Paul Morton

Paul Morton

Paul Morton (born May 22, 1857 in Detroit , Michigan , †  February 19, 1911 in New York City ) was an American businessman and politician ( Republican Party ), who served as Minister of the Navy in the cabinet of US President Theodore Roosevelt .

Life

Paul Morton grew up in the Nebraska Territory , where his father Julius held the office of governor ; this later became the US Secretary of Agriculture in the Grover Cleveland Cabinet . Paul Morton's cousin Levi P. Morton was US Vice President under Benjamin Harrison from 1889 to 1993 .

After attending school in Nebraska City , Morton went to Chicago after he was 18 , where he initially worked as a transport driver for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad , a railroad company. He later became president of another railway company, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway .

Public offices

Politically, Morton was initially active in the short-lived National Democratic Party , a split from the conservative wing of the Democratic Party , which was also known as the Gold Democrats . He then joined the Republicans towards the end of the 19th century.

His network work within the party and his merits as a businessman finally led to his appointment as Secretary of the Navy in June 1904. He succeeded William H. Moody , who had switched to the Justice Department in the Roosevelt cabinet , although he had virtually no prior knowledge of naval matters. On December 7, 1904, his appointment was confirmed by the Senate .

His tenure ended quickly after a supranational trade commission commissioned the Justice Department in February 1905 to investigate Morton's illegal activities during his tenure as chairman of the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company . The investigations did not lead to the indictment, but to the resignation of the minister. He resigned his office on July 1, 1905 without much fuss and was able to save face by later becoming vice chairman of the Moody Commission for the reorganization of the Navy , named after his predecessor .

Paul Morton died unexpectedly in New York City at the age of 53.

Web links

• Paul Morton in the Miller Center of Public Affairs of the University of Virginia (English)
• The Political Graveyard