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Dear Sir : 
 
 This volume is compiled, printed and 
 distributed during the absence of Hon. Charles S. 
 Francis from this country, and without his knowl 
 edge. Knowing you to be his personal friend, 
 and finding your address in his book of private 
 addresses at The Troy Times office, we take the 
 liberty of sending you this copy of a friendly 
 
 tribute. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 JAMES H. POTTS. 
 W. H. AN DERSON. 
 
CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 A PERSONAL TRIBUTE. 
 
 TROY, N. Y. 
 NINETEEN HUNDRED AND ONE. 
 
STE 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 This volume is dedicated to Hon. Charles S. Francis by 
 the compilers, and is intended only for circulation among 
 his friends. It is a personal tribute. The occasion 
 thereof is the appointment by President McKinley of 
 Mr. Francis to the position of Envoy Extraordinary 
 and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States to 
 Greece, Roumania and Servia, with the demonstration 
 of respect, marvelous in extent and intensity, with which 
 press and people received the appointment. 
 
 The expressions which have been made justify, in our 
 opinion, their collection in a permanent form. We are 
 not at all sure that this work of compilation, performed 
 clandestinely in Mr. Francis absence from this country 
 and without his knowledge and consent, will be approved 
 by him. But we have taken the liberty of friends, and 
 if in so doing we have offended his own feeling of reserve 
 and idea of modesty, we must throw ourselves upon his 
 mercy. Ours be the blame, if any. But we are confident 
 that the host of friends of Mr. Francis will applaud our 
 act, will rejoice that this deserved testimonial to him is 
 now in existence and will assure him that though we 
 may not have pleased him by bringing together this 
 gallery of portraiture drawn by many admiring hands, 
 we have done a service to his friends and have performed 
 what has seemed to be an act of the most manifest justice. 
 
 ~ 107 02 
 
CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 The collection of these testimonials, coming from so 
 many different sources and yet all animated by the same 
 esteem and affection, has been to us a labor of love, for 
 in doing it we have felt that, if only in a slight degree, we 
 have lightened the load of obligation under which many 
 and great deeds of kindness on the part of Mr. Francis 
 have placed us. 
 
 If this dedication is apologetic it is so to him alone, 
 for everyone else will concede that a life so honorable 
 and so deservedly honored should be linked with those 
 words and acts of loyalty, gratitude and affection which 
 are the due of one who has done so much for his country, 
 his state, his county, his city, his employees and all his 
 friends as has Charles S. Francis. 
 
 To prepare such a work as this about one who is in the 
 prime of life and manly vigor is to write only a preface, 
 but we believe that the preface should be written, not 
 only because it is a prophecy of further merit but because 
 it is a record of performance praiseworthy in itself. 
 
 Two HUMBLE FRIENDS. 
 Troy, N. Y., 1901. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 
 
 CHARLES S. FRANCIS. 
 
 A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 
 
 Charles Spencer Francis, who was honored in December, 
 1900, by the appointment by President McKinley to be 
 Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the 
 United States to Greece, Roumania and Servia, was born 
 in Troy, N. Y., June 17, 1853. He is the son of Hon. 
 John M. Francis, the founder of The Troy Daily Times, 
 and Harriet E. Francis. 
 
 Mr. Francis great-grandfather on his father s side was 
 Joseph Stewart of East Haddam, Conn., who served seven 
 enlistments in the American army during the War of 
 the Revolution. He was at West Point when Major 
 Andre, the British spy, was executed. Mr. Francis 
 grandfather, Richard Francis, was an officer in the 
 British navy, but rather than fight against America he 
 relinquished his commission. Later he came to this 
 country from Wales, reaching the United States in 1795. 
 On the maternal side Mr. Francis great-grandfather was 
 Major William Rogers. Major Rogers had command 
 of the American force at Pultneyville, N. Y., in the 
 battle at that place during the War of 1812, when the 
 Americans fought the British who had crossed Lake 
 Ontario from Canada. 
 
 Mr. Francis comes from a race of newspaper men as 
 well as of patriots. His mother s father, Pomeroy 
 Tucker, was editor of the Rochester Union and Advertiser 
 and later for many years was proprietor of the Wayne 
 County Sentinel, published at Palmyra, N. Y. It was 
 while John M. Francis was employed on the Wayne 
 
CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 County Sentinel that he first met his future wife, who 
 was the daughter of Pomeroy Tucker. 
 
 Mr. Francis pursued his juvenile studies at the Troy 
 Academy, and even at that early age his strong physique 
 and abundant energy made him a leader in athletic sports. 
 
 Mr. Francis entered Cornell University under the 
 presidency of Hon. Andrew D. White, now United 
 States Ambassador to Germany, and graduated from 
 that institution in 1877. The interest which he had 
 always maintained in athletics was conspicuous at 
 Cornell. During his stay at the University Mr. Francis 
 was the single scull champion of Cornell, an honor to 
 which his son, John M. Francis, succeeded in 1899. ^ 
 was an event in American college history as well as in 
 the records of Cornell when Mr. Francis in 1876 on 
 Saratoga Lake became the intercollegiate single scull 
 champion of America, the winning time, against a strong 
 field, still standing as the world s intercollegiate record 
 two miles in 13 minutes and 42^4 seconds. 
 
 Before entering Cornell University Mr. Francis had 
 learned the printer s trade in the composing room of The 
 Troy Daily Times. He was taught as a boy to set his 
 first line of type by one who is still, after fifty years of 
 service, an employee of the Troy Times. Desiring to 
 begin at the bottom of the journalistic ladder, Mr. 
 Francis, having already become thoroughly acquainted 
 with the mechanical department of The Times, took up 
 journalistic work after his graduation by accepting the 
 lowest reporter s position on his father s paper. Industry 
 and capacity advanced him step by step until he was city 
 editor. In 1881 he became one of the proprietors of The 
 Troy Times and the general manager of that paper. In 
 1887 he was admitted to equal partnership with his father, 
 and on the death of John M. Francis in 1897 Charles S. 
 Francis attained the position, which he now holds, of sole 
 proprietor and editor-in-chief of The Troy Times. That 
 newspaper has a home of its own in an iron building which 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 
 
 has a frontage of 120 feet on Broadway Troy s principal 
 business street and is owned by Mr. Francis. 
 
 The efficiency of Mr. Francis in public affairs has not 
 been limited to what he has done through the columns 
 of The Troy Times, great as that work has been. By 
 personal efforts and gifts of time and money he has aided 
 greatly in securing the Republican victories, general and 
 local, which of recent years have so highly honored that 
 party and benefited the public. 
 
 When Hon. Frank S. Black became the Republican 
 leader of Rensselaer County and set to work to reform 
 the political life of that county, he had no more energetic 
 lieutenant, closer friend or more loyal supporter than Mr. 
 Francis. The election of Mr. Black to Congress and the 
 change in political control of Rensselaer County were 
 results in which Mr. Francis was earnestly interested and 
 to which he contributed largely. With his accustomed 
 energy Mr. Francis entered actively into the canvass 
 which resulted in the nomination and triumphant election 
 of Mr. Black as Governor of the state of New York. 
 Mr. Francis refused all recognition in the way of 
 official appointment for his services in that campaign, 
 but continued to be Governor Black s most faithful and 
 devoted friend in the journalism of the state. During 
 Governor Black s official term The Times was recognized 
 as a conspicuous exponent of the policies of the state 
 administration. 
 
 Believing that Governor Black s services to the state 
 deserved the honor of renomination, and that such honor 
 would certainly be followed by reelection, Mr. Francis 
 labored hard to have Mr. Black s name head the state 
 ticket in 1898. Although disappointed in attaining that 
 result, Mr. Francis, through The Troy Times and by his 
 personal efforts, went to work with a will for the election 
 of the state ticket, and he rejoiced in the remarkable 
 showing of loyalty made by the Republicans of Rensselaer 
 County. 
 
10 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 Mr. Francis early saw that William McKinley was the 
 logical, inevitable and most desirable candidate for the 
 Republican nomination for President in 1896. The Troy 
 Times was one of the first papers in the country to 
 declare for his nomination, holding that all questions of 
 favor to state candidacies should be laid aside, in order 
 that the united voice of the country might place Mr. 
 McKinley with an irresistible wave of enthusiasm upon 
 a platform opposed to the revolutionary tendencies which 
 had developed in the Democratic party. The Troy Times 
 devoted its best energies toward the support of the 
 candidates of the St. Louis convention, and during all 
 the official term of President McKinley, including as it 
 did the stirring events of foreign war and the vast 
 problems arising out of victory, vigorously defended the 
 policy of the national administration. The Troy Times 
 has never wavered in its defense of the doctrines of 
 Sound Money and Protection of American Industries, 
 to which the Republican party is irrevocably dedicated. 
 
 Hon. John M. Francis was thrice honored by diplomatic 
 appointment first to Greece, then to Portugal and later 
 to Austria-Hungary. During his three years residence 
 at Athens his son, Charles S. Francis, was his private 
 secretary. It was not surprising, then, that when that 
 son succeeded to the journalistic and political position 
 which his father had held, President McKinley saw fit 
 to continue the succession by selecting Mr. Francis for 
 appointment as United States Minister to Greece, just 
 thirty years after his father held the same position. It 
 is believed this is the first instance in the history of the 
 State Department at Washington that father and son 
 have held the same diplomatic mission. 
 
 Mr. Francis has always been active in military and 
 social life, as well as in business affairs. He was for 
 eleven years a member of the staff of Maj. Gen. Joseph B. 
 Carr, Third Division, New York State National Guard. 
 Mr. Francis also served as Colonel and aide-de-camp on 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 11 
 
 the staff of Hon. Alonzo B. Cornell while he was 
 Governor of the state. 
 
 The alumni of Cornell University made Mr. Francis 
 trustee for two successive terms, and he is a director of the 
 United National Bank of Troy, a director of the Albany 
 Trust Company and of the Troy Trust Company, a 
 director of the Troy Chamber of Commerce, Vice 
 President of the American Scenic and Historic 
 Preservation Society, chairman of the Executive 
 Committee of the National Republican Editorial 
 Association and a member of the Zeta Psi college 
 fraternity, the Society of the Sons of the Revolution, 
 the Troy, Pafraets Dael, Laureate, Riverside and other 
 clubs. 
 
 A characteristic illustration of the generous sympathy 
 of Mr. Francis is The Troy Fresh Air Fund, which he 
 established and which his energy has kept in operation. 
 One hot day in the summer of 1887, Mr. Francis 
 determined that he would do what he could to take the 
 children of the poor from the stifling tenements of the 
 alleys and give them a chance to breathe pure air and 
 look upon green fields. That very day he backed an appeal 
 to the public through the columns of the Troy Times with 
 a substantial subscription, and that was the beginning of 
 The Troy Fresh Air Fund, which every summer sends 
 parties of children into the country for a two weeks 
 sojourn at Fresh Air Haven, in Washington County. 
 In the fifteen years that this fund has existed, nearly 
 6,000 children have been the beneficiaries and without 
 distinction of race, color or religion. This charity is 
 very near to Mr. Francis heart. 
 
 The devotion of Mr. Francis to the benevolence just 
 mentioned is typical of his fidelity to his convictions and 
 his loyalty to his personal and political friends. This 
 quality, also characteristic in a marked degree of his 
 father, Hon. John M. Francis, has much to do with the 
 sincere devotion manifested by friends on every hand. 
 
12 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 Mr. Francis and his wife, who before her marriage 
 was Miss Alice Evans of Ithaca, have five children John 
 Morgan, Helen, Harriet, Margaret and Pomeroy T. 
 Francis. John M. Francis has succeeded to his father s 
 aquatic prowess and has even eclipsed the distinguished 
 record made by the latter. The son accompanied his 
 success as a single sculler at Cornell lowering the record 
 on that course 28 seconds by stroking the victorious 
 Cornell Freshman crew at Poughkeepsie in 1899, and 
 this year, under the training of James A. Ten Eyck, won 
 the junior singles at the Harlem regatta Memorial Day, 
 the single sculls at the Syracuse regatta June 14, the 
 intermediate singles at the New England Amateur 
 Association s regatta at Boston July 4 and the senior 
 singles at the Laureate Boat Club s regatta at Troy July 
 8. In winning this last victory Mr. Francis lowered his 
 father s record of 13 136 by covering the same course of 
 two miles with a turn in 13 123 4-5, thus not only reducing 
 by many seconds the record of the course but also 
 escaping by only two seconds excelling the world s record 
 for two miles made by James H. Riley, a professional 
 oarsman, in 1876 13 121 1-2. 
 
 The United States Minister to Greece, Roumania and 
 Servia has entered upon the duties of his office with 
 characteristic energy, for energy and success have been 
 inseparably united in the career of Charles S. Francis. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 13 
 
 DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENT. 
 
 CHARLES S. FRANCIS NOMINATED FOR 
 MINISTER TO GREECE. 
 
 [From the New York Tribune, Dec. 19, 1900.] 
 
 Washington, Dec. 18 The President sent the follow 
 ing nomination to the Senate to-day : 
 
 Charles S. Francis, of New York, to be Envoy Extra 
 ordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia. 
 
 Charles S. Francis was born in Troy, N. Y., where he 
 now lives. He was graduated from Cornell University 
 in 1877. While at college Mr. Francis was prominent in 
 athletics. The beginning of boating interest at Cornell 
 was contemporaneous with his collegiate career. He 
 rowed on class and college crews, and repeatedly won the 
 single scull championship of the university, which his son, 
 John M. Francis, Jr., also won in 1899. In 1876 Mr. 
 Francis won the intercollegiate single scull championship 
 on Saratoga Lake, making the best time on record, which 
 still stands as the world s intercollegiate record two 
 miles in 13 minutes and 42-3-4 seconds. Since his 
 graduation Mr. Francis has been actively interested in 
 the success of boating at Cornell, and by his experience 
 and energy has done much to aid the college crews in 
 the annual intercollegiate contests. One of the rowing 
 organizations at Cornell is named, in his honor, the 
 Francis Boat Club. 
 
14 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 Before matriculation at Cornell Mr. Francis learned 
 the printer s trade in the composing room of "The Troy 
 Daily Times," which was founded by his father, John 
 M. Francis, in 1851. After leaving college he proceeded 
 to qualify himself further for a journalistic career by 
 becoming a reporter on "The Troy Times." Advancing 
 step by step, he acquired a proprietary interest in 1881 
 and became manager of that paper. In 1887 he became 
 an equal partner with his father, and on the death, in 
 1897, of that distinguished and honored journalist and 
 diplomat, succeeded to the editorship of the paper and 
 to the sole ownership of that valuable newspaper and of 
 the Troy Times Building. 
 
 Though Mr. Francis has been actively identified with 
 the Republican party, he has never held office. His 
 personal acquaintance with prominent Republicans of the 
 State of New York and of the entire country is large. 
 "The Times," published in a manufacturing centre, has 
 always been pronounced in its support of Protection and 
 sound money, and was one of the first papers in New 
 York State to advocate the nomination of William 
 McKinley for President in 1896. 
 
 Mr. Francis father, John M. Francis, held three 
 diplomatic missions to Greece, to Portugal and to 
 Austria-Hungary. Charles S. Francis acted as secretary 
 to his father during the latters three years residence at 
 Athens. It is an interesting coincidence that Charles S. 
 Francis, editor and owner of "The Troy Times," should 
 be appointed Minister to Greece by President McKinley 
 just thirty years after his father, John M. Francis, editor 
 and proprietor of "The Troy Times," was appointed 
 Minister to Greece by President Grant, and that father 
 and son should receive their first diplomatic honor at the 
 same age. 
 
 Mr. Francis served for eleven years on the staff of 
 Major General Joseph B. Carr, Third Division, New 
 York State National Guard, and was an officer on the 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 15 
 
 staff of Governor Alonzo B. Cornell. Mr. Francis is an 
 alumnus trustee of Cornell University, having been 
 elected for two successive terms. He is a director of the 
 United National Bank of Troy and of the Albany Trust 
 Company, vice-president of the New York Society for 
 the Preservation of Scenic and Historic Places and 
 Objects, a member of the Zeta Psi college fraternity, the 
 Society of Sons of the American Revolution and several 
 Troy and New York clubs. 
 
 THE NOMINATION CONFIRMED. 
 
 The nomination of Charles S. Francis to be Envoy 
 Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia, which was made by President 
 McKinley December 18, was confirmed by the United 
 States Senate by a unanimous vote December 20. 
 
ACTION BY PUBLIC BODIES. 
 
 A remarkably large number of public organizations took 
 official action on the appointment of Mr. Francis, thus 
 indicating the respect in which he was held and the 
 pleasure with which his selection by President McKinley 
 was received. 
 
 THE COMMON COUNCIL 
 OF TROY. 
 
 At a meeting of the Common Council of Troy, 
 December 27, 1900, Alderman Joseph F. Hogan offered 
 the following resolutions: 
 
 Whereas, The President of the United States has 
 nominated a citizen of Troy, Charles S. Francis, Editor 
 of The Troy Times, to be Envoy Extraordinary and 
 Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece, Roumania and 
 Servia; and 
 
 Whereas, By this appointment our city as well as our 
 distinguished fellow townsman is honored ; therefore 
 be it 
 
 Resolved, That we, as members of the Common 
 Council of Troy, place on record our appreciation of the 
 municipal distinction conferred by this appointment ; and 
 be it further 
 
 Resolved, That we extend to Mr. Francis our official 
 and friendly congratulations as to one who by his 
 personal character and public services has proved himself 
 worthy to represent the people of the United States in 
 a mission which is both useful and honorable ; and 
 
18 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 Resolved, That copies of these resolutions be sent to 
 the President of the United States and to Minister 
 Francis. 
 
 Mr. Hogan said he did not offer these resolutions 
 in a perfunctory way, but because of public conditions 
 existing some thirty years ago. John M. Francis, then 
 editor and proprietor of The Troy Times, was appointed 
 Minister to Greece at the same age as the son, who is now 
 honored by that distinction. Then the Common Council, 
 which was Democratic, passed just such a resolution as 
 the one now offered. While it was an extraordinary 
 coincidence that two citizens should be named from one 
 city to fill such a position, it was unique in political 
 history for a son to be so honored in the filling of a 
 position filled with distinction by the father. Mr. Hogan 
 said the matter was one that was not bounded by politics, 
 but had a wider meaning to the citizens of Troy. It 
 meant that a citizen of the city had been honored. 
 
 Mr. Breckenridge, in seconding the resolutions, said 
 that he felt urged to do so for the reasons that Mr. Hogan 
 had stated. It was a deserved honor conferred on a 
 citizen, and reflected honor on the city. He regarded 
 the resolution not as a party matter, but as a recognition 
 of an honor for which every citizen should feel pleased. 
 The resolutions were unanimously adopted. 
 
 The Troy Times, in commenting December 28 upon 
 the action of the Common Council, said : 
 
 "The unanimous action of the Common Council of 
 Troy last evening, in expressing appreciation of the 
 honor conferred upon the city by the appointment of a 
 citizen of Troy as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister 
 Plenipotentiary to Greece, Roumania and Servia, was 
 graceful. It was a most creditable expression of union of 
 sentiment in the recognition of President McKinley s act 
 in distinguishing this city while making a diplomatic 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 19 
 
 appointment of a representative of the United States 
 in foreign kingdoms. The delicacy of the Common 
 Council s congratulations last evening was enhanced 
 by the fact that the resolutions were offered with a 
 felicitously courteous speech by Alderman Hogan, the 
 spokesman of the Democratic majority, followed with 
 seconding remarks by members of the Republican 
 minority. This merging of partisan divisions in the 
 spirit of civic congratulation is such an incident as adds 
 to the amenities of public life. 
 
