Evening star., 1943-04-12
Daniel c. Roper Dies at 76
After Illness of Three Months
Ex-Cubinet Member
Long an Active Figure
In Affairs of District

Daniel C. Roper, 76, Secretary of
Commerce from 1888 to 1888 and
former minister to Canada, died last
night at his home, 2700 Tilden street
NV, after an illness of three
months. His death was attributed to
leukemia.
At his beside were his wife, the
former Lou Mckenzie of North
Carolina, and three children, Mrs.
David r. Coker of Hartsville, S. c.;
Mrs. Frank Bohn OF Washington,
and Capt. John w. Roper, U. S. N.
He also Is survived by four other
children, James H. Roper of Los
Angeles, Daniel c. Roper, jr., of
New Orleans; Col. Harry NICK.
Roper, U. S. A., and Pvt. Richard
F. Roper.
Presidential Secretary Stephen T.
Early said today that President
Roosevelt was saddened by the
death of Mr.. Roper and is sending
Mrs. Roper a letter Of coincidence.
Secretary of State Hull sent the
following message of sympathy to
Mrs. Roper:
Mrs. Hull and I extend our heart
felt sympathy to you and to the
members of your family at the
passing Of your distinguished hus-
band, who has been my friend for
more than 80 years. His was a re-
markably full life and exemplified
the highest principles of useful citi-
zenship. He had an outstanding
record as public servant and gave
generously of his splendid talents to
civic and philanthropic under
takings. A man of great spiritual
force. he will be sorely missed in
the life of the community"
Mr.. Roper, who left a Washing
ton law practice to become the first
Secretary Of Commerce in President
Roosevelt's cabinet, was stauch
Democrat and leader of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church. Known as
conservative in the New Deal
administration, Mr.. Roper left the
cabinet on December %. 1888. ex-
planning that personal affairs needed
his attention.
Greeted King and Queen.
His five years as Secretary were
routine years, however, because the
Roosevelt administration was at odds
with the business world. Mr.. Roper
had program for Government
business cooperation, expressed in
the Business Advisory Council, but
it come to little.
On May l, 1939 Mr.. Roosevelt
named him Minister to Canada,
where he greeted the King and
Queen Of England in the name Of
the United States His tour Of
diplomacy was but temporary
assignment. Mr. Roper left the
American Legation at Ottawa in
September of that year, and from
that time until his last illness he
practiced law in he Tower Building.
Mr.. Roper, who always took an
active interest in the civic life of
Washington, was the first president
of the Sixteenth Street Heights
Citizens Association. He was at the
time of his death vice president of
the fSsocia ton of Oldest Inhabitants
and q director of the Federation of
Churches. Mr.. Roper also served as
honorary chairman of the United
China Relief drive and the Russian
War Relief.
Came to Capital in 1897.
Mr.. Roper was born in Marlboro
County, S. c., April l, 1857, the son
of John Wesley and Henrietta v.
Roper. At Is he entered the South
Carolina Legislature, and two years
later, in 1897, he came to Washing
ton as clerk OF the Senate Inter-
state Commerce Committee. 1t was
his first step up the high ladder of
Washington preferment.
He prospered in both Republican
and Democratic administrations.
When Mckinley was President he
became special agent and investi-
gator of the Census Bureau, 1900 to
1910. For three years he was clerk
of the House Ways and Means Com
mittee. The arrival of Woodrow Will
son in the White House meant this
South Carolina Democrats eleva-
ton first to the post of First As
sistant Postmaster General and then
to membership in the new Tariff
Commission.
Next he became commissioner Of
internal revenue. In later years he
had higher titles, but his busiest
and most important days were given
to the commissionership, 1917 to
1920. He supervised the collection
of the special taxes invoked to
finance our World War effort and
he helped design the machinery for
enforcing the prohibition law.
From the year before the arrival of
President Harding at the White
House until 1881 Mr.. Roper prac-
ticed law as the head, first of the
firm of Roper, Hagerman, Hurrey
and Parks and then of Roper, Hur-
rey and Dudley. In 1881 he was
selected for the District Board of
Education. Two years later he
reached the summit of his career,
membership of the cabinet.
In all his appointments to public
offices Mr.. Roper was accounted a
South Carolinian. His manner was
indeed the epitome of Southern
congeniality, but for 43 years his
home really was Washington. He
was popular here for his calm,
friendly manner. Apart from poll
tics, he was a figure In Washington
life.
Wed in 1889.
The Ropers were married Christ
mas Day, 1889, at the Mckenzie
house on cotton plantation out
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