The Commodore added: “That was twenty-five years ago. In the providence of God none of these young men have been called to eternity. I will now read you their names.” And the audience recognized in each man a name famous in the navies of Great Britain, Germany, France, or America.
Now those lads had not merely kept silent. The mastery of self made them victorious over temper, bad habits, and all depraved tastes. They were men in soul as well as in body. Truly, “He that ruleth his spirit is greater than he that taketh a city.”
XXVII
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
At the present time of writing (February, 1903) the President has nominated to the head of the new Department of Commerce and Labor his secretary, George B. Cortelyou, and to be Commissioner of Corporations in that department James R. Garfield, who is a son of President Garfield, and a member of the Civil Service Commission. Of these appointments the New York Times expresses the general opinion of the press of the country:
The former appointment is significant chiefly because the new Secretary is intimately known to the President, and his policy in the department will probably represent the President’s views very closely. It can not in any special sense be regarded as a political appointment. The selection of Mr. Garfield is also conspicuously on the merits of the appointee, who is not an active politician, is an able lawyer, has been prominent and useful in the promotion of municipal reform and of the merit system in Ohio and as a Civil Service Commissioner. He has plenty of energy, a cool head, experience in public affairs, and may be expected to do all that can be done with the powers of his new office, the value of which must depend much on the character of the Commissioner and the support and direction of the Secretary and of the President.
Mr. Cortelyou has been so long engaged in recording other people’s thoughts as a secretary that it remains to be proved whether he possesses any opinions of his own. It is only the confidence of the country in President Roosevelt’s judgment of men whom he has been in a position to judge which prevents a general expression of surprise that our great “captains of industry” have been passed by in the selection of the first occupant of a position destined to be one of the most important in the Cabinet. Mr. Cortelyou, however, may do very well while we are playing at the department, but when we get down to business the portfolio of Commerce will have to be held by hands accustomed to weightier affairs than a stenographer’s note-book.
Mr. Garfield, having been called to deal with the great corporations, is confronted with the greatest problem of the times. He comes to his responsible place a comparatively unknown man. His name carries something of the halo which surrounds the name of his distinguished father, and for that reason he will start with the best wishes of his countrymen.
A feeling, however, prevails that if the government really meant to regulate trusts some heroic figure would have been called, like Joseph W. Folk, the brave circuit attorney, who, single-handed, is yet fighting the corruptionists of St. Louis, or Hovey C. Clark or D. Percy Jones, who sent the vile city conspirators of Minneapolis into prisons or exile, or some great corporation lawyer who has known the trusts from the inside, and now with change of heart could really work from the outside.
We hope for great things from Mr. Garfield. It may be well, like the Greeks, to keep crying, “Let us fight Philip!” whether we do much fighting or not.