 "As was remarked by Alderman Hogan last night, the 
 official congratulation had its prototype, and, singularly 
 enough, the previous occasion was when Hon. John M. 
 Francis, the father of the new Minister, received from 
 President Grant a similar appointment thirty years ago. 
 The coincidence of the circumstances adds to the unique 
 character of the action taken last night by the city s 
 representative board. 
 
 "It will sweeten the recollections of Minister Francis, 
 during his residence abroad, to know that his home city 
 recognizes the distinction coming to him as an honor in 
 which Troy shares, and to remember that the recognition 
 has been expressed with so much of good feeling and 
 cordiality." 
 
 THE RENSSELAER COUNTY 
 SUPERVISORS. 
 
 The Board of Supervisors of Rensselaer County, on 
 motion of Supervisor William V. Donovan of Troy, 
 unanimously adopted the following resolutions : 
 
 Whereas, President McKinley has honored the State 
 of New York and the County of Rensselaer by appointing 
 Hon. Charles S. Francis of Troy to the distinguished 
 
20 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 position of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Pleni 
 potentiary of the United States to Greece, Roumania and 
 Servia ; 
 
 Resolved, That, as official representatives of Rensselaer 
 County, we express our sense of the honor conferred upon 
 this county, and our gratification that the President has 
 chosen for distinction one who is regarded by each of 
 us as a friend, and as a citizen whose character and 
 attainments will make him a worthy representative of the 
 United States Government. 
 
 Resolved, That we congratulate the new Minister that 
 by his appointment he succeeds to the diplomatic position 
 once held by his father, the late Hon. John M. Francis, 
 an honored citizen of Troy and Rensselaer County. 
 
 Resolved, That these resolutions be entered in the 
 Journal of the Board, and that copies be sent to President 
 McKinley and to Minister Francis. 
 
 RENSSELAER COUNTY REPUBLICAN 
 
 COMMITTEE. 
 
 The Republican County Committee of Rensselaer 
 County, on motion of Wesley O. Howard, unanimously 
 adopted the following resolutions: 
 
 Resolved, That the Republican County Committee of 
 Rensselaer County congratulates Hon. Charles S. Francis 
 of The Troy Times, a member of this Committee, on his 
 appointment by President McKinley to the responsible 
 position of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Pleni 
 potentiary from the United States to Greece, Roumania 
 and Servia. 
 
 Resolved, That the appointment is a deserved recog 
 nition of the fidelity and ability of Mr. Francis as a 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 21 
 
 representative of the Republican Party of this county and 
 of the state, and as a worthy successor in journalism and 
 in political life of his father, the late Hon. John M. 
 Francis, who served his country in the same diplomatic 
 position. 
 
 Resolved, That copies of these resolutions be sent to 
 President McKinlev and to Minister Francis. 
 
 THE NEW YORK PRESS 
 ASSOCIATION. 
 
 At the annual convention at Buffalo, June 13, 
 1901, of The New York Press Association, composed of 
 representatives of about 300 newspapers of New York 
 state, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted, 
 on motion of A. O. Bunnell, editor of the Dansville 
 Advertiser, Secreary and Treasurer of the Association 
 and ex-President of the National Editorial Association : 
 
 Whereas, A member of The New York Press 
 Association, Hon. Charles S. Francis of The Troy 
 Times, has been honored by President McKinley by 
 appointment as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister 
 Plenipotentiary of the United States to Greece, Roumania 
 and Servia, succeeding to the position once occupied by 
 his father, the late Hon. John M. Francis, ex-President 
 of this Association; 
 
 Resolved, That we tender our congratulations to Mr. 
 Francis, with the expression of our confidence that he 
 will so discharge the duties of his position as to justify 
 the wisdom of his selection by the President. 
 
 Resolved, That the Secretary be requested to send 
 copies of these resolutions to President McKinley and to 
 Minister Francis. 
 
CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 THE TROY CHAMBER 
 OF COMMERCE. 
 
 At a meeting March 12, 1901, of the Directors of the 
 Chamber of Commerce of Troy, the following resolutions 
 were adopted : 
 
 Whereas, By the appointment of the President of the 
 United States the position of Envoy Extraordinary and 
 Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece, Roumania and Servia 
 has been conferred upon a citizen of Troy and member of 
 the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce of 
 this city; 
 
 Resolved, That the Chamber of Commerce extends 
 its congratulations to Hon. Charles S. Francis, and 
 recognizes the honor conferred upon this city and upon 
 its business community. 
 
 Resolved, That our best wishes will be with Minister 
 Francis for his health and success at his new post of duty 
 and for his safe return to his home and activities among 
 us. 
 
 Resolved, That copies of these resolutions be sent to 
 President McKinley and to Mr. Francis. 
 
 THE COMMERCIAL TRAVELERS 
 ASSOCIATION. 
 
 The Commercial Travelers Association of Troy, at a 
 meeting January 26, 1901, adopted unanimously the 
 following resolutions : 
 
 Whereas, President McKinley has appointed Charles 
 S. Francis, a citizen of Troy and a member of the 
 Commercial Travelers Association, to the honorable 
 position of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister 
 Plenipotentiary to Greece, Roumania and Servia ; and 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 23 
 
 Whereas, Minister Francis, accompanied by the good 
 wishes of the people of Troy and many others throughout 
 the United States, sailed to-day for his new post of duty ; 
 
 Resolved, That we take this occasion to express our 
 sense of the honor that has come to us as an association 
 and to the people of Troy by the appointment of one of 
 our most valued members and one of the city s most 
 prominent and influential residents to a position of such 
 high responsibility and importance. 
 
 Resolved, That we extend our congratulations to 
 Minister Francis and assure him of our best wishes for 
 an agreeable and successful sojourn abroad and for a 
 safe return to a community which respects and admires 
 him for his public services, his business capacity and his 
 genial and sympathetic friendship. 
 
 Resolved, That these resolutions be entered upon the 
 records of this association, and that a copy be sent to 
 Mr. Francis at Athens. 
 
 THE VETERAN BOYS 
 IN BLUE. 
 
 The Veteran Boys in Blue Republican Club, at a 
 meeting January 9, 1901, on motion of Col. J. G. McNutt, 
 Past President, adopted unanimously the following 
 resolution : 
 
 Resolved, That the appointment of our honorary 
 member and comrade, Charles S. Francis, by the. 
 President to be Envoy Extraordinary and Minister 
 Plenipotentiary to Greece, Roumania and Servia is very 
 gratifying to us, and while we extend our congratulations 
 and best wishes to Colonel Francis and wish him success 
 in his new and important field of duty and hope for his 
 safe return upon the completion of those official duties, 
 we also feel that in making the appointment Comrade 
 
24 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 McKinley has not only honored our city and county as 
 well as the appointee, but has made a selection that 
 redounds to the credit of the administration and the 
 Republican party as well. 
 
 Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be sent 
 President William McKinley and Hon. Charles S. 
 Francis, and also furnished the papers of our city for 
 publication. 
 
 POST GRISWOLD, 
 G. A. R. 
 
 At a meeting of Post John A. Griswold, Grand Army 
 of the Republic, January 2, 1901, the following? 
 resolutions were adopted : 
 
 Resolved, That the thanks of this post be extended 
 to President and Comrade William McKinley for the 
 appointment of our associate member, Charles S. Francis, 
 to the important position of Hnvoy Extraordinary and 
 Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States to 
 Greece, Roumania and Servia. This action of the 
 President is particularly gratifying to us, as Mr. Francis 
 has always been a friend of the veterans and a stanch 
 defender of the principles for which they fought. We 
 congratulate Mr. Francis upon his selection for such an 
 important position, and we wish to assure him that our 
 kindest regards go with him to the scene of his duties. 
 May the blessings of heaven attend him and return him 
 to us upon the completion of his official duties. 
 
 Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded 
 to President McKinley and also to our honored associate 
 member, Hon. Charles S. Francis. 
 
 H. S. McLeod, Henry Wheeler and George H. Ennis, 
 a committee from Post Griswold, presented to Mr. 
 Francis a handsome engrossed copy of the resolutions. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 25 
 
 January 21, Hon. A. V. S. Cochrane, Member of 
 Congress representing Rensselaer and Columbia Counties, 
 called at the Executive Mansion at Washington and 
 presented to President McKinley the engrossed resolutions 
 of Post Griswold. The President said he would suitably 
 acknowledge the receipt of the document to the post 
 direct. This he did in the following letter: 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, D. C., Jan. 22, 1901. 
 Mr. John K. Cullin, Commander John A. Griswold Post, 
 
 338, G. A. R., Troy, N. Y. 
 
 My Dear Sir: The President has received the 
 communication of recent date signed by yourself and 
 other members of John A. Griswold Post, No. 338, 
 Department of New York, G. A. R., and requests me to 
 assure you that your cordial allusions to the appointment 
 you mentioned are appreciated. Very truly yours, 
 
 GEORGE B. CORTELYOU, 
 
 Secretary to the President. 
 
 POST TIBBITS, 
 G. A. R. 
 
 At a regular encampment of Post William B. Tibbits, 
 Grand Army of the Republic, January 21, 1901, the 
 following resolutions were unanimously adopted: 
 
 Whereas, A well known citizen has been honored with 
 a high diplomatic mission by the President of the United 
 States; therefore be it 
 
 Resolved, That in the appointment of Charles 
 S. Francis as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister 
 Plenipotentiary to Greece, Roumania and Servia, 
 President McKinley is to be congratulated on the happy 
 and appropriate selection, which is not only an honor 
 
26 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 conferred upon Mr. Francis but also upon the citizens 
 at large. Mr. Francis has always taken a deep interest 
 in the veteran soldier, and his valuable paper and personal 
 efforts have always been at the service of the veteran. 
 The veterans of this city take this opportunity of 
 testifying their high esteem for Mr. Francis. 
 
 Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be 
 transmitted by the Post Adjutant to President McKinley 
 and Hon. Charles S. Francis. 
 
 THE LETTER CARRIERS 
 ASSOCIATION. 
 
 The local association of letter carriers adopted the 
 following : 
 
 Troy, N. Y., Jan. 10, 1901. 
 Hon. Chas. S. Francis, Troy, N. Y. 
 
 Dear Sir: Branch No. 416, National Association of 
 Letter Carriers, in adjourned regular meeting assembled, 
 extends to you a vote of hearty congratulations upon 
 your appointment by President McKinley as Envoy 
 Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia. We are pleased to feel highly 
 honored not only because the President by his wise 
 selection has honored every citizen of Troy, but also 
 because his choice has fallen upon such a warm and 
 sincere friend of the letter carriers of Branch No. 416, 
 whose best wishes for a successful term of office and a 
 happy return to your friends after duties well performed 
 accompany you upon your journey. 
 
 JOSEPH A. DONSBACH, Secretary. 
 FREEMAN P. SPOTTEN, President, 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 
 
 27 
 
 RENSSELAER COUNTY MILKMEN S 
 ASSOCIATION. 
 
 The annual meeting and banquet of the Rensselaer 
 County Milkmen s Association were held Saturday 
 evening, December 29, 1900. At the banquet at the 
 Windsor Hotel Eugene A. Van Pelt of Brunswick 
 referred in a speech to the honor conferred upon Charles 
 S. Francis by the appointment by President McKinley to 
 the position of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister 
 Plenipotentiary to Greece, Roumania and Servia. The 
 congratulations of the Association were unanimously 
 extended to Mr. Francis amid applause. 
 
CONGRATULATED BY TROY JOURNALISTS. 
 
 The journalists of Troy were unanimous in their 
 commendation of the appointment of Mr. Francis and in 
 cordial congratulations to the new appointee. 
 
 The feeling of Mr. Francis assistants in the editorial 
 conduct of The Troy Times were thus expressed in the 
 following editorial article, written and published, during 
 Mr. Francis absence from the city, in The Times of 
 December 18, 1900, under the heading of "The Times 
 Doubly Honored." 
 
 "President McKinley to-day sent to the United States Senate 
 the nomination of Charles S. Francis of this city, editor and 
 proprietor of The Troy Times, to be Envoy Extraordinary and 
 Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece, Roumania and Servia. 
 
 "The announcement comes at a time when Mr. Francis is 
 away from Troy, at the sick bed of a relative. Were he at 
 home he would forbid other mention of the matter than that 
 contained in our telegraphic columns. In his absence those 
 associated with Mr. Francis in labor on The Troy Times think 
 it not inopportune or improper to express what chey know 
 will be the sentiment of all his friends and acquaintances. 
 The honor that has come to him gives them the utmost 
 satisfaction and pleasure as one most worthily bestowed. 
 
 "Mr. Francis has grown up on The Troy Times. In early 
 boyhood and while preparing for college he served as an 
 apprentice in the composing room of this newspaper, learning 
 the mechanical details and fitting himself for the more arduous 
 responsibilities that the future was to bring. After graduating 
 from Cornell University he entered the local department of 
 The Times, being first a reporter and afterwards city editor. 
 Still later he was the business manager, and for many 
 years before the death of his father, Hon. John M. Francis, 
 June 18, 1897, was an equal partner with him in The Times 
 
30 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 proprietorship and in full executive control of The Times and 
 the Times establishment. Since the demise of his father Mr. 
 Francis has been editor and sole owner of The Times. 
 
 "It is a remarkable coincidence that Hon. John M. Francis, 
 the founder of The Troy Times, should have held the same 
 office which his son has now been called to fill. The senior 
 Francis was made Minister to Greece by President Grant in 
 1871, and held the office for three years, resigning in order to 
 return to active journalistic work. The son, succeeding the 
 father as editor and proprietor of The Troy Times, is now 
 chosen to occupy the same exalted post. The double 
 compliment to The Troy Times is, if we mistake not, without 
 parallel, and one in which every one connected with The 
 Times takes profound pride. 
 
 "It is in order to add that nowhere is Charles S. Francis 
 esteemed more highly than in The Troy Times family, 
 of which he is the directing head and master mind. From 
 none will come to him heartier or more sincere congratulations 
 than those extended by his co-workers and associates on this 
 newspaper, which includes men who have known him from 
 his childhood, and whose affection and good will for him have 
 been strengthened by the years of intimate relationship into 
 a regard which cannot be surpassed. 
 
 "Charles S. Francis, keeping before him the noble example 
 of his father in newspaper work and in wise and patriotic 
 public service, has made The Troy Times worthy of its revered 
 founder, and thus given it an influence which is recognized 
 by the double honor conferred upon his journal." 
 
 A TROJAN HONORED. 
 
 (From The Troy Record, Morning Edition, December 19.) 
 
 For the first time in many years Troy is honored by the 
 appointment of one of its citizens to a diplomatic position of 
 dignity and influence. Yesterday the name of Col. Charles S. 
 Francis, proprietor of The Times, was sent to the Senate for 
 confirmation for the position of Minister to Greece, Servia and 
 Roumania, and without doubt, in due course of Senatorial 
 procedure, it will be acted upon favorably. Residents of this 
 section without regard to party will congratulate Mr. Francis 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 31 
 
 upon his enviable recognition. It should be doubly pleasing 
 to him, for it was at Athens that his father, Hon. John M. 
 Francis, passed a considerable portion of his diplomatic career, 
 and it was while the father held that position that the son 
 first became acquainted with the delights of Greece. In going 
 there at this time Mr. Francis therefore will feel that he is 
 among old friends, and so will start his diplomatic labors with 
 a distinct advantage over the ordinary American representative 
 abroad. The appointment is recognition of Mr. Francis 
 earnest efforts in behalf of Republican policies, and also of 
 the consistent party labors of his newspaper. That he may 
 score an immediate success in his field, and thus pave the 
 way for a public career rivaling that of his father, is the 
 sincere wish of a circle which extends far beyond the limits 
 of Troy. 
 
 MINISTER TO GREECE. 
 
 (From The Troy Press, December 19.) 
 
 Whenever a Trojan is honored Troy feels honored, and the 
 appointment of Charles S. Francis, proprietor of The Troy 
 Times, to a distinguished diplomatic post is, therefore, the 
 subject of general gratulation and satisfaction in this 
 community. Besides, peculiar felicity is exhibited in the 
 choice of Mr. Francis for Minister to Greece, as he may be 
 said to have hereditary training and qualification for this 
 commission. His father, John M. Francis, graced this office, 
 and during his residence with his parents in Athens, young 
 Mr. Francis acquired a familiarity with the Grecian people, 
 government, character and language, which will redound 
 markedly to his advantage in the performance of official duties 
 and the observance of social functions. The Troy Times has 
 steadily and strongly supported the McKinley administration 
 and the Republican State organization, and the choice of its 
 chief to go to a foreign court as the representative of our 
 government is undoubtedly a tribute to its loyalty and efficacy. 
 Party differences are forgotten, however, in the unanimity 
 and cordiality with which Trojans join in congratulating Mr. 
 Francis upon his prospective accession to so important a 
 branch of the public service. 
 
32 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 PARTY HONORS. 
 
 (From The Troy Evening Standard, December 19.) 
 
 C. S. Francis of this city has been appointed Minister to 
 Greece and the adjacent principalities. President McKinley 
 could scarcely have found a better man in his party for the 
 post. Colonel Francis father, the late J. M. Francis, held 
 this post, with honor to himself and credit to the country, 
 for several years, and The Standard has no doubt that the son, 
 who had some experience in diplomatic affairs while with his 
 father abroad, will give an equally good account for himself 
 in assuming and sustaining the duties of the office. Differing 
 opinions may make great divisions of partisanship and 
 sometimes cause more or less acrid discussions between 
 newspapers and other public exponents of politics, but The 
 Standard and most liberal people in the community are 
 perfectly willing to see each party, so far as lies within its 
 power, honor the faithful Trojans who have respectively 
 given it their allegiance and active support. 
 
 IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF 
 
 HIS FATHER. 
 (From The Troy Record, Evening Edition, December 19.) 
 
 One of the first Christmas stockings filled is that of 
 Proprietor Francis of The Troy Times, who finds therein a 
 commission to represent the United States diplomatically in 
 Greece, Roumania and Servia. Thus he is enabled to follow 
 in the footsteps of his father in public affairs as well as in 
 journalism, and no doubt, like him, will be a credit to his 
 country, and a most welcome addition to the diplomatic circle 
 at Athens. The field is well known to Mr. Francis, his term 
 as secretary to his father having given him long ago a clear 
 insight into the situation in that part of the world. To him 
 it will be but a return to old scenes, and therefore his labors 
 will bring him special pleasure and gratification. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 33 
 
 CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 
 NEW MINISTER. 
 
 (From The Troy Northern Budget, December 23.) 
 
 Uniting with its contemporaries, the Budget commends the 
 appointment of Col. Charles S. Francis as minister to Greece, 
 Servia and Roumania. It is an excellent honor excellently 
 bestowed. All classes and conditions of our people join in 
 congratulations to the appointee. 
 
 In making this selection, President McKinley pays a 
 graceful tribute to personal merit, to the work done by a 
 very influential newspaper and to the splendid Rensselaer 
 Republican result of November. The honor is therefore 
 shared by the fellow citizens of the new minister. 
 
