Fifty Years in Camp and Field, Diary of Major-General Ethan Allen Hitchcock, U.S.A.;: 2
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Ethan Allen Hitchcock was an American diplomat and politician. He served as the 22nd secretary of the Interior under Presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, and ambassador to Russia.
Background
Ethan Allen Hitchcock was born on September 19, 1835 in Mobile, Alabama, United States. He was the son of Henry and Anne (Erwin) Hitchcock, and brother of Henry Hitchcock. Following the financial difficulties and sudden death of his father after the panic of 1837, was taken by his mother to Nashville, Tennessee.
Education
In Nashville Hitchcock received his early education, which was supplemented by study at an academy at New Haven, Connecticut In the late fifties he joined his brother Henry in St. Louis.
Career
In 1860 Hitchcock went to China, entering the commission business of Olyphant & Company at Hong Kong; he became a partner in 1866, and retired six years later, having amassed a fortune. Following several years of travel, Hitchcock returned to St. Louis, where from 1874 to 1897 his career was that of a successful man of affairs in a period of capitalistic enterprise and expansion. He established near St. Louis the first successful American plate-glass manufactory; he had extensive interests in iron and steel, and was a director in other corporations. During the framing of the tariff of 1890 he assisted in the preparation of the glass schedule, at the request of McKinley, with whom he formed a friendship.
In 1897, the President appointed him minister to Russia, with the object of utilizing his experience in advancing the interests of American trade. His creditable service in the diplomatic field was terminated in December 1898, when he was named secretary of the interior. It was his fortune to occupy the secretaryship for a longer period than any of his predecessors and to be a leader in the conservation movement.
Early in 1903, convinced that the government was being systematically robbed of valuable lands and other natural resources, he dismissed the commissioner of the General Land Office and instituted sweeping and relentless investigations which disclosed a far-reaching system of fraud in the administration of the public lands. The great difficulties confronting him in the prosecution of the conspirators were accentuated by the elements of collusion, espionage, bribery, and falsification of the records, as well as by the political influence of many against whom the department was proceeding in civil and in criminal suits. President Roosevelt gave material assistance, however; incompetent and corrupt federal officials were removed, and experts were employed to secure evidence.
In this prosecution Hitchcock proved to be a man of iron will. He was bitterly opposed by Western politicians, who believed that the policies of the administration were designed to retard the development of their section. Pressure was exerted to stop him and unsuccessful appeals made to Roosevelt to ask for his resignation. So extensive were the investigations that 1, 021 persons in twenty states were indicted for land and timber frauds, and convictions numbered 126 when Hitchcock retired in 1907. The secretary was not satisfied with the results. "Efforts made to release it [the public domain] from the grip of its despoilers have met with every embarrassment that human ingenuity could devise, " he wrote. His administrative methods probably made his exacting task more difficult.
During the latter part of his term he developed, and with reason, a suspicious attitude toward many politicians which highly irritated party leaders. Hitchcock fought successfully to preserve for the Indians of the Five Tribes their magnificent inheritance of oil and gas lands, and to prevent selfish corporate interests from acquiring, in violation of the law, valuable mineral rights. He introduced many notable administrative improvements, especially in the procedure for leases, for the limiting of timber cutting, and for the conduct of Indian affairs. Important reclamation projects were initiated under the law of 1902. It seems certain that Roosevelt and Hitchcock were in entire accord in the sweeping executive orders of 1906-1907 which enlarged the forest reserves and withdrew the mineral lands from exploitation. This vigorous policy aroused violent hostility among the anti-conservationists in Congress, led by Senators Carter, Fulton, and Heyburn.
During the last months of Hitchcock's administration, an attack which threatened censure was launched against him, led by a group of Western senators. He maintained his usual silence; praise and blame were to him alike: superfluous and distasteful. In 1903 and in 1905 he had desired to resign but had remained in office at the earnest request of the President. "Feeling that the very exhausting work he had engaged in for over eight years was wearing on him, " he left the cabinet in March 1907. His resignation, it was both alleged and denied, was not unwelcome to Roosevelt. After two years of retirement, Hitchcock died in Washington.
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Politics
By temperament and by conviction a Republican, Hitchcock contributed to the party campaign funds.
Personality
Hitchcock was cold and formal in manner, collected in speech, and utterly impervious to the persuasions and influence of hardheaded men of affairs or of genial politicians.
Connections
Hitchcock married, March 22, 1869, Margaret D. Collier of St. Louis, whose sister was the wife of his brother Henry.