
1 Has Notable Record
Little known TO the public at
large. Judge Miller is both well
and favorably known in the finan-
cial world. He is known AS an able
| corporation lawyer, man who has
played the political game shrewdIy
and hsnorably, financial adviser
| who is eminently safe" and conser-
vativc but who is far from being
! rcactionary.
| His life story is remarkably Ike
that of Judge Gary himself.
Like Judge Gary. Judge Miller was
! born on farm and knew the long.
hard work Of "A farmers boy in his
youth. Like Judge Gary. he left the
farm and turned to the law, starting
as struggling, poorly paid small
town attorney. Like Judge Gary, he
served for "A time on the judicial
| bench of his home state.
Yet the similarity is not complete.
Miller. for example, mixed in poll
tics more than Judge Gary ever did.
| His connection with the steel indus
! try came comparatively late in his
Nathan l.. Miller was born in a
cross roads village in Cortland coun-
| ty. N. Y, in 1863 His boyhood was
spent as the boyhood of most farm
ers' boys Of that generation were
spent-in long days of toll. with no
Injuries. He had the ordinary school
ing Of his day-approximately three
months year-and he had no time
to learn any sport except boxing.
This, it should be stated, was forced
upon him. As boy he was under
sized. and had to learn to defend
himself from the town DULLES. He
learned SO well that by the time
he had reached his teens his asso-
ciates had learned to respect his
abilities.
B>camc Republican
When young Nathan was 16 two
things happened to him; he decided
to enter the law as a profession, and
he became Republican. Born the
son of diehard Democrat, who was
almost ready to fight when Samuel
Tilden was defeated by Rutherford
B. Hayes, the boy was captivated by
the glittering figure of James e.
Blaine, and his admiration led him
into the Republican camp-to his
fathers great disgust He has been
a Republican ever since.
Becoming Republican in a rock
| ribbed Democratic family was easier,
however. than becoming lawyer.
Young Miller had little money; col
lege education was out of the ques
ton. So he became country school
teacher. working in a lawyers office
IN the evenings and painfully digest
ing facts about law in his spare mo-
ments.
! His legal education had progressed
| for perhaps two years when he en-
! tered politics. There was a Republ-
| can county rally, and the speaker of
the occasion failed to arrive. Some
I one suggested to the committee in
I charge that the young school teacher
/ could make good speech. Miller
! was pressed into service, and al
/ though he had scant hour to pre-
pare his remarks he spoke so we'll
that he won regular place for him.
self as campaign speaker.
Married School Teacher
In 1893, when he was rs. he took
his first step upward, winning the
position of county school commission
or. at $1,000 a year. In his tours Of
inspection Of the county's schools he
made the acquaintance Of Miss Eliza
beth Devern, who taught in the Mara
thon Academy. After time Miss
Devern became Mrs. Nathan Miller.
Miller was admitted to the bar
the same. year he became school COM
missioner. In a few years he had
developed his practice so that he was
considered the county's outstanding
attorney. Due to this and his ability
as stump speaker, he became chair
man of the Cortland county Republi-
can committee in 1893. and in 1901
was elected Cortland corporation
counsel. And in 1908. so favGrably
was he known to leaders of the New
York Republican party, he was made
nf IN f1t Tn
preme court.
Judge Miller remained on the
bench for IL years, graduating to
the court Of appeals in 1913. In
1915 he retired to re-enter private
practice, pleading that he could not
support his family-hc had seven
daughters-0n a jurist's salary.
On his resignation he moved ia
, Syracuse, where he became counsel
for large corporation at $50, 900 a
year. In 1920 the Republican party
drafted him for governor. He served
two years, suffering defeat by Al
Smith in 1922. Then he re-entered
private practice. moving to New York
!. city and entering an alliance with
: the steel industry that grew closer
and closer as the years went by.
/ known as Car
Judge Miller has the reputation Of
t being GEAR" Of riding over sug.
' gestions of his subordinates and OF
= insisting on following his own ideas
t regardless Of opposition. Those who
know him best, however, say that
these reports are wrong; that he is q
capable, firm executive but that he
e has markedly human" side, how.
: ever little the general public ma,
. see Of it.
2 And, although he is very conserva
! tive in his views on business ant
politics, he could not be classed 4.
> = reactionary--not, at least. by hi!
e own definition.
~ reactionary," he said, lis ,
2 man living in the mast. 4 man Whs