 Col. Francis is to the manor born. He is a native here 
 and has grown up and lived among us. We all know him, 
 and he knows us all. Active in public affairs, and influential 
 also, a kind and helping neighbor, a resourceful citizen, he has 
 made for himself among his own people an enviable reputation 
 for energy, fidelity and judgment. His neighbors know that 
 he will do equally as well abroad. 
 
 Thirty years ago Col. Francis went to Greece in company 
 with his father, who was then minister to that country. As 
 the inevitable mutations of life and death have made him 
 the successor of his parent in the conduct of The Troy Times, 
 the progress of events now takes Lim abroad in the same 
 capacity and on the same mission that his father went thirty 
 years ago. Viewed in this respect the appointment becomes 
 unique. 
 
 The people of Troy will eagerly watch the success of the 
 new minister in the storied country where the beautiful arts 
 were nurtured, where immortal poetry was made and the 
 poet deified, where learning received its most ancient honors, 
 and where wit and culture were given impresses that the 
 long years have not obliterated. In that sunny land Col. 
 Francis will enter upon and pursue with conscientious vigor 
 a diplomatic career that, in common with all his other friends, 
 the Budget hopes and believes will bring him great honor, and 
 that will of itself suggest his elevation to even more 
 important station. 
 
34 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 THE APPOINTMENT OF 
 MR. FRANCIS. 
 
 (From The Troy Sunday News, December 23.) 
 
 President McKinley s appointment of Charles S. Francis of 
 this city to the responsible post of United States Minister to 
 Greece, Roumania and Servia, was received with the greatest 
 degree of satisfaction by all Trojans. Mr. Francis is a Trojan 
 to the manor born. With but few short periods of absence 
 his life has been spent in his native city. And while his 
 reputation and achievements are not confined to this locality, 
 it is here that he is best known. As a citizen, as a neighbor 
 and as a friend Mr. Francis is universally respected. 
 Succeeding to absolute control of the Troy Times upon the 
 death of his lamented father, Hon, John M. Francis, he has 
 unerringly adhered to the principles by which that great 
 diplomatist, statesman and journalist made the Times such 
 a power in the city, state and nation. Since assuming control 
 of the Times Mr. Francis has increased the prestige and 
 power of the Times as a champion and defender of those 
 policies and principles deemed most advantageous to the 
 people. 
 
 In the two campaigns in which Mr. McKinley was a 
 candidate, Mr. Francis and his paper rendered loyal and 
 effective support to the candidate, and the honor now bestowed 
 is a graceful acknowledgment of faithful and fruitful service. 
 
 It is notable that the mission to which Mr. Francis has been 
 chosen by the President was the first diplomatic post to which 
 his father was assigned. And while the elder Francis was 
 stationed at the Greek capital the new minister acted as his 
 private secretary for several years. During his residence 
 there Mr. Francis became versed in the Greek language, 
 customs and mode of government, thus equipping him for the 
 position which was to be his in after years. 
 
 The new minister is thoroughly fitted in every respect to 
 satisfactorily represent this country in the three missions to 
 which he has been accredited. 
 
 The Sunday News congratulates Mr. Francis upon being the 
 recipient of such a signal mark of President McKinley s 
 confidence and friendship. We wish Mr. Francis the fullest 
 measure of success in his new field of labor. And in doing so 
 we bespeak the sentiment of all our people. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 35 
 
 A TROJAN HONORED. 
 
 (From The Troy Observer, December 23.) 
 
 Again Troy is honored by the elevation of one of its citizens 
 to a position of distinction. It has been deemed well by the 
 people of the Empire state to select for the high position of 
 Governor a Trojan, and a native of this city was cent to the 
 national capital to represent the greatest state in the Union 
 in the United States Senate. Now a Trojan is selected for an 
 important diplomatic position, and the choice is one that is 
 cordially and heartily endorsed by every resident of this city, 
 regardless of politics. In appointing Colonel Charles S. 
 Francis Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to 
 Greece, Roumania and Servia, President McKinley has 
 conferred an honor upon this city which its citizens appreciate. 
 
 Colonel Francis is a citizen who has the confidence and 
 esteem of all the community. He is earnest and aggressive 
 in support of all that makes for the best interests of Troy and 
 its citizens. Ever alert to all that promises advancement for 
 the city in its industrial or commercial branches of activity, 
 he makes known that interest through the columns of his 
 paper, The Times, and in many other ways exerts an 
 influence that is visibly felt in the betterment of civil 
 conditions. So much for Mr. Francis in his capacity as a 
 citizen of the city upon which is reflected the honor conferred 
 upon him by the highest authority in the United States, the 
 President. 
 
 As to Mr. Francis fitness for the position he has been called 
 upon to fill, his residence abroad with his father when the 
 latter was Minister to the same country the son is now to visit 
 in a diplomatic capacity speaks convincingly. He was secre 
 tary to his father, Hon. John M. Francis, and in his intercourse 
 with the people of Greece learned much of their manners, 
 customs and language, a knowledge that will now stand him 
 in good stead. His habits of observation and deduction, 
 fostered by newspaper work in this city under his father s 
 excellent tutelage, made familiarity with diplomatic usages 
 easy of acquirement. He goes to the assumption of his 
 new duties equipped with an experience which makes him 
 peculiarly adapted to the conditions and requirements that 
 will confront him. 
 
 He will carry with him the well wishes of the people of 
 this city, who feel sure that he will reflect honor on the 
 city which rejoices in the honor conferred upon him. Genial 
 and kindly in disposition, frank and open in his intercourse 
 
36 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 with his fellow citizens, democratic in his tastes and loyal 
 in his friendships, Colonel Francis is the kind of a man that 
 Trojans like to see honored, and in that feeling the Observer 
 rejoices in having a share and in being able to express it. 
 That he may achieve the success in diplomatic life that 
 crowned his father s efforts in the service of his country is 
 the earnest wish of the Observer. 
 
 Charles S. Francis, nominated by President McKinley to 
 be Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to 
 Greece, was born in Troy, N. Y., where he now resides. He 
 is the son of the late Hon. John M. Francis, who founded the 
 Troy Times in 1851, and who held the diplomatic missions to 
 Greece, Portugal and Austria-Hungary. 
 
 Mr. Francis graduated from Cornell University in 1877. As 
 a student and as alumnus he has been one of the most 
 prominent members of Cornell University in boating. While 
 at college he repeatedly won the single scull championship 
 of the college, and in 1876 he won the intercollegiate single 
 scull championship at Saratoga Lake, making time which still 
 stands as the world s intercollegiate record two miles in 
 13 minutes and 42 1-2 seconds. 
 
 Mr. Francis, who learned the printer s trade at the case 
 in the composing room of his father s newspaper, was 
 successively reporter, city editor and manager of the Troy 
 Times, in 1881 acquiring a proprietary interest. In 1887 he 
 became an equal partner with his father, and on the latter s 
 death in 1897 he succeeded to the editorial direction and the 
 sole ownership of the Troy Times, and became also sole owner 
 of the Troy Times building. 
 
 The Troy Times has been one of the best known Republican 
 newspapers in New York state, and it was one of the first to 
 advocate the nomination of McKinley in 1896. 
 
 Mr. Francis was secretary to his father during the latter s 
 three years residence at Athens, and is of the same age as 
 his father when the latter thirty years ago was appointed by 
 President Grant Minister to Greece. 
 
 Mr. Francis was an officer on the staff of Governor Alonzo 
 B. Cornell of New York state, and for eleven years on the 
 staff of Major General Carr, Third Division, National Guard 
 of New York state. He is an alumni trustee of Cornell 
 University, vice-president of the New York Society for the 
 Preservation of Scenic and Historic Places and Objects, 
 chairman of the Executive Committee of the National Editorial 
 Association and a member of several New York and Troy 
 clubs. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 37 
 
 (From The Troy Observer, December 30.) 
 
 Thirty years ago the Troy Common Council congratulated 
 Hon. John M. Francis upon his appointment as Minister to 
 Greece. Thirty years later the Troy Common Council extends 
 congratulations to the late Hon. John M. Francis son as 
 Minister to Greece. Strange what events transpire in this 
 grand panorama of life. But it is fitting to remark that the 
 compliments of Troy s Common Council, both in 1870 and in 
 1900, were worthily bestowed, and that its action in both 
 cases meets with the hearty commendation of all Trojans, 
 irrespective of party affiliations. 
 
 THE MANTLE OF HIS 
 FATHER. 
 
 (From The Troy Freie Presse, December 22.) 
 
 President McKinley last Tuesday named Charles S. Francis 
 of Troy as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary 
 to Greece, Roumania and Servia. When we state that we are 
 extremely pleased and gratified that the gentleman named is 
 a Trojan, that is not enough. We desire also to say that the 
 President did a very proper act in naming the right man for 
 the position. Charles S. Francis, the owner of The Troy 
 Daily Times, is a man of the finest calibre, and a polished 
 gentleman well adapted for the diplomatic service. What 
 is still more in his favor for the work assigned to him, is that 
 his sainted father, Hon. John M. Francis, himself filled the 
 diplomatic mission to Greece and other prominent countries. 
 Undoubtedly the son is well fitted and will do honor to the 
 father s memory, and the mantle of the father has fallen upon 
 the son, who with his talents will do much honor to his 
 ancestor. We are sure that Charles S. Francis, who is a 
 talented and successful business man and a man of honor, will 
 at his new post represent the United States in the best way 
 and do much honor to himself and his country. He is the 
 right man in the right place. 
 
 The nomination of Charles S. Francis of this city as 
 Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia, was sent to the United States Senate 
 last Tuesday by the President, and since then has been 
 confirmed by that body. 
 
38 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 Mr. Francis is a real Trojan, born and raised here, and 
 always an active journalist. His father was the late John 
 M. Francis, the founder of The Troy Daily Times, who after 
 an honorable and upright career passed away June 18, 1897. 
 Young Mr. Francis was, during his preparation for college, an 
 assistant in the composing room of the Times, and learned 
 all the mechanical details and made himself in this way fit 
 for the different positions he occupied in later years. He 
 graduated from Cornell University in 1877, and filled the 
 positions of reporter and local and managing editor of the 
 Times. He was then partner of his father until the death 
 of the latter. After that Mr. Francis became the exclusive 
 owner of the Times. 
 
 Charles S. Francis was one of the staff officers of Governor 
 Alonzo B. Cornell of this state, and was many years a member 
 of Major General J. B. Carr s staff of the Third Division, New 
 York State National Guard. He is chairman of the Executive 
 Committee of the National Republican Editorial Association, 
 and a member of many clubs in New York and Troy. Mr. 
 Francis is much respected by the German population of this 
 city, and they are much pleased with his appointment. 
 
 HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF. 
 
 (Troy Correspondence of The Albany Sunday Telegram, 
 December 23.) 
 
 The Sunday Telegram s prediction has been realized. 
 Nearly four years ago, or to be exact, on April 18, 1897, this 
 paper stated that President McKinley would appoint Charles 
 S. Francis of this city to be minister to one of the foreign 
 courts. And this prediction has come to pass, for this week 
 President McKinley sent to the senate for confirmation the 
 appointment of Mr. Francis to be Envoy Extraordinary and 
 Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece, Roumania and Servia. 
 The Sunday Telegram takes no credit to itself for predicting 
 four years in advance of the confirmation the action of the 
 President of the United States in this important matter. Mr. 
 Francis deserves recognition; he is entitled to the honor and 
 being a worthy young man, a native Trojan and a sterling, 
 hard working Republican, the recognition from the chief 
 executive is certainly due him. And being a newspaper man 
 (he is editor and publisher of the Troy Times) the heart of 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 39 
 
 every newspaper man in the city warms towards Minister 
 Francis and congratulations are pouring in from all sides. 
 And of all of the messages of congratulation received by the 
 new appointee, those from his fellow citizens, those from the 
 men in this community who know him best, are esteemed the 
 highest. While some of Mr. Francis fellow citizens may 
 differ with him in politics and in party management, all agree 
 that the honor of the appointment is well bestowed and 
 wisely. Trojans feel honored in thinking that a Trojan has 
 been found worthy to receive the appointment as Minister to 
 Greece and the liveliest satisfaction is expressed. As editor 
 and proprietor of the Troy Times, a strong party organ, Mr. 
 Francis is one of the journalistic leaders of the state, and 
 members of the newspaper fraternity feel proud that President 
 McKinley has gone into the ranks of the working journalists 
 to find a man sufficiently capable and worthy to fill so 
 important an office as minister abroad. A number of years 
 ago Mr. Francis father, the late Hon. John M. Francis, served 
 his country as minister abroad and served it well. That the 
 honor of a foreign berth should come to the son, Hon. Charles 
 S. Francis, seems peculiarly appropriate. And so history 
 repeats itself. The Telegram congratulates Editor Francis, 
 congratulates The Troy Times, and congratulates Troy 
 newspapers in general. 
 
FROM THE PRESS OF THE METROPOLIS 
 
 The journals of New York City gave biographical 
 sketches of Mr. Francis, and editorially commended the 
 appointment. The following are representative extracts: 
 
 A WORLD S RECORD. 
 
 (From The New York Press, December 19.) 
 
 Charles S. Francis, nominated to be Envoy Extraordinary 
 and Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece, was born in Troy, 
 N. Y. He is the son of John M. Francis, who founded the 
 Troy Daily Times in 1851, and who held the diplomatic 
 missions to Greece, Portugal and Austria-Hungary. 
 
 Mr. Francis was graduated from Cornell University in 
 1877. While in college he repeatedly won the single-scull 
 championship of the university, and in 1876 he won the 
 intercollegiate single-scull championship on Saratoga Lake, 
 making time which still stands as the world s intercollegiate 
 record two miles in 13 minutes and 42 3-4 seconds. 
 
 Mr. Francis learned the printer s trade in the composing 
 room of his father s newspaper, and was successively reporter, 
 city editor and manager of The Troy Times. In 1881 he 
 acquired a partnership interest. In 1887 he became an equal 
 partner with his father, and on his father s death in 1897 
 succeeded to the editorial direction and sole ownership of The 
 Troy Times. 
 
 Mr. Francis was secretary to his father while the latter 
 was Minister to Greece, and is of the same age as his 
 father when thirty years ago he was appointed by President 
 Grant Minister to Greece. 
 
 Mr. Francis was an officer on the staff of Governor Alonzo 
 B. Cornell of New York State, and for eleven years on the 
 staff of Major General Carr, Third Division, National Guard 
 of the State of New York. He is Vice-President of the New 
 York Society for the Preservation of Scenic and Historic 
 Places and Objects, Chairman of the Executive Committee of 
 the National Republican Editorial Association and a member 
 of several New York and Troy clubs. 
 
42 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 ADMIRABLY QUALIFIED. 
 
 (From The New York Mail and Express, December 19.) 
 
 There is a degree of fitness in the nomination of Col. Charles 
 S. Francis, editor of The Troy Times, as Minister to Greece, 
 which stamps it as one of the happiest of the President s 
 diplomatic appointments. Colonel Francis is admirably quali 
 fied for the duties of this honorable and important mission. 
 His intellectual attainments are of the highest order, he 
 possesses the character and temperament required in the 
 diplomatic service, and in addition to this equipment, he 
 enjoys the advantage of a liberal acquaintance with Greek 
 affairs, having served as secretary to his father, the late Hon. 
 John M. Francis, during the latter s term as Minister to Greece 
 thirty years ago. 
 
 Charles Spencer Francis, the new Minister to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia, was born in Troy, N. Y. He is the only 
 son of the late John M. Francis, who founded The Troy Times 
 in 1851. Mr. Francis, under his father, acquired a thorough 
 knowledge of the newspaper business. He has been 
 compositor, pressman, stereotyper, reporter, city editor, 
 managing editor and business manager. He has always 
 shown a great liking for athletics and military matters, and 
 served on the staff of Governor Cornell. He is vice-president 
 of the New York Society for the Preservation of Scenic and 
 Historic Places and Objects, chairman of the Executive 
 Committee of the National Republican Editorial Association, 
 and a member of many other clubs and organizations. He is, 
 besides, a Cornell University man, and has always taken a 
 great interest in all matters pertaining to his alma mater, 
 especially rowing. He was a member of a crew in his day, and 
 when Cornell sent a crew to Henley a few years ago Mr. 
 Francis accompanied them. The position to which he has 
 been appointed was formerly filled by his father, who 
 subsequently represented this country at Lisbon and Vienna. 
 
 The new Minister is the editor and proprietor of The Troy 
 Times, succeeding to that position on the death in 1897 of his 
 father, Hon. John M. Francis. It is a curious coincidence that 
 the son is now called upon to fill the same diplomatic position 
 to which his father was appointed by President Grant in 
 1871. The elder Francis held three diplomatic missions to 
 Greece, to Portugal and to Austria-Hungary, resigning a 
 diplomatic career to resume work on the paper he had 
 founded. During the three years residence of the late John 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 43 
 
 M. Francis at Athens the son acted as his father s secretary. 
 There is another coincidence connected with the appointment 
 Mr. Francis is of the same age his father was when called 
 upon to represent the United States as Minister to Greece. 
 It is the first elective or appointive office that he has ever 
 held, though long prominent in the councils of his party. He 
 is a native of Troy, and graduate of Cornell. He won 
 the single-scull championship of the university and the 
 intercollegiate scull championship in 1876 on Saratoga 
 Lake, making a record which still stands as the world s 
 intercollegiate record. The passion for boating has descended 
 to the son, John M. Francis, who in 1899 won the single-scull 
 championship of Cornell, as his father had done more than 
 twenty years before. Mr. Francis is prominent in business, 
 social and club life, and has many important financial interests. 
 His paper was among the first to urge the renomination 
 of President William McKinley, whose election by an 
 overwhelming majority is still talked of. 
 
 AN ARDENT REPUBLICAN 
 WORKER. 
 
 (From The New York Times, December 19.) 
 
 Charles Spencer Francis was born in Troy, N. Y. Mr. 
 Francis as a newspaper man understood every branch of the 
 business. He has been compositor, pressman, stereotyper, 
 reporter, city editor, managing editor and business manager. 
 He has always manifested a great liking for athletics and 
 military matters. He served on the staff of Governor Cornell. 
 He is Vice-President of the New York State Society for the 
 Preservation of Scenic and Historic Places and Objects, 
 Chairman of the Executive Committee of the National 
 Republican Editorial Association, and is a member of many 
 New York and Troy clubs. 
 
 The position to which he has been appointed was formerly 
 filled by his father, who subsequently represented this country 
 at Lisbon and Vienna. He is a stanch friend of ex-Governor 
 F. S. Black, and has been an ardent worker in the Republican 
 cause up the state. 
 
44 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 VICTORIES WON FOR 
 CORNELL. 
 
 (From The New York Sun, December 19.) 
 Charles S. Francis, appointed Minister to Greece, is a native 
 of Troy, where his father, John M. Francis, founded The 
 Troy Times, of which his son is now editor. Mr. Francis 
 entered Cornell with the class of 1876 and in his senior year 
 won the single-scull championship in the intercollegiate 
 regatta, thus capturing for his alma mater the third prize 
 she had won that day, both the varsity and freshman crews 
 having defeated their rivals, including representatives of 
 Harvard, Princeton and Yale. Since his graduation Mr. 
 Francis has always taken a lively interest in aquatics, and 
 to his support are due many of the victories won by Cornell. 
 The post of United States Minister to Greece was held by 
 his father during President Grant s administration. 
 
 AN ADMIRABLE 
 SELECTION. 
 
