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Show DEATH SIMONS FORMERSENATOR William Eaton Chandler, Often Oft-en Called "Father of New U. S. Navy." YEARS IN SENATE Praised by Tillman as One of Ablest Men in Upper House. CONCORD, N. H., Nov. 30, William Eaton, Chandler, who as secretary of the navy in President Arthur's cabinet cabi-net was largely responsible for tho beginning of tho modern United States navy, died at his homo here today. While in Washington last March ' Mr. Chandler was stricken with illness. ! He was able to return to New Hamp-i Hamp-i shire later and spent the summer at his country estate in Waterloo. This) fall he came to his home here where nis neaun sieaany i.muu. Lifetime of Activities In a lifetime of endless political activity ac-tivity and almost continuous controversy, contro-versy, the oue Utile freely accorded by men of all parties to William Eaton Chandler was that of "Father of the New United States navy." As secretary of' the navy under President Arthur, Mr. Chandler, on June 11, 1883, approved ap-proved the plan for the reorganization of the navy which resulted in the development de-velopment of the present fighting fleet In a speech in the senate on January 2G, 1915, Senator Tillman of South Carolina, referring to the reading into the record of a letter from Mr. Chandler Chan-dler regarding the naval bill then pending, said: "Senator Chandler has had a varied experience in naval affairs. He was secretary of themjjMindor President Arthuvvdreally beganHhe, construction, construc-tion, of tho new navy. He was"-on the ,ifaval committee when I first came to Washington in 18!)G, and was at that time one of the ablest men in the senate. sen-ate. Although he has recently entered his eightieth year,- his mind is still alert and vigorous. While he is a republican re-publican and I am a democrat, we havo always been warm personal friends. Necessarily he is better posted post-ed on naval affairs than almost any man in Washington, not excepting even the navy department itself." Praised by Tillman This praise from so prominent a Democrat was peculiarly significant, inasmuch as the Domocrats were very slow to forgive Mr. Chandler for the part he played as a member of the electoral convention in placing Rutherford Ruther-ford B. Hayes in the White House. Democratic revenge was wreaked when the senate, in 18S1, refused to confirm President Garfield's appointment of Mr. Chandler as solicitor general. Born at Concorn, N. H., Dec. 28, 1S35, Mr. Chandler was educated at academies in New Hampshire and Vormont and was graduated from the Harvard Law school at the age of 19. One of his classmates at the law school was Joseph H. Choate He entered politics at once, served three terms in the New Hampshire House of Representatives Repre-sentatives and was elected speaker of the house when but 27 years old. His first entrance into national political affairs af-fairs was as one of the founders of the Republican parly and a supporter of Abraham Lincoln. President Lincoln appointed him solicitor and judge advocate ad-vocate general of the navy in 1865, and three months later he became first assistant as-sistant secretary of the treasury. While secretary of tho navy, Mr. Chandler organized the expedition which, under the command of Captain Winflqld S. Schley, went to the relief of the Greely arctic exploration party. Fourteen Years In Senate Fourteen years of service in the United States senate ended when Mr. Chandler was defeated for renomina-tion renomina-tion in 1901 by Henry E. Burnham. His radical views on railroad legislation, which brought him in opposition to Republican party leaders, were responsible re-sponsible for this defeat. During the remainder of his life -Mr. Chandler made many attacks on what he considered con-sidered the undue Influence exerted by railroads in New England politics. His last federal position was that of president of the Spanish War Claims commission, to which he was named by President McKinley in 1901 and reappointed re-appointed by President Roosevelt. Mr. Chandler's legal talent was displayed dis-played when, as chief counsel, he carried car-ried through many stages in state and federal courts the suits in which H was sought to break the will of Mrs. Mary Baker G. Eddy, founder of the Christian Science church. oo |