Background
Cotton was born in Newport, Rhode Island, on July 22, 1875.
Cotton was born in Newport, Rhode Island, on July 22, 1875.
He earned a bachelor of arts degree from Harvard College in 1896 and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1900.
In New York, he worked as a prominent lawyer and in 1915 went to Washington to act as an agent and counsel for the government in the acquisition of Alaskan railroads. Cotton was a major policy adviser to Hoover and was appointed as the Under Secretary of State on June 7, 1929 when the latter became President. He served as the acting Secretary of State, and succeeded in maintaining the dominant influence of the United States, when Henry Stimson went to assist as the Chairman of the United States. delegation to the London Naval Conference.
Cotton was admitted at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore from an infection of the spinal cord where surgeons removed a tumor from his spine.
He developed blood-poisoning in his right eye, which had to be removed. He underwent two major operations and succumbed to complications from infections on March 10, 1931.
Mr. Cotton"s passing is a great loss to the Government and to our country.
He was my friend for over 20 years. He has given much of his life to public service and has never refused a demand of the public interest.
His abilities, his character, his devotion to the highest of purposes made him a great citizen.