 (From The New York Tribune, December 19.) 
 The selection of Colonel Charles S. Francis, editor and 
 proprietor of The Troy Times, as Minister to Greece is an 
 admirable one. Mr. Francis is well fitted for the position by 
 training and character. While he has never held any other 
 political office, he has had a wide familiarity with public 
 affairs. Exactly thirty years ago President Grant appointed 
 his father, the late John M. Francis, to the same mission. 
 During the three years the father remained at Athens the son 
 acted as his secretary, thus securing the most valuable 
 acquaintance with the affairs of that post. The reputation 
 which the elder Francis won for successful diplomatic service, 
 not only in Greece, but also as Minister to Portugal and 
 Austria-Hungary, serves itself as an indorsement of the 
 present appointment. 
 
 Colonel Francis has won success and a high reputation in 
 his chosen field of professional work. Extending and 
 enlarging, if not bettering, the scope of his father s journalistic 
 labors, he has made The Troy Times one of the most 
 influential and interesting of the daily newspapers outside of 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 45 
 
 the great cities. The same energy, fidelity to high ideals and 
 devotion to the public interests in his new post of duty will 
 add to the distinction that his father won and strengthen the 
 American diplomatic service. 
 
 (From The Tribune, December 29.) 
 
 Washington, Dec. 28. Charles S. Francis, proprietor of The 
 Troy Times, to-day received from Secretary Hay his 
 commission as Minister to Greece, Roumania and Servia. Mr. 
 Francis received his instructions from the officials of the 
 Department, and will sail for Athens on January 12. He will 
 be accompanied by his family, with the exception of his 
 eldest son, who will remain to complete his course at Cornell. 
 
 A REMARKABLE 
 COINCIDENCE. 
 
 (From The New York Evening Post, December 20.) 
 It is a remarkable coincidence that John M. Francis, the 
 founder of The Troy Times, should have held the same office 
 which his son has now been called to fill. The senior Francis 
 was made Minister to Greece by President Grant in 1871, and 
 held the office for three years, resigning in order to return 
 to active journalistic work. The son, succeeding the father 
 as editor and proprietor of the Times, is now chosen to occupy 
 the same post. 
 
 PERSONA GRATA. 
 
 (From The Resorter.) 
 
 Charles Spencer Francis, the publisher of The Troy Times, 
 recently appointed Minister of the United States to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia, is a traveler. The writer has very 
 pleasant recollections of a trip from Los Angeles to Chicago 
 in the same car with him, and if his popularity at the courts 
 to which he has just been accredited shall be measured by 
 his ability to make friends during a transcontinental trip in a 
 Pullman, it is safe to say that the publisher of The Troy Times 
 will quickly become "persona grata." 
 
46 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 GENUINE AND GENERAL 
 SATISFACTION. 
 
 (From Leslie s Weekly, January 5.) 
 
 The newspapers of the country express genuine and general 
 satisfaction with the recent appointment, by the President, 
 of Colonel Charles S. Francis, editor and owner of the Troy 
 (N. Y.) Times, to be Minister to Greece, Roumania and Servia. 
 Colonel Francis was born in Troy, and was graduated from 
 Cornell University, where he won the single-scull championship 
 on several occasions. While representing Cornell he also 
 won the intercollegiate single-scull championship on Saratoga 
 Lake in 1876, and made a record that still stands unchallenged. 
 His father was the late John M. Francis, who founded The 
 Troy Times in 1851, and who was honored by appointment 
 as Minister to Greece, afterward to Portugal, and finally to 
 Austria. When Colonel Francis, after his graduation from 
 Cornell, entered his father s office he thoroughly mastered 
 every department of the printer s trade and of the editorial 
 profession. On his father s death he became the sole owner 
 of the paper, which is one of the most valuable and influential 
 in the state. He had never sought or held public office, and 
 it is a singular coincidence that he is of the same age as was 
 his father when the latter, thirty years ago, was appointed 
 by President Grant as Minister to Greece. Colonel Francis 
 was secretary to his father while the latter resided in Greece, 
 and speaks the continental languages with great fluency. 
 His military title comes from his appointment on the staff of 
 Governor Cornell. He also served in the National Guard of 
 the state for eleven years, on the staff of the late Major 
 General Carr. He is chairman of the Executive Committee 
 of the National Republican Editorial Association, and is 
 widely recognized as one of the most prominent and successful 
 members of his profession. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 47 
 
 A BLACK REPUBLICAN. 
 
 (From The New York Herald, December 19.) 
 
 Charles S. Francis of Troy, N. Y., whose father was Minister 
 to Austria, was nominated to-day to fill the vacancy caused by 
 Mr. Hardy s transfer. Mr. Francis belongs to "the Black 
 wing" of the Republican party and is editor of a Republican 
 newspaper in Troy. 
 
 AS HIS FATHER HONORED 
 HIS COUNTRY. 
 
 (From The New York Staats Zeitung, December 22.) 
 
 Charles S. Francis, proprietor of The Troy Times, who 
 has been appointed United States Minister to Greece, will 
 honor this country as did his illustrious father and official 
 predecessor. 
 
 Other New York city journals, as well as many others 
 throughout the country that are not quoted in these pages, 
 published biographical sketches and portraits of Mr. Francis. 
 
WHAT NEW YORK STATE PAPERS SAID 
 
 The newspapers of New York State were profuse in 
 their expression of pleasure at the appointment and of 
 well-wishing to the new Minister. From these expressions 
 the following are taken: 
 
 EMINENTLY QUALIFIED. 
 
 (From The Albany Argus, December 20.) 
 The nomination of Charles S. Francis of Troy to be Envoy 
 Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United 
 States to Greece, Roumania and Servia, will be generally 
 applauded. Mr. Francis is eminently qualified to fill that 
 office with intelligence and usefulness, and there is no 
 possible objection to him except his politics. But the present 
 Administration cannot be expected to nominate others than 
 Republicans. As the editor and chief proprietor of The Troy 
 Times, Mr. Francis has won general esteem, and the only 
 regret is that he should think of entering upon a diplomatic 
 career that will take him out of his native land. The mission 
 to Greece probably has a special attraction for him, because 
 it was once held by his father, and we believe Mr. Charles 
 S. Francis was at one time secretary to the legation there, 
 so that he will not be a stranger in Athens. 
 
 FITNESS AND MERIT. 
 
 (From The Albany Journal, December 19.) 
 In nominating Charles S. Francis, proprietor and editor 
 of The Troy Times, to be United States Minister to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia, President McKinley has recognized 
 fitness and merit, News of the appointment of Mr. Francis 
 to one of the diplomatic posts of which his father, the late 
 John M. Francis, was once an incumbent, will gratify the 
 many friends of this worthy American citizen, able newspaper 
 man and stanch Republican. 
 
50 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 THE SOUNDEST JUDGMENT. 
 
 (From The Albany Press-Knickerbocker-Express, December 
 
 19.) 
 
 A Washington dispatch yesterday announced that President 
 McKinley had nominated Mr. Charles S. Francis of Troy, N. Y., 
 Minister to Greece, Roumania and Servia in place of Mr. 
 A. S. Hardy, of New Hampshire, who has been named as 
 Minister to Switzerland. 
 
 This is good news for the friends of Editor Charles S. 
 Francis of the Troy Times, who for some years has been 
 prominent in journalism. The selection of Mr. Francis for 
 one of the responsible foreign appointments in the gift of 
 the President is an appropriate one indeed. Mr. Francis 
 father, the late Hon. John M. Francis, was many years ago 
 Minister to Greece, and during his sojourn in Athens he and 
 his family formed friendships which were only severed by 
 death. It was while editor and proprietor of The Troy Times 
 that the elder Mr. Francis served acceptably and at different 
 periods as Minister to Portugal, Greece and Austria. 
 
 Editor Francis, as the head of an enterprising daily 
 newspaper, has frequently been compelled to exercise caution 
 as well as diplomacy in dealing with affairs and with men. 
 In his official position he will, without doubt, manifest the 
 soundest judgment which has distinguished him in the 
 journalistic world. The Press-Knickerbocker-Express tenders 
 congratulations to Editor Francis and hopes that his sojourn 
 abroad will be as pleasant as a dream of Arcadia. Of one 
 thing we are assured, and that is that the prospective 
 Minister to Greece, Roumania and Servia will always remain 
 a true American. 
 
 AN EXCELLENT APPOINTMENT. 
 
 (From The Albany Times Union, December 19.) 
 Congratulations are extended to Col. Charles S. Francis 
 of The Troy Times on his appointment as Minister to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia. The appointment is an excellent one. 
 Colonel Francis father, the late John M. Francis, filled the 
 office in a most creditable manner, reflecting honor on his 
 country and himself. Colonel Francis will make an equally 
 creditable record. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 51 
 
 GRATIFYING TO THE NEWSPAPER 
 FRATERNITY. 
 
 (From The Buffalo Courier, December 19.) 
 The new Minister to Greece, Roumania and Servia is 
 Charles S. Francis, the popular proprietor of The Troy Times, 
 whose appointment will be very gratifying to the newspaper 
 fraternity of the State. His distinguished father, John M. 
 Francis, began his diplomatic career in Greece from 1871 to 
 1873, and later represented the United States in both Portugal 
 and Austria-Hungary. The son will, no doubt, serve his 
 country as acceptably abroad. 
 
 A MIGHTY GOOD FELLOW. 
 
 (From The Buffalo Express, December 19.) 
 Arthur Sherburne Hardy, the novelist, who was Minister 
 to Greece, Roumania and Servia, has been promoted to the 
 Swiss Mission, and Charles S. Francis of The Troy Times 
 falls into the vacancy. The younger Francis is a mighty 
 good fellow. He belongs to the Black faction in State politics. 
 He is a vigorous, cheery, hustling young American editor. 
 His father, John M. Francis, once held the diplomatic post 
 to which he has now been appointed. 
 
 HONORED BY THE STATE, 
 NATION AND PARTY. 
 
 (From The Buffalo Commercial, December 19.) 
 President McKinley yesterday nominated Mr. Charles S. 
 Francis of Troy to be Minister to Greece, Roumania and 
 Servia. Mr. Francis is the editor and proprietor of The Troy 
 Times, one of the best known, most highly honored and 
 profitable newspapers in the country. The son follows in the 
 footsteps of an honored father, in his day and generation 
 one of the strongest men in the ranks of the Republican 
 party and a man who made an excellent record in several 
 diplomatic positions. There is every reason to believe that 
 the son will do equal credit to the state and nation and the 
 party that thus honors him. 
 
52 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 RECEIVED WITH ENTHUSIASM. 
 
 (From The Buffalo Times, December 19.) 
 The appointment of Charles S. Francis, proprietor of The 
 Troy Times, as Minister to Greece, Roumania and Servia, is 
 one that will be received with much enthusiasm not only in 
 Republican newspaper circles but in others. 
 
 Mr. Francis was one of the founders of athletics at Cornell 
 College, and was also at one time one of the foremost workers 
 in the news-gathering branch of the Associated Press. His 
 father was a veteran newspaper publisher and stood high in 
 the counsels of his party. He filled this same position from 
 1871 to 1873, and later was the representative of this 
 government at Portugal and Austria-Hungary. It is an 
 admirable appointment. 
 
 WELL EQUIPPED. 
 
 (From The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, December 20.) 
 President McKinley has appointed Charles S. Francis, of 
 The Troy Times, Minister to Greece, Roumania and Servia. 
 The union of the three countries for one mission adds the 
 delights of travel to the honors of the post. 
 
 Mr. Francis is well equipped for the service, especially in 
 Greece, as he served for a time as Secretary of Legation in 
 Athens when his father, the late John M. Francis, was 
 Minister in the early seventies. Charles S. Francis was 
 then a student. He succeeded Professor Edward North, who 
 was Secretary of Legation for about a year. 
 
 The service of the elder Francis was most acceptable, and 
 he was popular in the Athenian capital. His son and 
 secretary shared his popularity. We recall that during his 
 stay in Athens Charles S. Francis had an exciting experience 
 during a journey on horseback into the interior. In the 
 early seventies the Greek brigand was much in evidence, and 
 tourists could not safely venture far outside the city without 
 an escort of troops. Mr. Francis ventured somewhat and 
 rode back into Athens in a hurried way. But conditions have 
 changed greatly in thirty years, and it is now safe to travel 
 through Greece without escort. The Greek brigand has been 
 suppressed. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 53 
 
 Mr. Francis returns to Athens in the prime of life and after 
 an experience in politics and journalism that fits him to 
 represent the United States with credit. Our relations with 
 Greece are more important than they were thirty years ago. 
 In recent years there has been a considerable immigration 
 of Greeks to the United States, and during the war with 
 Turkey several hundred returned to the fatherland to take 
 up arms. 
 
 With a taste for travel and the classics, Mr. Francis will 
 find his mission most agreeable. 
 
 WORTHY OF IT. 
 
 (From The Rochester Union-Advertiser, December 19.) 
 President McKinley yesterday appointed Charles S. Francis 
 of The Troy Times Minister at Athens. Envoy Extraordinary 
 and Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece, Roumania and Servia 
 is the title of the office. The Union congratulates Mr. Francis 
 on his preferment. He is worthy of it. It is a matter for 
 mention that his father, the late John M. Francis, who, like 
 himself, was a printer and founded The Troy Times in 1851, 
 after having been editor of the Wayne Sentinel at the 
 neighboring village of Palmyra, was appointed to the same 
 identical diplomatic post by President Grant in 1871, from 
 which he resigned in 1873. 
 
 AN HONOR TO THE 
 REPUBLIC. 
 
 (From The Syracuse Post-Standard December 20.) 
 The appointment of Charles S. Francis, editor and owner 
 of The Troy Times, to be Minister to Greece, Roumania and 
 Servia is a worthy appointment, a fitting recognition, a well 
 earned reward, an honor to the newspaper trade and a 
 guarantee of good service, rolled into one. 
 
 The Troy Times is an honor to New York State journalism, 
 and Mr. Francis in Greece will be an honor to the Republic. 
 
54 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 HEARTILY COMMENDED. 
 
 (From The Syracuse Herald, December 19.) 
 The appointment of Charles S. Francis, editor and owner 
 of The Troy Times, to be Minister to Greece, Roumania and 
 Servia a post once occupied with distinction by his father, 
 the late John M. Francis will heartily be commended by 
 the newspaper fraternity of New York State. Mr. Francis 
 has had a prosperous and busy newspaper career, and we 
 cannot understand why he should be willing to abandon it, 
 even temporarily, to represent the Government in Greece; 
 but as such is his wish, we are glad it is to be satisfied. 
 
 A GRACEFUL RECOGNITION. 
 
 (From The Syracuse Telegram, December 20.) 
 The appointment by President McKinley, with the consent 
 of the Senate, of the Hon. Charles S. Francis, editor and 
 proprietor of The Troy Times, to be Envoy Extraordinary 
 and Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece, Roumania and Servia, 
 is a graceful recognition of the services of Editor Francis to 
 the Republican party. 
 
 It is regarded, moreover, as a remarkable coincidence that 
 the Hon. John M. Francis, the founder of The Troy Times, 
 should have held the same office which his son has now been 
 called to fill. The senior Francis was made Minister to 
 Greece by President Grant in 1871, and held the office for 
 three years, resigning in order to return to active journalistic 
 work. The son, succeeding the father as editor and proprietor 
 of The Troy Times, is now chosen to occupy the same post. 
 The double compliment to The Troy Times is said to be 
 without parallel. 
 
 A PLEASANT SENSATION. 
 
 (From The Utica Observer, December 19.) 
 President McKinley yesterday sprung a pleasant sensation 
 on the newspaper men of the State in nominating Colonel 
 Charles S. Francis of The Troy Times to be Minister to Greece, 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 55 
 
 Roumania and Servia. He is the only son of the late Hon. 
 John M. Francis, and since his father s death in 97 he has 
 been the sole owner and editor of The Times. In Colonel 
 Francis desire to receive the mission to Greece, where his 
 father served thirty years ago, there is the sentiment of 
 loyalty to his father s memory which is attractive. Whether 
 or not the Grecian beauty has declined during the last third 
 of a century, Colonel Francis, surrounded by his family and 
 familiar with scenes where he served as his father s secretary, 
 will feel very much at home in Athens and the surrounding 
 country. It is up to Senators Platt and Depew to say if he can 
 go, and we anticipate no opposition from them. Governor 
 Black will soon be seeing him off on an ocean greyhound. 
 
 A DESIRABLE POST. 
 
 (From The Glens Falls Star, December 19.) 
 President McKinley yesterday sent to the senate the 
 nomination of Charles S. Francis, editor and proprietor of 
 The Troy Times, to be Envoy Extraordinary and Minister 
 Plenipotentiary to Greece, Roumania and Servia. Mr. Francis 
 and The Times are fit subjects for congratulation. The post 
 is a desirable one, and he will doubtless perform the duties 
 with credit to himself and the government which he will 
 represent. The father of Mr. Francis, the late John M. 
 Francis, represented his country in a similar capacity, having 
 been appointed Minister to Greece in 1871. It will thus be 
 seen that the editors of The Troy Times are peculiarly 
 fortunate. Few newspaper men are favored with offices of 
 honor and emolument. 
 
 SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS. 
 
 (From The Binghamton Leader, December 19.) 
 Editor Charles S. Francis of The Troy Times will have the 
 sincere congratulations of the press of the country on his 
 nomination by the President to be Minister to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia. 
 
56 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 BROTHERLY CONGRATULATIONS. 
 
 (From The Binghamton Republican, December 20.) 
 His brethren of the newspaper fraternity congratulate 
 Charles S. Francis of The Troy Times on his appointment 
 as Minister to Greece, Roumania and Servia. It sounds like 
 a triple-headed sort of commission, and the salary may be 
 of the same kind. A man who has made a cheerful success 
 of living in Troy can be happy anywhere, even in Servia or 
 Roumania. Almost all of the brethren have heard of Greece 
 and the Greek Grammar and will be pleased, while Mr. 
 Francis is there to give them the glad hand, to familiarize 
 themselves with Greece and to forget about the Greek 
 Grammar. 
 
 THE FITNESS OF 
 THINGS. 
 
 (From The Kingston Freeman, December 20.) 
 In nominating Charles S. Francis of Troy to be Envoy 
 Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United 
 States to Greece, Roumania and Servia, President McKinley 
 has shown a keen appreciation of the fitness of things. Mr. 
 Francis is peculiarly adapted to the duties of a diplomat, 
 being suave, shrewd and far-seeing. Besides, he has the 
 advantage of speaking both French and modern Greek 
 perfectly, having acted as interpreter years ago to his father, 
 the late John M. Francis, who then held the position to which 
 he will now succeed. It is not the least of Mr. Francis merits 
 that he is the editor of The Troy Times one of the best 
 newspapers in the country. 
 
 HONOR FOR AN 
 EDITOR. 
 
 (From The Rochester Times, December 18.) 
 Charles S. Francis is the editor and publisher of The Troy 
 Times, which was largely influential in the nomination of 
 Governor Black. Mr. Francis is a Cornell man and prominent 
 in connection with Cornell aquatics. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 57 
 
 HEARTY APPROBATION. 
 
 (From The Saratogian, December 19.) 
 Colonel Charles S. Francis, editor and sole owner of The 
 Troy Times, has been nominated by President McKinley as 
 Minister to Greece, Roumania and Servia, and the appointment 
 will be confirmed by the United States Senate. The 
 diplomatic position is a most honorable one and will be ably 
 filled by Colonel Francis, who is to be congratulated upon 
 the enviable recognition he has received. 
 
 It cannot but afford Minister Francis an endless amount of 
 pleasure to realize that he has been chosen for the diplomatic 
 mission which was so ably occupied for several years by his 
 distinguished father, the late Hon. John M. Francis, the 
 founder of The Troy Times. 
 
 The Times, under the personal control and management 
 of Colonel Francis, has performed faithful service for the 
 Republican cause, and this deserved recognition of the work 
 rendered will meet the hearty approbation of the many 
 Saratoga friends of Minister Francis. 
 
 AN UNUSUALLY HAPPY 
 SELECTION. 
 
 (From The Schenectady Union, December 20.) 
 Charles S. Francis, the owner of The Troy Times, has been 
 appointed to the high office of Minister to Greece by President 
 McKinley. The selection made by the Chief Executive is an 
 unusually happy one. Mr. Francis is the possessor of all the 
 qualities that will make him a success in diplomatic life. 
 His ability is unquestioned and he is no novice in court circles. 
 His honored father, John M. Francis, was also Minister to 
 Greece and while occupying that position the son was his 
 secretary. The knowledge he then gained, backed by his 
 ability, will make him one of the administration s most valued 
 foreign representatives. 
 
 To Mr. Francis The Union extends its heartiest congratula 
 tions, and also an assurance that its firm belief that he will be 
 just as successful in his official life as he has been as a 
 newspaper man will most certainly be justified. 
 
58 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 A POPULAR NOMINATION. 
 
 (From The Ithaca News, December 19.) 
 The appointment of Charles S. Francis to be Minister to 
 Greece, Roumania and Servia, which was announced yesterday, 
 is to Ithaca one of the most popular nominations made by 
 President McKinley during his term of office. Though Mr. 
 Francis is not a resident of the city, he has taken such an 
 active interest in the welfare of the University and been so 
 closely indentified with Cornell that a majority of the citizens 
 take as much pride in his appointment as they would if he 
 were a fellow-townsman. 
 
 A peculiar coincidence is the fact that Mr. Francis is 
 exactly the same age as was his father when thirty years ago 
 the latter was appointed by President Grant to the same 
 Ministry. During his father s three years residence at 
 Athens Mr. Francis served as his secretary and thus acquired 
 a knowledge of the office which will be of great help to him 
 in his new capacity. 
 
 Aside from this Mr. Francis is eminently well qualified for 
 the position, and we bespeak for him the same success as 
 Minister as he has deservedly met with throughout his 
 journalistic career. 
 
 ACTIVE IN UNIVERSITY 
 ACTIVITIES. 
 
 All Cornellians were pleased with the announcement made 
 just before Christmas that Colonel Charles S. Francis, 77, 
 had been named by President McKinley as United States 
 Minister to Greece, Roumania and Servia. Colonel Francis 
 will proceed at once to Athens and assume the duties of his 
 position. In this connection a sketch of his life will be of 
 interest. 
 
 Charles S. Francis was born in Troy, N. Y., his present 
 home. He entered Cornell with the class of 73, having 
 previously learned the printer s trade in the office of The 
 Troy Daily Times, which his father, John M. Francis, had 
 founded in 1851. 
 
 During his college course Mr. Francis was very prominent 
 in athletics, and it was at this time that boating began to 
 interest Cornellians. He rowed on his class and college crew 
 and was several times the champion single sculler of the 
 University. In 1876 Mr. Francis won the intercollegiate 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 59 
 
 single-scull championship at Saratoga, establishing the world s 
 intercollegiate record of 13 minutes and 42 3-4 seconds for 
 two miles, which still stands as the intercollegiate record for 
 the distance. Since graduation Mr. Francis has been very 
 active in assisting rowing at Cornell. He distinguished 
 himself in other lines of University activity, being a member 
 of the Glee Club, being on the board of editors of the 
 Cornellian, University champion in both boxing and wrestling, 
 and a member of the Varsity track team. His college course 
 was interrupted by his leaving to become secretary to his 
 father, who was appointed Minister to Greece by President 
 Grant just thirty years ago. 
 
 After leaving college Mr. Francis began his career as a 
 journalist by becoming a reporter for The Troy Daily Times. 
 He advanced rapidly and acquired a proprietary interest and 
 the managership of the paper in 1881. In 1887 he became an 
 equal partner with his father, and on the latter s death in 1897 
 he succeeded to the editorship and sole ownership of that 
 paper. 
 
 Mr. Francis served for eleven years on the staff of Major- 
 General Joseph B. Carr, of the Third Division of the New 
 York State National Guard, and was an officer on the staff 
 of Governor Alonzo B. Cornell. He has been elected an 
 alumnus trustee of the University for two successive terms. 
 Colonel Francis has been entirely successful in his work and 
 has extended and enlarged The Times until he has made it 
 the most influential paper in the state outside of New York 
 City. 
 
 The Times has always been a strong partisan of Protection 
 and sound money, and has secured for Mr. Francis an extensive 
 familiarity with public affairs and a wide acquaintance 
 among the prominent Republicans of the country. Though he 
 has always actively supported the Republican party, Mr. 
 Francis has never held any political office, but his training 
 and his character make him admirably fitted for the position. 
 
 No alumnus is better known to Cornellians, both graduates 
 and undergraduates, and all will watch his ministerial career 
 with interest and confidence in his complete success. 
 
 AN IDEAL CHOICE. 
 
 When President McKinley selected Charles S. Francis for 
 the Greek mission he did not appoint a new or untried man. 
 Mr. Francis is not a recent discovery. He has been one of 
 the leading citizens of the state too long to be rated as among 
 
CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 the hitherto unknown. From his college days, when he won 
 fame for himself and for Cornell with the sculls, to the present 
 time, Mr. Francis has illustrated the virtues of the best 
 citizenship. With an important newspaper in his father s 
 family and the younger man determined to succeed the 
 founder, the late John M. Francis, the son began with a 
 mastery of the printer s trade, and thus came to full authority 
 equipped in a special sense, by mental and mechanical 
 training, for the control and guidance of his newspaper, the 
 Troy Times. 
 
 In the editorial chair Mr. Francis has maintained, and 
 even advanced, the reputation of The Times for courage and 
 ability. He has not been a bolter nor yet a hide-bound 
 partisan. He has stood always for good causes, such as a 
 man might advocate with credit to his ability and good 
 sense. He is finely equipped for diplomatic work at any 
 court, but especially the Greek, since he is familiar with the 
 language of the people to whom he will be accredited, through 
 his residence in Greece as secretary to his father when 
 Minister at Athens. The congratulations of the press of 
 the country will be extended to Mr. Francis with an especially 
 cordial feeling. He honors his profession highly and is 
 everywhere held in honor himself for his shining qualities 
 of mind and character. The President has made an ideal 
 choice of a new Minister for Greece. 
 
 A MODEL REPRESENTATIVE. 
 
 (From The Poughkeepsie Eagle, December 20.) 
 We note with pleasure the honor conferred, mingled with 
 regret that his presence will be missed among the editors 
 here, that Charles S. Francis, of The Troy Times, has been 
 appointed United States Minister to Greece, Roumania and 
 Servia. Mr. Francis is one of the best known and most 
 liked newspaper men in this state, and fully deserves 
 such recognition. What gives the appointment greater 
 appropriateness, also, is the fact that just thirty years ago 
 his father, the late Hon. John M. Francis, was appointed by 
 President Grant to the same mission. The elder Francis 
 made a model representative of American interests abroad, 
 and we doubt not the son will have equal success. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 61 
 
 NEEDED BY CORNELL 
 UNIVERSITY. 
 
 (From The Ithaca Journal, December 19.) 
 It was not with entire satisfaction that we published 
 yesterday the appointment of Charles S. Francis to be United 
 States Minister to Greece, Roumania and Servia. The 
 compliment thus paid by President McKinley to Mr. Francis 
 is a fine one, and deserved. It is not likely that the President 
 meant it as a compliment. He was looking for the right man 
 to put in a diplomatic place that is likely at any time to 
 demand more than usual ability and sound common sense. 
 He found him in Mr. Francis, and all of the friends of the 
 gentleman from Troy, and they are very many, will bear 
 witness to Mr. McKinley s sound judgment. 
 
 We take it for granted that the Senate will confirm the 
 appointment and we fear that Mr. Francis will accept. It 
 is a tempting offer. But is not Mr. Francis needed by Cornell 
 University more than by the United States Government? 
 Since his graduation in 1877 he has taken the deepest interest 
 in the University. Since he has been a trustee his good 
 judgment, executive ability and thorough loyalty to his 
 Alma Mater have been constantly in evidence. What he has 
 done for the athletic interests here is pretty well known; 
 but what he has done in a less public way, his devotion 
 of time and strength, his enthusiastic support of the 
 administration, his broad-minded, progressive attitude on all 
 questions of vital importance, his influence exerted in many 
 effective ways these are not so well known. And so we say 
 the University needs him. But this is perhaps a selfish view 
 to take. Surely the Government needs such men. 
 
 It must be a source of great satisfaction to Mr. Francis 
 that he is to begin his diplomatic career as did his honored 
 father, John M. Francis, who was appointed by President 
 Grant, in 1871, United States Minister to Greece. Perhaps he 
 looks forward to a like career in the service of the 
 Government, and hopes in time to serve in Portugal and in 
 Austria-Hungary, as did his father. He is certainly following 
 in his footsteps by making his newspaper, The Troy Times, 
 a felt power in the city where it is published and in the state. 
 But whatever be his ambitions and hopes we wish for Mr. 
 Charles S. Francis a full measure of enduring success. 
 
62 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 A WORTHY SUCCESSOR. 
 
 (From The Watertown Times, December 20.) 
 Charles S. Francis, editor and proprietor of The Troy Times, 
 has been nominated by President McKinley as Minister to 
 Greece, Roumania and Servia. The appointment will give 
 general satisfaction to newspaper men, who have every 
 confidence in Mr. Francis ability to honor the profession and 
 honor his nation in that post. Mr. Francis is a graduate of 
 Cornell University, and after his graduation entered The Troy 
 Times office, of which his father, the venerated John M. 
 Francis, was proprietor, and worked his way up from the 
 lowest round. It is a pleasant coincidence that his father, 
 Hon. John M. Francis, the founder of The Troy Times, was 
 made Minister to Greece by President Grant in 1871 and held 
 the office for three years, performing its duties with great 
 credit. His son has kept the newspaper up to the ideals of 
 his father and will be a worthy successor to him in this office 
 of national responsibility. 
 
 A POWER FOR 
 GOOD. 
 
 (From The Hudson Republican, December 21.) 
 President McKinley has appointed Charles S. Francis, 
 editor and proprietor of The Troy Times, Minister to Greece. 
 We have had occasions before to commend the selections of 
 the President but never with more pleasure than in the 
 present instance. Mr. Francis will follow in the footsteps 
 of his father, who served as Minister to Greece, Portugal and 
 Austria-Hungary. He himself was his father s secretary at 
 Athens, where he laid the foundation for what we are confident 
 will be a successful mission. 
 
 Mr. Francis has made his paper a power in the battle for 
 good on the social and political field. He will ably represent 
 this country, and The Republican as it extends its congratula 
 tions can wish Charles S. Francis no more successful mission 
 than it does by expressing the hope and the confidence that 
 he will equal the work of his illustrious father, John M. 
 Francis. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 63 
 
 YEARS OF VALUABLE 
 SERVICE. 
 
 (From The Hudson Register, December 20.) 
 The nomination of Charles S. Francis, proprietor and editor 
 of The Troy Times, to be United States Minister to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia, is fitting recognition on the part of 
 President McKinley of years of valuable service to the 
 Republican party. 
 
 Mr. Francis is a son of the late John M. Francis, the 
 founder of The Times probably the most influential of all 
 Republican newspapers in Northern New York. The elder 
 Francis, it will be recalled, once held the diplomatic missions 
 to Greece, Portugal and Austria-Hungary. The present 
 appointee was secretary to his father during the residence of 
 the latter at Athens. He was a member of the military staff 
 of Governor Cornell, and for eleven years served on the staff 
 of Major General Carr, Third Division, National Guard. 
 
 The news of the appointment of Mr. Francis will be 
 received with gratification by his many friends. 
 
 STAUNCH AND 
 STALWART. 
 
 (From The Ballston Journal, December 22.) 
 We extend to Col. Charles S. Francis, editor and proprietor 
 of The Troy Times, congratulations on Ids appointment to 
 the diplomatic position as Minister to Greece, Servia and 
 Roumania. The appointment is a fitting one, as Mr. Francis, 
 by natural ability and training in the broad field of journalism, 
 is eminently qualified to fill with credit to his country and 
 honor to himself the high position to which he has been called 
 by President McKinley. The fact that he will fill a position 
 once held by his father, Hon. John M. Francis, will add largely 
 to the pleasure of the appointment, and his previous experience 
 as Secretary of the Legation, during his father s term, will give 
 him the added pleasure of renewing old acquaintances, if not 
 with the people whom he then knew, at least with the scenes 
 and attractions of ancient Athens, The appointment is a 
 worthy recognition of a staunch Republican and the work of 
 a stalwart Republican journal. 
 
64 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 A LEADING JOURNALIST. 
 
 (From The Ogdensburg Journal, December 22.) 
 President McKinley has appointed Charles S. Francis, editor 
 and proprietor of The Troy Times, to be Minister to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia. Mr. Francis is one of the leading 
 journalists of the State and in going to Greece follows in the 
 footsteps of his honored father, the late John M. Francis, 
 who was Minister to that country in the early seventies. In 
 addition to the training received in journalism and politics, 
 Mr. Francis is fitted for the post by previous residence in 
 the country, having been Secretary of the Legation when his 
 father was Minister. Both were very popular with the 
 Athenians then, and the younger Francis will no doubt serve 
 acceptably both to his home government and that to which 
 he is accredited. The Ministry to Servia and Roumania 
 will add the delights of travel to his other pleasant duties. 
 
 THE PROFESSION RICHLY 
 HONORED. 
 
 (From The Dansville Advertiser, December 20.) 
 Charles S. Francis of The Troy Times was nominated on 
 Tuesday by the President as Minister to Greece. He is a 
 son of the late Hon. John M. Francis, who held the diplomatic 
 missions to Greece, Portugal and Austria-Hungary. An 
 admirable nomination, of which we shall have more to say. 
 
 (From The Dansville Advertiser, December 27.) 
 The Senate on Thursday, December 20, confirmed the 
 nomination of Col. Charles S. Francis, editor and proprietor 
 of The Troy Times, to be Envoy Extraordinary and Minister 
 Plenipotentiary to Greece, Roumania and Servia. It is a 
 remarkable coincidence that the son, succeeding his famous 
 father, Hon. John M. Francis, as editor and proprietor of The 
 Troy Times, should also succeed him as Minister to Greece. 
 The senior Francis, who had also been Minister to Portugal 
 and Austria-Hungary, was made Minister to Greece by 
 President Grant in 1871, and, after three years of faithful 
 service, resigning to resume active journalistic work, which 
 was so dear to his heart and in which he won a national 
 reputation. The son, like the father, is a devoted journalist, 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 65 
 
 and advanced through all the gradations of The Times office 
 to reach the top by individual merit. Mr. Francis is a 
 graduate of Cornell University, winning fame in scholarship 
 and in athletics, and is an alumnus trustee of the university. 
 Active and prominent in military, college, business and 
 social organizations, as well as in newspaperdom, Mr. Francis 
 is admirably fitted for the exalted position in which he 
 has been unanimously confirmed. His newspaper brethren 
 throughout the country, in extending their sincere and hearty 
 congratulations, feel that their profession has been highly 
 honored by this elevation of Mr. Francis. 
 
 ENTIRELY GRATIFYING. 
 
 (From The Amsterdam Democrat, December 19.) 
 The President s nomination of Editor Charles S. Francis 
 to be Minister to Greece, Roumania and Servia, will be 
 entirely gratifying to the editorial fraternity of the state and 
 to his multitude of friends in other interests of life. The 
 father of Mr. Francis, the late John M. Francis, gave most 
 honorable service to his country as Minister to Greece, to 
 Portugal, and later as Minister to Austria, altogether passing 
 a number of years in those countries. During his residence 
 at Athens, his son, Mr. Charles S., had three years of 
 diplomatic experience in the important position of Secretary 
 of the United States Legation. Mr. Francis, therefore, takes 
 up the responsibilities of United States Minister to that 
 interesting country with such advantage as no stranger to it 
 could command. 
 
 WELL FITTED FOR THE 
 DUTIES. 
 
 (From The Auburn Advertiser, December 19.) 
 President McKinley has nominated Charles S. Francis to 
 be Minister to Greece. Mr. Francis is the editor and 
 proprietor of The Troy Times, and his father before him was 
 a Minister to Greece many years. Mr. Francis has spent 
 much of his time there and he is well fitted for the duties of 
 the office. 
 
66 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 A THOROUGH 
 AMERICAN. 
 
 (From The Newburgh Journal, December 19.) 
 On Tuesday the President sent to the senate the nomination 
 of Colonel Charles S. Francis of Troy to be Minister to 
 Greece, Roumania and Servia. Colonel Francis is the well 
 known editor and proprietor of The Troy Times, a widely 
 influential newspaper established by his father, the late John 
 M. Francis. It is noteworthy that the father was appointed 
 in 1871 by President Grant to the same office which his son 
 is now chosen by President McKinley to fill. During the 
 three years residence of the Hon. J. M. Francis at Athens 
 the son acted as his secretary, and therefore will be no 
 stranger to the duties of Minister. By character, education, 
 business training and knowledge of public affairs he is well 
 qualified for the place and will perform its work in a manner 
 creditable to himself and his country. Colonel Francis is a 
 thorough American and will carry American ideas to the 
 capital of Greece. 
 
 THE PRESS HONORED. 
 
 (From The Fort Edward Advertiser, December 20.) 
 Colonel Charles S. Francis, editor and proprietor of The 
 Troy Times, has been appointed by President McKinley to be 
 Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia. The press of New York is honored 
 by this selection. 
 
 AN EDITOR WELL 
 KNOWN. 
 
 (From The Geneva Gazette, December 21.) 
 Charles S. Francis, Esq., the genial editor of The Troy 
 Times, has been appointed Minister to Greece, Roumania and 
 Servia. His father was a distinguished diplomat under the 
 Grant administration. The former is well-known in the field 
 of sports as in the ranks of journalism. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 67 
 
 FOR McKINLEY IN 
 1896. 
 
 (From The Utica Globe, December 22.) 
 Charles S. Francis, a prominent Troy journalist, was recently 
 nominated by President McKinley to be Envoy Extraordinary 
 and Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece. Mr. Francis is a son 
 of John M. Francis, founder of The Troy Times, and who was 
 Minister to Greece under President Grant. The Troy Times 
 has been one of the best-known Republican newspapers in 
 New York State, and it was one of the first to advocate 
 the nomination of McKinley for President in 1896. 
 
 THE BEST OF 
 TRAINING. 
 
 (From The Gloversville Herald, December 19.) 
 An honor worthily bestowed is the nomination of Charles 
 S. Francis of The Troy Times to be Minister to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia. Mr. Francis is the editor of one of the 
 ablest newspapers in the country and the son of one of the 
 most accomplished diplomatists this state has contributed to 
 public life in many years. He has had the best of training 
 for the service he is about to enter, and his friends of the 
 newspaper press, with whom he has a large acquaintance, will 
 vote unanimously for his confirmation. 
 
 WILL HONOR THE 
 POSITION. 
 
 (From The Herkimer and Ilion Citizen, December 25.) 
 Charles S. Francis, editor of The Troy Times, has been 
 appointed Minister to Greece, Roumania and Servia, an 
 honorable position once held by his distinguished father, 
 the late John M. Francis. Charles S. is the likely son of a 
 mighty father and will honor the position. Congratulations 
 from the newspaper fraternity will be cordially extended. 
 
68 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 AN ABLE NEWSPAPER 
 
 MAN. 
 
 (From The Lansingburgh Times, December 22.) 
 The appointment by President McKinley of Charles S. 
 Francis, publisher of The Troy Times, as Minister to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia, is a source of much congratulation 
 among Mr. Francis numerous friends in Lansingburgh. 
 Colonel Francis is an able newspaper man and President 
 McKinley in his appointment has recognized fitness and merit. 
 Colonel Francis father, the late Hon. J. M. Francis, held this 
 post for several years, with honor to himself and credit to 
 the country. 
 
 GRATIFYING NEWS. 
 
 (From The Johnstown Republican, December 18.) 
 The Republican s telegraphic dispatches to-day carry the 
 news of the nomination by President McKinley of Charles S. 
 Francis, editor of The Troy Times, to be Minister to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia. This honor to one of the most 
 distinguished editors of the state will be gratifying news 
 to his hosts of journalistic friends, far and near. It is 
 fitting recognition of long and faithful service in behalf of 
 the Republican party of the state, and the Republican extends 
 congratulations. 
 
 AN EXCEPTIONAL 
 HONOR. 
 
 (From The Cambridge Post, December 21.) 
 The nomination by President McKinley of Charles S. Francis 
 to be Minister to Greece, Roumania and Servia is a fitting 
 tribute to the service of The Times and its editor, and it is 
 an exceptional honor because it carries the mark of heredity. 
 Thirty years ago his father, the late John M. Francis, served 
 in this capacity, and resided at Athens. Mr. Francis was for 
 a few years the secretary of the legation, and will, no uoubt, 
 find it a great pleasure to return to that interesting city and 
 renew some of the acquaintances of those earlier years. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 69 
 
 DISTINGUISHED AND 
 FAITHFUL. 
 
 (From The Sandy Hill Herald, December 20.) 
 The nomination of Col. Charles S. Francis, editor and 
 proprietor of The Troy Times, for Envoy Extraordinary and 
 Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece, Roumania and Servia, has 
 been sent to the Senate by President McKinley. No better 
 selection could be made for this desirable post, and we 
 offer heartiest congratulations to the genial and talented 
 gentleman of The Times. The late Hon. John M. Francis, 
 father of Colonel Francis, represented his country in a similar 
 capacity in 1871, having been appointed Minister to Greece. 
 The Colonel is in every way admirably fitted to perform the 
 duties of this important office, and we rejoice that the 
 government has thus honored a faithful and distinguished 
 member of the profession. 
 
 PERSONAL FRIENDSHIP. 
 
 (From The Port Jefferson Echo, December 22.) 
 The publisher of The Echo has enjoyed Mr. Francis 
 personal friendship for many years and offers his congratula 
 tions to this fitting appointment. 
 
 HEARD WITH 
 PLEASURE. 
 
 (From The Nunda News, December 29.) 
 The appointment of Chas. S. Francis, of The Troy Daily 
 Times, to be Minister to Greece, is heard with pleasure by 
 all the members of the Republican State Editorial Association, 
 who have often met him and known of his ability and many 
 accomplishments. He served as private secretary to his 
 father, the late John M. Francis, when he held the same 
 position, and is therefore somewhat familiar with the duties 
 of the office. The President has made an excellent and fitting 
 choice, and the newspaper fraternity of the state feel honored 
 in the appointment of Mr. Francis. 
 
70 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 ABILITIES OF HIGH 
 ORDER. 
 
 (From The Rensselaer Star-Eagle, December 22.) 
 
 By the appointment of Hon. Charles S. Francis, editor of 
 The Troy Times, to be Envoy Extraordinary and Minister 
 Plenipotentiary to Greece, President McKinley has bestowed 
 the honor upon a gentleman who will wear it with credit 
 to the administration which named him and with honor to 
 the nation he will represent. 
 
 Mr. Francis is the son of the Hon. John M. Francis, who 
 held the diplomatic mission to Greece, Portugal and Austria- 
 Hungary. During his father s residence at Athens, Mr. Francis 
 was his secretary. He is therefore somewhat familiar with 
 the important duties of the position, and he possesses 
 abilities of high order which will rapidly develop in the new 
 field to which he has been called. 
 
 The appointment will be most heartily approved by the 
 Republican party of the State, and it is especially gratifying 
 to the Republicans of this county, where Mr. Francis is so 
 well known and where he has continued and even improved 
 the great and influential newspaper which his father founded 
 half a century ago. 
 
 The Star-Eagle takes great pleasure in congratulating Mr. 
 Francis upon his entrance into the diplomatic service of his 
 country, and we confidently predict for him a proud and 
 honorable career. 
 
 WIDE FAMILIARITY 
 WITH AFFAIRS. 
 
 (From The Malone Farmer, December 26.) 
 President McKinley has appointed Hon. Charles S. Francis 
 of Troy, editor and proprietor of The Troy Times, Minister 
 to Greece. The appointment is an admirable one. Mr. Francis 
 has had a wide familiarity with public affairs. It ought also 
 to be a very acceptable one for him, as his honored father, 
 the founder of his paper, was appointed to the same mission 
 by President Grant just thirty years ago and made a successful 
 record both here and as Minister to Portugal and Austria- 
 Hungary. The present appointee acted as his father s 
 secretary during his three years residence in Greece. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 71 
 
 FATHER AND SON. 
 
 (From The Granville Sentinel, December 21.) 
 The appointment of Charles S. Francis, editor and 
 proprietor of The Troy Times, as United States Minister 
 to Greece, Roumania and Servia, just announced from 
 Washington, will give the greatest satisfaction not only to 
 the Republicans of this state but to the newspaper fraternity 
 generally. Mr. Francis is one of the best known and most 
 popular journalists in the state, and his friends and admirers 
 are without number. Inheriting the control of The Troy 
 Times from that master of newspaper management, his 
 father, Hon. John M. Francis, he has made the paper still 
 better and stronger, if possible, while adhering closely to all 
 the rules of action which the elder Francis established. 
 
 John M. Francis thirty years ago held the same post to 
 which his son is now to be accredited, and Charles S. served 
 as his secretary. The new diplomat is therefore no stranger 
 to Athens in fact, will be thoroughly at home there. 
 Moreover, he has the training, knowledge and character that 
 fit him admirably for the duties that will devolve upon him, 
 and he will be a worthy successor to his father as a Minister, 
 as he has splendidly emulated his example in newspaper 
 work. And this will be the highest praise, in "Charlie" 
 Francis estimation, that anyone can give him, for to follow in 
 the footsteps of his father and along the same line of 
 conduct is his supreme ambition. 
 
 The Sentinel most heartily congratulates not only Mr. 
 Francis but the United States government on this excellent 
 appointment, and is sure that it will be a conspicuous case 
 of "like father like son." 
 
 HIGH AND DESERVED 
 HONOR. 
 
 (From The Cohoes Dispatch, December 19.) 
 The newspaper fraternity, in which Mr. Francis has a wide 
 acquaintance, and many warm personal friends will be greatly 
 pleased to hear of the high and deserved honor that has been 
 conferred upon him, and they will commend the selection 
 of President McKinley for this responsible and honorable 
 post. 
 
72 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 ABLE AND EFFICIENT 
 SERVICE. 
 
 (From The Greenwich Journal, December 26.) 
 The appointment of Charles S. Francis, editor and 
 proprietor of The Troy Times, to the position of Minister 
 to Greece, Roumania and Servia, was sent to the Senate by 
 President McKinley last week. Mr. Francis is to be 
 congratulated upon this deserved recognition. His father, 
 Hon. John M. Francis, held the same post about thirty years 
 ago and his son then acted as his secretary. This experience 
 will be of great value to Mr. Francis, who is sure to render 
 able and efficient service as our representative in Athens. 
 
 HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS. 
 
 (From The Norwich Telegraph, December 22.) 
 The Hon. Charles S. Francis, editor of The Troy Times, has 
 been appointed Minister to Greece, Roumania and Servia. 
 He will receive the hearty congratulations of his brothers of 
 the newspaper fraternity, providing the job is one to his 
 liking. 
 
 FITTED IN EVERY 
 WAY. 
 
 (From The Rensselaer County Standard, December 21.) 
 
 Charles S. Francis, proprietor of The Troy Times, has been 
 appointed Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary 
 to Greece, Roumania and Servia. His father, Hon. John M. 
 Francis, held three diplomatic missions to Greece, to 
 Portugal and to Austria-Hungary. Just thirty years have 
 elapsed since President Grant appointed Mr. Francis father 
 Minister to Greece. In every way Mr. Francis is fitted for 
 the high and honorable position President McKinley has 
 selected him to occupy. In making this appointment the 
 President has honored Mr. Francis, Troy and Rensselaer 
 County. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 73 
 
 MARKED ABILITY. 
 
 (From The Steuben Advocate, December 26.) 
 President McKinley has appointed Charles S. Francis of 
 The Troy Daily Times to be Envoy Extraordinary and 
 Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece, Roumania and Servia. 
 The appointment is a fitting one, as he is a man of marked 
 ability and accomplishments. His father, the late John M. 
 Francis, was a distinguished diplomat under the Grant 
 administration. Mr. Francis is fitted for the position, having 
 served as private secretary to his father while he was 
 Minister to Greece. Mr. Francis has many friends in this 
 section of Steuben county who will be glad to learn of his 
 being honored by this appointment. The Advocate office 
 congratulates Mr. Francis, with the hope that he may have 
 an enjoyable and successful representative term at Athens, 
 the great art city of Greece. 
 
 HANDSOMELY RECOGNIZED. 
 
 (From The Newburgh News, December 19.) 
 C. S. Francis of Troy has been handsomely recognized by 
 the Administration in being appointed Minister to Greece. 
 The father of Mr. Francis was for a long period Minister to 
 Austria. 
 
 WORTHILY BESTOWED. 
 
 (From The Seneca Falls Reveille, December 21.) 
 The President has appointed Charles S. Francis of The 
 Troy Daily Times to be Envoy Extraordinary and Minister 
 Plenipotentiary to Greece. That is a big sounding title, but 
 it is worthily bestowed in this case. Mr. Francis is a young- 
 man of marked ability and many accomplishments. He has 
 some knowledge of the duties of the position, having served 
 as private secretary to his father, the late John M. Francis, 
 while he was Minister to Greece. The newspaper fraternity 
 of the State, who know Mr. Francis so well, will congratulate 
 him upon his appointment. 
 
74 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 AN EDITOR HONORED. 
 
 (From The Warrensburgh News, December 20.) 
 Charles S. Francis, editor and proprietor of The Troy Times, 
 has been appointed by President McKinley to be Envoy 
 Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia. The post is an important and desirable 
 one, and Mr. Francis and The Times are to be congratulated 
 upon the honor conferred. It is a remarkable coincidence 
 that the Hon. John M. Francis, the founder of The Troy 
 Times, should have held the same office which his son has 
 now been called to fill. The senior Francis was made Minister 
 to Greece by President Grant in 1871 and held the office for 
 three years, resigning in order to return to active journalistic 
 work. 
 
 NEWSPAPER MEN 
 GLAD. 
 
 (From The Canandaigua Times, December 19.) 
 Newspaper men the State over are glad to hear of the 
 appointment by President McKinley of Charles S. Francis 
 of Trov to be United States Minister to Greece. Mr. Francis 
 is the editor and proprietor of The Troy Times, and is the 
 son of the late Hon. John M. Francis, who was at one time 
 a resident of Prattsburg, and had relatives in this county. 
 
 EARNEST CONGRATULATIONS. 
 
 (From The Seneca County News, December 25.) 
 The appointment of Charles S. Francis, editor and owner 
 of The Troy Times, to be Minister to Greece, Roumania and 
 Servia a post once occupied with distinction by his father, 
 the late John M. Francis will heartily be commended by 
 the newspaper fraternity of New York State. Mr. Francis 
 is well fitted for the place, and we earnestly congratulate 
 him. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 75 
 
 A CREDITABLE 
 RECORD. 
 
 (From The Plattsburgh Press, December 21.) 
 Congratulations are extended to Col. Charles S. Francis of 
 The Troy Times on his appointment as Minister to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia. The appointment is an excellent one. 
 Colonel Francis father, the late John M. Francis, filled the 
 office in a most creditable manner, reflecting honor on his 
 country and himself. Colonel Francis will make an equally 
 creditable record. 
 
 FILIAL FIDELITY. 
 
 (From The Corning Democrat, December 19.) 
 Yesterday Hon. Charles S. Francis of The Troy Daily 
 Times was appointed by the President Minister to Greece. 
 Mr. Francis has many friends and relatives in northern 
 Steuben who will be interested in this announcement. His 
 father, the late Hon. John M. Francis, was a resident of 
 Prattsburg before his removal to Troy and establishment of 
 The Times, and the younger Francis visits the old scenes in 
 Steuben once or twice a year. The elder Francis was 
 appointed to the same position when he was the same years 
 as his son. He appears to an "illustrious son of a noble sire." 
 
 HONORS AND 
 DIGNITY. 
 
 (From The Hornellsville Tribune, December 19.) 
 Charles S. Francis, of Tne Troy Times, who has been named 
 by President McKinley as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister 
 Plenipotentiary to Greece, receives a deserved honor as a son 
 of a distinguished sire. The elder Francis distinguished 
 himself in that position, and the son is equally capable. We 
 trust that he may enjoy the honors and dignity of the 
 exalted position in the land of mythology, fact and fable. 
 
CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 STATE AND PRESS 
 HONORED. 
 
 (From The Hornellsville Times, December 20.) 
 New York State and generally the newspaper press are 
 honored in the appointment of Charles S. Francis of The 
 Troy Times to be Minister to Greece. The father of Mr. 
 Francis, who, by the way, was once a resident of Prattsburgli 
 in this county, held the same diplomatic position under the 
 administration of President Grant. 
 
 THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED. 
 
 (From The Valatie Rough Notes, December 21.) 
 Editor Charles S. Francis of The Troy Times has been 
 appointed Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary 
 to Greece, an office once held by his father. He is thoroughly 
 equipped for the place. It is an excellent appointment. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 77 
 
 FROM OTHER STATES. 
 
 The press of other states have had many appreciative 
 references to the appointment of Mr. Francis to represent 
 the United States in Greece, Roumania and Servia. The 
 following extracts illustrate the spirit of the articles: 
 
 AN UNPRECEDENTED HONOR. 
 
 (From The Scranton, Pa., Tribune, December 20.) 
 An executive nomination peculiarly agreeable to the 
 newspaper fraternity has just been made in the appointment 
 of Charles S. Francis, editor and proprietor of the Troy, N. Y., 
 Times, as United States Minister to Greece. Roumania and 
 Servia. Twenty-nine years ago President Grant conferred 
 the same honor upon Mr. Francis father, the late John M. 
 Francis, founder and for well-nigh half a century editor of 
 The Troy Times. The senior Francis, who afterwards served 
 his country with distinguished ability as Minister to Portugal 
 and later as Minister to Austria, took with him to Athens to 
 serve as his secretary the son, who now is to return to the 
 court of Greece in the capacity which his father fulfilled 
 nearly a generation earlier. This double honor is without 
 precedent in the American diplomatic service, but that it is 
 thoroughly deserved, both by the personal merit of the two 
 recipients and by the influential and progressive journal which 
 they each in turn have owned and directed with such 
 conspicuous ability and success, will be freely conceded by 
 all who are familiar with the facts. The new Minister to 
 Greece is a man of exceptional energy, influence and public 
 spirit. Whatever he undertakes he carries through, and 
 pauses only when its success is established commaudingly. 
 He will make an indefatigable representative of American 
 interests in the countries to which he is accredited, and it is 
 safe to predict that this mission will be only the beginning 
 of a series of assignments, each representing a well-won 
 advance in honor and responsibility upon its predecessor. 
 
78 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 ONE OF THE BEST 
 PRODUCTS. 
 
 (From The Philadelphia, Pa., Press, December 21.) 
 The nomination of Mr. Charles S. Francis, editor of the 
 Troy, N. Y., "Times," as Minister to Greece, Roumania and 
 Servia, which President McKinley sent to the Senate on 
 Tuesday, will be recognized as one of the fittest foreign 
 appointments the present administration has made. Mr. 
 Francis is one of the best products of journalism. He was 
 born into the profession, and succeeded to the editorship of 
 the paper founded by his father at the death of the latter a 
 few years ago. He was graduated from Cornell University 
 and has been one of the most earnest supporters of 
 intercollegiate athletics among the alumni of that University. 
 It is a singular coincidence that Mr. Francis father, the late 
 John M. Francis, was appointed to the Greek Embassy by 
 President Grant in 1871 and filled that post for several years. 
 The son will undoubtedly reflect as much honor on the 
 position as his father did a generation ago. 
 
 NOTED FOR HIS INTEREST IN 
 AQUATICS. 
 
 (From The Philadelphia, Pa., Ledger, December 19.) 
 Charles S. Francis, appointed Minister to Greece to-day, 
 will fill the position long held by his father, the late John 
 M. Francis. The son having succeeded his father as editor 
 of The Troy Times, is now to succeed him as Minister. He 
 is a graduate of Cornell, and is noted for the interest he has 
 long taken in aquatics. When an undergraduate at Cornell 
 he won the single scull championship in the intercollegiate 
 regatta. 
 
 A TRAINED JOURNALIST. 
 
 (From The Boston, Mass., Herald, December 20.) 
 Editor Francis of The Troy Times, who has just been 
 appointed Minister to Greece, is a thoroughly trained 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 79 
 
 journalist, if there ever was one. He has been compositor, 
 pressman, stereotyper, reporter, city editor, managing editor 
 and business manager of the newspaper which his father 
 established fifty years ago. It is a rather interesting 
 circumstance that his father was just thirty years ago 
 appointed by President Grant to the same mission to which 
 the son has now been appointed. 
 
 AN ORIGINAL McKINLEY 
 
 MAN. 
 
 (From The Springfield, Mass., Republican, December 20.) 
 The new Minister to Greece, Charles S. Francis, editor 
 and proprietor of The Troy Times, is going to a country 
 which he already knows something about by his three-years 
 residence in Athens as his father s private secretary, when 
 John M. Francis held the place of Minister by President 
 Grant s appointment thirty years ago. Mr. Francis was then 
 a mere youth; afterwards he became a noted oarsman at 
 Cornell, where he was graduated in 1877, and he succeeded 
 his father in ownership and control of The Troy Times. 
 Moreover, he was one of the original McKinley men in 1896. 
 and at length has his reward. 
 
 A POPULAR APPOINTMENT. 
 
 (From The Washington, D. C., Post, December 29.) 
 "I was at the State Department to-day to get my commission 
 as envoy to Greece, Roumania, and Servia, and was quite 
 surprised to find that many of the officials there knew my 
 father, who served in the same position thirty years ago," 
 said Mr. Charles S. Francis, proprietor of The Troy, N. Y., 
 Times, last evening at the Raleigh. "I have little ambition 
 to hold public office further than the sentiment that attaches 
 to occupying the same position in the public service that 
 my father had before me. I was with him in Europe during 
 his diplomatic service as his secretary." 
 
 Mr, Francis has been an active factor in New York politics, 
 and his appointment is a popular one in the Empire State. 
 
80 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 A GOOD ONE. 
 
 (From The Adams, Mass., Freeman, December 20.) 
 Charles S. Francis, editor of The Troy Times, has been 
 nominated as Minister to Greece, Roumania and Servia. The 
 appointment is a good one and somewhat peculiar in that 
 Hon. John M. Francis, father of the new appointee, held the 
 same position in 1871. 
 
 UNDER GRANT S ADMINISTRATION. 
 
 (From The Boston, Mass., Journal, December 28.) 
 Charles Spencer Francis, editor of The Troy Times, will 
 sail within a few days for Athens, having been appointed 
 Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia, Mr. Francis was graduated from 
 Cornell in 1877, and in his senior year won the single scull 
 championship in the intercollegiate regatta. His father, 
 John M. Francis, founder of The Troy Times, was Minister 
 to Greece under President Grant s Administration. 
 
 WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT IT. 
 
 (From The Bennington, Vt, Banner, December 21.) 
 President McKinley sent to the United States Senate on 
 Tuesday the nomination of Charles S. Francis, of Troy, N. Y., 
 editor and proprietor of The Troy Times, to be Envoy 
 Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia. It is a remarkable coincidence that 
 Hon. John M. Francis, the founder of The Troy Times, should 
 have held the same office which his son has now been called 
 to fill. The senior Francis was made Minister to Greece by 
 President Grant in 1871, and held the office for three years, 
 resigning in order to return to active journalistic work. 
 Charles S. Francis has been associated with The Troy Times 
 from early boyhood. While preparing for college, he served 
 as an apprentice in the composing room of that newspaper, 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 81 
 
 learning the mechanical details and fitting himself for the 
 more arduous responsibilities the future was to bring. After 
 graduating from Cornell University, he entered the local 
 department of The Times, being first a reporter and 
 afterwards city editor. Still later he was the business 
 manager, and for many years before the death of his father, 
 Hon. John M. Francis, June 18, 1897, was an equal partner 
 with him in The Times proprietorship and in full executive 
 control of The Times and The Times establishment. Since 
 the demise of his father, Mr. Francis has been editor and 
 sole owner of The Times. It is in order to add that nowhere 
 is Charles S. Francis esteemed more highly than in The Troy 
 Times family, of which he is the directing head and master 
 mind. From none will come to him heartier or more sincere 
 congratulations than those extended by his co-workers and 
 associates on the newspaper, which include men who have 
 known him from his childhood, and whose affection and good 
 will for him have been strengthened by years of intimate 
 relationship into a regard which cannot be surpassed. We 
 have copied the above largely from The Times an article 
 written by the office corps in the absence of Mr. Francis for 
 the purpose of congratulating our brother editor on both his 
 appointment and what others say about it. 
 
 CLEAN JOURNALISM. 
 
 (From The St. Albans, Vt, Messenger, December 20.) 
 The choice of Charles S. Francis, editor of The Troy Times, 
 for Minister to Greece. Roumania and Servia, is a well 
 deserved recognition of a representative Eastern newspaper 
 man. The Troy Times has long been an example to the craft 
 as a clean, wholesome family newspaper, a journal whose 
 business instincts kept it abreast of the progress of the 
 times but never betrayed it into the slightest suspicion of 
 a resort to sensationalism. Its editorial utterances have 
 a weight and influence that can only emanate from a lofty 
 conception of public affairs combined with this same policy 
 of clean journalism. For this great newspaper success, the 
 father of Mr. Francis and the deserving son himself are 
 responsible. The newspaper fraternity is honored by the 
 President s selection of such a man from its ranks. 
 
82 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 AN HONORABLE AND IMPORTANT 
 MISSION. 
 
 (From The Providence, R. I., News, December 20.) 
 Commenting on the nomination of Col. Charles S. Francis, 
 editor of The Troy Times, as Minister to Greece, the New 
 York Mail and Express says it is one of the happiest of 
 the President s diplomatic appointments. Colonel Francis is 
 admirably qualified for the duties of this honorable and 
 important mission. His intellectual attainments are of the 
 highest order, he possesses the character and temperament 
 required in the diplomatic service, and in addition to this 
 equipment, he enjoys the advantage of a liberal acquaintance 
 with Greek affairs, having served as secretary to his father, 
 the late Hon. John M. Francis, during the latter s term as 
 Minister to Greece thirty years ago. 
 
 BRAWN AND BRAIN. 
 
 (From The Des Moines, Iowa, Register, March 8.) 
 Hon. Charles S. Francis, the new United States Minister 
 to Greece, has brawn as well as brain a good combination. 
 When he was a senior at Cornell he ranked near the head of 
 his class, and won the single scull championship in the 
 intercollegiate regatta. 
 
 MOST PROMINENT REPRESENTATIVE. 
 
 (From The Chicago, 111., Tribune, December 18.) 
 Charles S. Francis, who to-day was nominated Minister 
 to Greece, Roumania and Servia, was born in Troy, N. Y., 
 where he now resides. He is the son of the late John M. 
 Francis, who founded The Troy Daily Times and who held 
 diplomatic missions to Greece, Portugal and Austria-Hungary 
 during his life. Mr. Francis was graduated from Cornell 
 University in 1877. 
 
 As a student and as an alumnus Mr. Francis has been the 
 most prominent representative of Cornell University in rowing 
 and boating. While at college he repeatedly won the single 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 83 
 
 scull championship of the university, and in 1876 he won the 
 intercollegiate single scull championship on Saratoga Lake. 
 Mr. Francis learned the printer s trade at the case in 
 the composing-rooms of his father s newspaper. He was 
 successively a reporter, city editor, and manager of The 
 Troy Times, in 1881 acquiring a proprietary interest. 
 
 It is a remarkable coincidence that John M. Francis, the 
 founder of The Troy Times, should have held the same office 
 which his son has now been called to fill. The senior Francis 
 was made Minister to Greece in 1871 by President Grant and 
 held the office for three years, resigning to return to active 
 newspaper work. The son, succeeding the father as editor 
 and proprietor of The Times, is now chosen to occupy the 
 same post. 
 
 A REPUBLICAN EDITOR. 
 
 (From The Cleveland, Ohio, Plaindealer, December 19.) 
 Charles S. Francis, of Troy, N. Y., whose father was 
 Minister to Austria, was nominated to-day to fill the vacancy 
 caused by Mr. Hardy s transfer. Mr. Francis belongs to 
 "the Black wing" of the Republican party, and is editor of 
 a Republican newspaper in Troy. 
 
 THE PUNGENT PARAGRAPH. 
 
 (From The Minneapolis, Minn., Times, December 19.) 
 Another editor (Francis of The Troy Times) has been 
 affixed to the diplomatic corps, and Greece, Roumania and 
 Servia can learn the uses of the pungent paragraph. 
 
 A SPLENDID OARSMAN. 
 
 (From The New Orleans, La., Picayune, February 27.) 
 Charles S. Francis, the new United States Minister to 
 Greece, is a splendid oarsman, and in 1876, during his senior 
 year at Cornell, won the single scull championship in the 
 intercollegiate regatta. 
 
84 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 DIPLOMATIC HEREDITY. 
 
 (From The Atchison, Kan., Globe, January 7.) 
 If diplomatic ability may be supposed to run in a family, 
 the appointment of Charles S. Francis of Troy, N. Y., to 
 succeed Mr. Hardy as United States Minister to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia, is singularly appropriate, since his 
 father, John M. Francis, was Minister to Greece during the 
 administration of President Grant. Mr. Francis succeeded 
 his father in another position, that of editor of The Troy 
 Times, which was founded by the older Francis. Mr. Francis 
 is about 45 years old, and is a graduate of Cornell. In his 
 senior year at the university he won the single scull 
 championship at the intercollegiate regatta. Mr. Francis 
 has always kept up a warm interest in aquatic sports, and 
 the sea-girt land of the Hellenes should afford him much 
 opportunity of indulging in his favorite diversions. 
 
 WELL DESERVED. 
 
 (From The Baltimore, Md., Herald, December 22.) 
 Thirty years ago editor Francis of The Troy Times was 
 appointed American Minister to Greece. Now editor Francis 
 of The Troy Times, son of the first editor of the same paper, 
 has been appointed to the same position of honor. It is to 
 be said that in each instance the honor was well deserved. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 85 
 
 COMMENT IN GREECE. 
 
 The Greek newspapers had a cordial welcome for 
 Mr. Francis, for he and his father were remembered by 
 many in Athens. The following extracts (translated) are 
 from papers published in Athens, Greece: 
 
 THE NEW AMERICAN 
 AMBASSADOR. 
 
 (Prom The Town, January 5.) 
 
 To the congratulatory letter of the State Consul of New 
 York, Mr. Demosthenes Botassi, written to the recently 
 honored ambassador of the United States to Athens, Charles 
 S. Francis, the latter replied as follows: 
 
 Troy, December 22, 1900. 
 My dear Mr. Botassi: 
 
 Your so nicely expressed congratulations over the honor 
 conferred upon me as ambassador to Greece delighted me 
 greatly, and they pleased me all the more inasmuch as I had 
 the pleasure of a personal acquaintance with you while still 
 young, when my father was ambassador at Athens. 
 
 I am exceedingly thankful to you for the words which you 
 write about my beloved father, and the great love which the 
 Greeks felt for him. In reality he was a true friend of Greece, 
 of the King and of the Greek people. If I may venture, I 
 will express the hope that when I, too, shall depart from 
 Greece I may also be able to boast that I have taken with me 
 the friendship of your citizens, although I fear that I may 
 never hope to be deemed worthy of holding in the hearts of 
 your fellow countrymen the enviable position which my 
 honored father held. 
 
 I will be greatly pleased if I may see you before my 
 departure for my new place, because I will be assisted in my 
 mission if I may speak with you and plan, in whatever way 
 we can, to better the commercial relations existing between 
 Greece and the United States. 
 
86 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, 
 and thanking you again for your words of congratulation, 
 my dear Mr. Botassi, I beg to remain, 
 
 Yours very sincerely, 
 
 CHARLES S. FRANCIS. 
 
 THE NEW AMBASSADOR. 
 
 (From The Thermopylae, December 22.) 
 Most hearty is the welcome given by all American journals 
 to the appointment of Charles S. Francis as ambassador of 
 the United States at Athens, as we announced in a former 
 issue. Mr. Francis is the editor-in-chief and proprietor of 
 The Times of Troy, in the State of New York. Though 
 without experience elsewhere in the public service at home, 
 he is thoroughly skilled in diplomacy and its appropriate 
 duties by the daily journal under his control, whose articles 
 are always highly esteemed. 
 
 Thirty years ago President and General Grant appointed 
 his father, Hon. John M. Francis, ambassador at Athens, and 
 during his three years of public service there, his son, who 
 is now the appointed ambassador, served as private secretary, 
 and discharged all the duties of that office. Afterwards he 
 was the companion of his father when he journeyed as an 
 ambassador to Portugal and Austria, and the son was 
 everywhere under training for diplomatic duties. His Daily 
 Times is everywhere regarded as most able and as well fitted 
 to exert a wide influence. Everywhere this appointment is 
 approved by all statesmen of the country. 
 
 THE NEW AMBASSADOR FROM 
 AMERICA. 
 
 (From The Household, December 30.) 
 
 The report is confirmed that our ambassador from the 
 United States of America, Mr. Hardy, is changed and sent 
 to Switzerland. In his stead is appointed the distinguished 
 editor, Charles S. Francis. The new ambassador assumes for 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 
 
 the first time a public position, but his knowledge gives pledge 
 of a good standing in the diplomatic circle to which he is no 
 stranger and for which he is not unprepared. Thirty years 
 ago and for three years his father, John M. Francis, remained 
 at Athens as envoy from America, and his son Charles served 
 him as secretary. The elder Francis, after serving very 
 honorably as envoy at Portugal and Austria, left this service 
 and founded The Troy Times, which soon became known as 
 an instrument of experienced leaders ready to teach the right 
 course of action to men of intelligence. 
 
 In the management of this journal the son succeeded his 
 father when he died, and to-day he was called to render his 
 services in the diplomatic circle. The new ambassador was 
 appointed also for the courts of Roumania and Servia. 
 
FAREWELL WORDS. 
 
 The Departure of United States Minister Francis for 
 His Post of Official Duty. The Employees of The 
 Troy Times Make a Good-bye Call. Resolutions and a 
 Response. 
 
 (From The Troy Times, January 24.) 
 
 Charles S. Francis, proprietor of The Troy Times, left Troy 
 on the 2 : 25 o clock train this afternoon for New York, whence 
 he will sail Saturday at 11 a. m. on the Kaiser Wilhelm II.. of 
 The North German Lloyd Steamship Company, for Naples, 
 thence to go to his new post of duty at Athens. Greece. Mr. 
 Francis will be accompanied by his three daughters. Owing 
 to the serious illness at Ithaca of Mrs. Francis mother, Mrs. 
 H. C. Evans, Mrs. Francis will defer her departure from this 
 country until a later date, when she will be accompanied 
 by her son Pomeroy. John M. Francis will continue his 
 studies at Cornell University. 
 
 VISITED BY EMPLOYEES. 
 
 Yesterday afternoon the employees of The Troy Times 
 called upon Mr. Francis in his private office in The Troy 
 Times building. Benjamin Van Deusen, the oldest employee 
 of The Troy Times, having been in the service of this paper 
 nearly fifty years, was spokesman for the party. Advancing 
 to Mr. Francis, Mr. Van Deusen read the following resolutions, 
 which had been beautifully engrossed and had been signed 
 by every employee of The Troy Times: 
 
 CORDIAL RESOLUTIONS. 
 
 Hon. Charles S. Francis, Editor and Proprietor of The Troy 
 
 Times. 
 
 Dear Sir: On the occasion of your departure to a post of 
 important diplomatic duty it is the desire of the employees of 
 The Times to tender to you an expression of their good will 
 and esteem. 
 
90 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 The office of United States Envoy Extraordinary and 
 Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece, Roumania and Servia, to 
 which you have been appointed, is one of high honor and 
 responsibility. The appointment is made the more impressive, 
 as it is most suitable, because of the fact that a like distinction 
 was accorded Hon. John M. Francis, the founder of The Troy 
 Times, and for forty-six years its editor. Chosen by the great 
 soldier and statesman, Ulysses S. Grant, then President of 
 the United States, to be Minister to Greece, Hon. John M. 
 Francis filled that exalted station with the highest credit 
 to his country and to himself. Later, as the American 
 representative at the Courts of Portugal and Austria-Hungary, 
 he rounded out a diplomatic career marked by the ablest and 
 most patriotic service. 
 
 It is a very happy coincidence, and one we believe without 
 parallel, that you, succeeding your illustrious father as editor 
 and proprietor of The Troy Times, should also be selected 
 for the same position he held at the Court of Greece. Your 
 nomination by President McKinley and the Senate s prompt 
 confirmation form a notable recognition of merit and fitness, 
 and give assurance that American interests in the countries 
 to which you are accredited will be guarded with scrupulous 
 care and the functions of your office be discharged with 
 perfect courtesy. 
 
 We hereby proffer to you our hearty and sincere congratu 
 lations upon the distinguished honor of which you are the 
 recipient. You have ever been one of the kindest and most 
 considerate of employers, and it is both a pleasure and a 
 privilege to testify to the cordial relations existing between 
 you and those who are in your service and associated with 
 you as co-laborers. You will take with you abroad, and 
 wherever you go, our warmest wishes for the continued health 
 and happiness of yourself and family, and the hope that you 
 may be spared for many years of active and effective 
 usefulness to your country and to the community which counts 
 you as one of its most distinguished and valued members. 
 
 With great respect we subscribe ourselves, 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 (Here follow the names of the employees of The Troy 
 Times.) 
 
 A GIFT AS A SOUVENIR. 
 
 Mr. Van Deusen added: "In connection with this and as a 
 further slight consideration of your kindness to us all, in 
 behalf of the employees of The Troy Times I present you 
 with this portfolio." 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 91 
 
 The speaker then handed to Mr. Francis an elegant portfolio 
 intended for carrying official documents, and suitably 
 inscribed. 
 
 AN APPRECIATIVE RESPONSE. 
 
 Though greatly affected by this demonstration of esteem 
 from those with whom he has been in close contact for so 
 many years, Mr. Francis made response in the following 
 words: 
 Mr. Van Deusen and Gentlemen of The Troy Times: 
 
 I cannot convey to you in words my appreciation of your 
 visit here this afternoon, and of your expression of friendship 
 and esteem for me. My appointment has been most gratifying 
 to me. and the words of congratulation that have been 
 addressed to me by friends have been very much appreciated, 
 but I assure you no congratulations have carried with them 
 the weight that your congratulations do to-day. We are like 
 one family. We are united. I have grown up with you. 
 Some of you have known me from babyhood; many of you 
 I have known from early boyhood to manhood, and these 
 expressions of your sentiment toward me are thoroughly 
 appreciated. I am sure you will believe me when I tell you 
 I am very much affected by them. They mean a great deal. 
 They come from those who were associated with my beloved 
 father when he began his life-work the founding of The 
 Troy Times. Many of you were with him during his early 
 struggles and later on as this newspaper began to grow and 
 expand. 
 
 I feel that to you, gentlemen, I owe a debt of gratitude 
 which it gives me pleasure to acknowledge now for the 
 faithful services you have rendered The Troy Times since 
 my father passed away from us. Without your aid, without 
 your faithful efforts, it would have been impossible for The 
 Troy Times to hold the position it holds to-day. I cannot in 
 words express the sentiments of my heart. I am about to go 
 away; I trust when I return I shall see you all, and while I 
 am absent I am confident your efforts will be directed toward 
 maintaining The Troy Times as it is now maintained. 
 
 I go away feeling that you will work the harder to promote 
 the interests of this paper than you would if I were at home. 
 No newspaper proprietor in this country is surrounded by 
 more loyal and more capable men than those who are 
 associated with me in the work of The Troy Times, and I 
 leave home confident that during my absence my interests 
 will be in safe hands. 
 
CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 It is always painful to say good-bye to those for whom we 
 have respect and in whom we have confidence, but I assure 
 you that to me saying good-bye to you men faithful employees 
 of The Troy Times, without whom I would be weak indeed 
 is inexpressibly sad. I trust when I return that we may all 
 meet, and while I am away that you will continue to work 
 faithfully for this paper, the heritage from my father, for 
 whom you had unbounded respect and affection. I hope and 
 believe that the standard of The Troy Times will not only 
 be kept up to its present point, but that it. will be raised still 
 higher. Gentlemen, I thank you very much indeed for this 
 expression of good will and sentiment on your part, and I can 
 simply say God bless you all! 
 
 Each of the employees then shook hands with Mr. Francis 
 and bade him good-bye. 
 
 AT THE DEPOT. 
 
 A large number of friends assembled at the Union Depot 
 this afternoon to bid farewell to Mr. Francis. As the train 
 moved out at 2:25 o clock there was a waving of hats and 
 handkerchiefs, while railroad torpedoes sounded a salute until 
 the train was out of sight in the tunnel. At Madison Street 
 there was another salvo of torpedoes. 
 
 DOWN THE BAY. 
 
 On invitation of Hon. James A. Dumont, Supervising 
 Inspector General of the United States steamboat service, a 
 number of personal friends of Mr. Francis in this city, New 
 York and Ithaca will say good-bye to Mr. Francis Saturday 
 morning from the deck of the United States revenue cutter 
 Manhattan, Captain Herring. The Manhattan will escort the 
 Kaiser Wilhelm II. down New York Bay, and will then return 
 with its party of guests. 
 
 A TOUCHING ASSURANCE OF 
 ESTEEM. 
 
 (From The Troy Record, January 24.) 
 
 Colonel Charles S. Francis, editor and proprietor of The 
 
 Troy Times, was last evening given a touching assurance of 
 
 the esteem and good will of the employees in The Times 
 
 establishment, from the office boy up to the editorial sanctum. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 93 
 
 The evidence of attachment and pleasure over honor conferred 
 upon their chief took the form of a presentation, and the 
 present was a very handsome and appropriate one, being an 
 artistically made and adorned portfolio of alligator leather, 
 lined with French calf, and mounted with a silver monogram 
 plate engraved as follows: 
 
 "To Hon. Charles S. Francis, United States Envoy Extra 
 ordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece, Roumania 
 and Servia. 
 
 "With best wishes from the employees of The Troy Times." 
 In connection with the portfolio was also a silver plate 
 on which is engraved Colonel Francis name, to be part of 
 the equipment. The gift was the joint offering of all the 
 employees, and just before Colonel Francis left his office last 
 evening the sanctum was invaded by the presentation force, 
 headed by the venerable Benj. Van Deusen, who for more 
 than fifty years has been in the employ of The Times and who 
 taught Colonel Francis to set his first line of type. 
 
 The veteran foreman of the job office made an appropriate 
 address, congratulating Colonel Francis on the honor the 
 President has conferred upon him in the appointment to a 
 foreign mission, which his father before him had filled with 
 signal credit, xie spoke feelingly of the sentiment of good 
 will entertained by all in The Times office for their employer 
 and wished him in their name Godspeed on the journey he 
 begins to-day, and success in his diplomatic career. With the 
 oral remarks of Mr. Van Deusen went a prepared address 
 and resolutions signed by all in The Times establishment, 
 and which rested on the portfolio, which is to be the repository 
 of state papers. 
 
 Colonel Francis, although genuinely surprised, made a happy 
 response and was greatly moved by the proof of attachment 
 shown him. 
 
DEPARTING FOR GREECE. 
 
 Bidding Farewell to Mr. Francis on his Departure from 
 New York for his Post of Official Duty. Accompanied 
 down the Bay. Demonstrations. 
 
 The following invitation was sent out by Hon. James A. 
 Dumont, Supervising Inspector General in the United States 
 steamboat inspection service, to a number of personal friends 
 of Mr. Francis: 
 
 Treasury Department, Steamboat Inspection Service, Office of 
 the Supervising Inspector General. 
 
 Washington, D. C., January 16, 1901. 
 
 Dear Sir: You are respectfully invited to join with other 
 friends in bidding good-bye to Hon. Charles S. Francis of Troy, 
 N, Y., United States Minister to Greece, Roumania and Servia, 
 on his departure from New York city Saturday, January 26, 
 for his post. Mr. Francis will sail on the S. S. Kaiser Wilhelm 
 II., of the North German Lloyd Steamship Company. A 
 United States revenue cutter will be placed at the disposal of 
 Mr. Francis friends for that occasion, and will accompany 
 the steamship down the bay. 
 
 The revenue cutter will leave the Barge Office, at The 
 Battery, at 9:30 o clock A. M. sharp, and will return shortly 
 after noon. A luncheon will be provided. 
 Please present this letter at the gangway of the cutter. 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 JAS. A. DUMONT. 
 
 The Troy Times of January 26 contained the following 
 especial dispatch from New York: 
 
 Charles S. Francis, United States Minister to Greece, sailed 
 to-day on the steamer Hohenzollern for Naples, whence he 
 
96 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 will proceed to Athens. The steamer was accompanied down 
 the bay by the revenue cutter Manhattan, aboard which were 
 a large number of Mr. Francis friends to wish him Godspeed. 
 The Manhattan left the Barge Office at 9:30 a. m. and the 
 Hohenzollern Jeft her pier in Brooklyn at 11 o clock, amid 
 cheers and whistle salutes from the party aboard the cutter. 
 The steamer moved at half speed, with the cutter alongside, 
 until the Marrows were reached, when the Manhattan gave a 
 parting salute and those aboard repaired to the cabin to 
 partake of luncheon. The cutter returned to the Barge Office 
 soon after 1 o clock. 
 
 Those aboard the revenue cutter included: Ex-Gov. Frank 
 S. Black, Mayor Daniel B. Conway, Congressman-elect William 
 H. Draper, Commissioner of Public Safety Mark J. Coyle, 
 County Judge Henry T. Nason, District Attorney W. O. 
 Howard, Sheriff M. A. Heeran, Hon. Levi B. Worden, 
 Chairman of the Republican County Committee; State Senator 
 Michael Russell, Assemblyman John F. Ahern, Assistant 
 District Attorney Jarvis P. O Brien, Assessor R. A. Patchke, 
 Assessor J. V. Jacobs, Health Officer C. E. Nichols, M. D.; 
 Rev. Henry R. Freeman, Hon. L. E. Griffith, William H. Frear, 
 Peter McCarthy, Dr. W. P. Mason, Col. Arthur MacArthur, 
 F. W. Joslyn, W. J. Tyner, John M. Francis, Pomeroy T. 
 Francis, William B. Wilson, David S. Hasbrouck, William H. 
 Anderson, Robert B. Waters, Horace Rescott and James H. 
 Potts of Troy; Gen. James A. Dumont, Supervising Inspector 
 General of the United States Steamboat Service, and C. A. 
 Hamilton, of Washington; Hon. G. Hilton Scribner, ex- 
 Secretary of State, of Yonkers; Prof. H. Morse Stephens, 
 Prof. L. A. Wait, Prof. D. C. Lee and Prof. E. A. Fuertes, of 
 Cornell University; J. W. Hutt, General Manager, and T. N. 
 Smith, Superintendent, of The National Express Company; 
 Hon. John A. Sleicher, editor of Leslie s Weekly; Hon. J. 
 Edward Simmons, President of the Fourth National Bank; 
 Hon. Andrew H. Green, "Father of Greater New York;" D. N. 
 Botassi, Greek Consul General; Col. Abraham Gruber, C. E. 
 Lambert, General Passenger Agent of the West Shore 
 Railroad; R. C. Jackson, Frank W. Mack, Superintendent of 
 the Associated Press; William S. Quigley of The New York 
 Mail and Express, Col. Henry W. Sackett, Fred R. Fortmeyer 
 and W. R. Bronk, of New York; C. V. Swain of Boston, W. F. 
 McLean of Prattsburgh, A. H. Allen of Petersburgh, Andrew 
 B. Jones of Albany, W. D. Barnes of Nassau and James 
 Thompson of Valley Falls. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 97 
 
 ESCORTED DOWN THE BAY. 
 
 The New York Mail and Express says: 
 
 More than sixty of his friends, including ex-Gov. Frank S. 
 Black, went down the bay to-day on the revenue cutter 
 Manhattan to give a rousing send-off to Hon. Charles S. 
 Francis of Troy, the new United States Minister to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia, who went away on the Hohenzollern. 
 Mrs. Francis was to have made the trip on the same ship, 
 but her mother, Mrs. H. C. Evans of Ithaca, is seriously 
 ill. Mrs. Francis hurried to Ithaca, and will proceed to 
 Athens in a later steamer. Mr. Francis three daughters, 
 Helen, Riette and Margaret, accompanied him on the 
 Hohenzollern, which was formerly the Kaiser Wilhelm II. 
 In addition to those who went down the bay on the cutter 
 an army of Mr. Francis friends gathered at the North 
 German Lloyd pier in Brooklyn to bid the diplomat "bon 
 voyage." 
 
 TOOK UP THE SALUTATION. 
 
 The Manhattan left the Barge Office wharf at 9:30 and 
 headed across the East River to where the Hohenzollern was 
 lying. Hon. James A. Dumont, the Supervising Inspector 
 General of the Steamboat Service, through whose efforts the 
 Manhattan was secured, had charge of the cutter. The 
 Hohenzollern was delayed in getting away because of the 
 inability of the longshoremen to get the freight on board. 
 As a result the steamer did not back out into the stream 
 until noon. The Manhattan began a clamorous toot for 
 recognition as she did so, and all the boats of the vicinity 
 took up tne salute. 
 
 Mr. Francis made a short address to some of his friends 
 just before the ship backed away. He said that it afforded 
 him great pleasure to go as the American representative to 
 a mission in which his father had served many years ago. 
 
 "They say," said Mr. Francis, "that he made a first-class 
 Minister. I have hopes of having somebody say that of me. 
 I m going to try hard at all events. If I can improve the 
 commercial and social connections between those countries 
 and our own, depend upon me to do so." 
 
 GAVE A PARTING SALUTE. 
 
 The Manhattan went down as far as the Narrows with the 
 steamer and screamed a parting salute to her under the 
 
98 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 frowning guns of Fort Wadsworth. A luncheon was afterward 
 served on the Manhattan. Among those who did honor on 
 the cutter to the new diplomat were the following: 
 
 C. E. Lambert of the West Shore Railroad, State Senator 
 M. Russell, Col. Henry W. Sackett, Prof. H. Morse Stephens 
 of Cornell University, Hon. G. Hilton Scribner, ex-Secretary 
 of New York State; D. N. Botassi, Greek Consul General at 
 New York; Mayor Daniel E. Conway of Troy, W. H. Draper, 
 Congressman-elect of Rensselaer County; Rev. Henry R. 
 Freeman of St. John s Church, Troy; Prof. E. A. Fuertes of 
 Cornell, J. W. Hutt, General Manager National Express 
 Company; District Attorney W. O. Howard of Rensselaer, 
 Prof. D. C. Lee of Cornell, R. C. Jackson of the railway mail 
 service, Mark J. Coyle, Commissioner of Public Safety, Troy; 
 W. B. Wilson, W. H. Anderson, James H. Potts, D. S. 
 Hasbrouck, R. B. Waters, Horace Rescott, of The Troy Times, 
 which Mr. Francis owns; Abe Gruber, Andrew H. Green, 
 L. E. Griffith, W. D. Barnes, James Thompson, M. A. Heeran, 
 Sheriff of Rensselaer County; C. A. Hamilton of Washington, 
 Andrew B. Jones of Albany, W. H. Frear of Troy, F. W. 
 Joslyn, Troy Record; W. F. McLean of Prattsburgh, W. P. 
 Mason of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Arthur 
 MacArthur of the Troy Budget, Dr. C. E. Nichols, Health 
 Officer of Troy; Henry T. Nason, County Judge of Rensselaer 
 County, Hon. Jar vis P. O Brien, R. A. Patchke, T. N. Smith, 
 J. Edward Simmons, William J. Tyner, L. E. Worden, L. A. 
 Wait, John M. and Pomeroy T. Francis, sons of the Minister; 
 ex-Governor Black and General Dumont. 
 
 OFF FOR NEW DUTIES. 
 
 The Brooklyn Eagle of yesterday said: 
 
 The departure of Charles S. Francis of Troy, yesterday, 
 to take up the duties of United States Minister to Greece, 
 Roumania and Servia, was the occasion for a farewell 
 demonstration on the part of his friends, which must have 
 proved a grateful Godspeed to the American representative 
 in the station formerly so creditably filled by his father, 
 John M. Francis. Gen. James A. Dumont of the Treasury 
 Department, a. close friend of the older Francis, offered the 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 99 
 
 services of the revenue cutter Manhattan to the friends of 
 the ambassador for the purpose of a farewell party to 
 accompany him down the bay, and more than fifty of them 
 accepted the invitation of the Supervising Inspector General. 
 Mr. Francis, accompanied by his three daughters, sailed on 
 the North German Lloyd steamship Hohenzollern from pier 
 26, Brooklyn, at 11:45 o clock yesterday morning. On account 
 of the serious illness of the mother of Mrs. Francis the 
 ambassador s wife did not accompany him. His son, John 
 M., who is a student at Cornell University, in the class of 
 1902, will remain to finish his course at that institution. 
 
 ON THE MANHATTAN. 
 
 The guests of General Dumont, who met to bid Mr. Francis 
 good-bye, boarded the Manhattan at South Ferry, Manhattan, 
 at 9:30 o clock yesterday. Among those on board were 
 ex-Gov. Frank S. Black, Andrew H. Green, Mayor Daniel E. 
 Conway of Troy, Gen. James A. Dumont, Congressman-elect 
 William H. Draper, Judge Henry T. Nason, Matthew A. 
 Heeran, W. O. Howard, former Secretary of State G. Hilton 
 Scribner, Michael Russell, Jarvis P. O Brien, John F. Ahern, 
 J. W. Hutt, Rev. Henry R. Freeman, John M. Francis, 
 Pomeroy T. Francis, Prof. L. A. Wait, E. A. Fuertes, H. 
 Morse Stephens, D. C. Lee, of Cornell University; W. P. 
 Mason of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, D. N. Botassi, 
 the Greek Consul General; F. W. Joslyn of The Troy Record, 
 W. J. Tyner of The Troy Standard, W. B. Wilson, D. S. 
 Hasbrouck, W. II. Anderson, Horace Rescott, Robert B. 
 Waters and James H. Potts, of The Troy Times; J. V. Jacobs, 
 R. A. Patchke. 
 
 ON THE PIER. 
 
 The Manhattan left South Ferry at 10 o clock and steamed 
 across East River to the pier where the Hohenzollern lay. 
 The entire party left the revenue cutter and went on board 
 the ocean liner. They were met at the gangway by Mr. 
 Francis, his wife and family, and for an hour the ambassador 
 held an informal levee, accepting the congratulations and 
 good wishes of his friends. An interesting spectator of the 
 reception on the deck of the Hohenzollern was the somewhat 
 notorious pugilist, Norman Selby, known in pugilistic circles 
 as Kid McCoy. McCoy with his twice wedded wife is en route 
 to Rome, Naples, Florence and Athens to complete his 
 classical education, 
 
100 CHARLES S. FRANCIS 
 
 RACING ALONGSHORE. 
 
 When the sailors gave the "all ashore" warning there was 
 a wild scramble off the liner and back to the revenue cutter. 
 The Manhattan took advantage of the delay in freeing the 
 big steamship from her dock to get a good start down the 
 Buttermilk Channel, expecting to steal a march on the liner 
 by cutting inside of Governor s Island. To the surprise of 
 General Dumont the Hohenzollern turned her nose down 
 the Buttermilk Channel, and in spite of the best speed the 
 little cutter could make the ocean liner was soon racing 
 alongside. For half a mile the cutter at top speed 
 succeeded in keeping abreast, and during all that time the 
 party on board the Manhattan kept up a constant cheering 
 and waving of handkerchiefs to Mr. Francis and his daughters, 
 who stood on the deck of the Hohenzollern. The snappy 
 Cornell yell was given again and again, and the ambassador 
 recognized it each time by raising his hat and bowing. Mr. 
 Francis graduated from Cornell University in 1877. 
 
 Gradually the large vessel increased her speed and began 
 to draw away from the cutter, and the cheers from the liner 
 became less and less distinct. The cutter kept up the chase 
 down as far as the Narrows, the wash from the liner leaving 
 mountainous waves, which broke over the bow of the 
 Manhattan, wetting all who had the temerity to remain out 
 of doors. 
 
 THE HOMEWARD JOURNEY. 
 
 When the liner had left the farewell party so far behind 
 that the voices of those on board could no longer be heard 
 nor forms distinguished, the Manhattan, with a last salute 
 from her whistle, turned back up the bay and returned to 
 South Ferry. 
 
 On the way back a luncheon was served to those whose 
 appetites were not taken away by the rocking of the vessel. 
 After luncheon a number of the guests, including former 
 Secretary of State Scribner, Professor Wait, General Dumont 
 and several others, collected in the pilot house and told stories 
 reminiscent of the elder Francis and the athletic prowess of 
 the present ambassador when he was the champion oarsman 
 and swimmer of Cornell. The farewell party enjoyed the 
 occasion thoroughly and nothing occurred to mar the success 
 of the excursion. Mrs. Francis and her son will Join Mr. 
 Francis in Athens later. 
 
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE 
 
 101 
 
 (From The Troy Times of January 28.) 
 The Trojans who went to New York to bid adieu to Mr. 
 Francis as he sailed from America s shores for Greece 
 returned Saturday evening after a delightful day, and one 
 that will always be a pleasant memory. The friends from 
 Troy, Ithaca, New York and other places, who were present 
 on invitation of Gen. James A. Dumont, Supervising Inspector 
 General of the United States Steamboat Service, were guests 
 of General Dumont on the revenue cutter Manhattan. The 
 General was an admirable host and did everything possible 
 for the comfort of his guests. His son, James A. Dumont, Jr., 
 of New York, was also on board. 
 
 The newspapers of the metropolis contained accounts of 
 the farewell. The New York Mail and Express and The 
 Brooklyn Eagle had representatives aboard the cutter in the 
 persons of Messrs. Quigley and Tyrrell, and we quote from 
 their graphic descriptions. 
 
A SEMI-CENTENNIAL REUNION. 
 
 (From The Troy Times, June 26.) 
 
 The twenty-four page art supplement which The Troy 
 Times issued yesterday was not the only way in which the 
 working force of The Times celebrated the fiftieth anniversary 
 of the founding of this journal by the late Hon. John M. 
 Francis. There was a "family gathering" of the employees 
 of The Troy Times last evening in the newspaper composing 
 room. One hundred and fifteen persons sat down to tables 
 spread by caterer Graser with an excellent supper. 
 
 Charles S. Francis, on leave of absence from his diplomatic 
 duties as representative of the United States to the Courts 
 of Greece, Roumania and Servia, presided. Mr. Francis 
 welcomed the assembled company, some of whom had been 
 connected with The Times during the entire period of its 
 existence, and expressed his pleasure that he was able to be 
 present on the joyous occasion. Mr. Francis voiced the 
 veneration of all for the memory of the founder of The Troy 
 Times. Informal speeches were made by the heads of 
 departments, and the veterans gave interesting reminiscences, 
 but as everyone was off duty last night there were no 
 reporters present, and no reports of the speeches can be 
 given. Suffice it to say that happiness and jollity reigned 
 supreme, and that the unity of The Times force, the pride 
 in the achievements and traditions of this paper and the 
 loyal determination to preserve and to carry forward the 
 ideals of the founder of The Troy Times as upheld by the 
 present proprietor were manifest throughout all the exercises. 
 
 Boring s Orchestra sent out instrumental music from a 
 bower of palms, and the Empire Male Quartette Ben 
 Franklin, Edwin Humphrey, Fred C. Comstock and James C. 
 Laing gave some of their charming songs, while Mr. 
 Comstock added solo numbers, sung in his captivating style. 
 
 To-day the composing room of The Troy Times is the 
 scene of the activities of labor instead of recreation, but 
 The Troy Times force will never forget the unity and 
 happiness of the celebration which inaugurated the second 
 half-century of the history of the daily journal with which 
 they are connected. 
 
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 T U O I ouo 
 
 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 
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