BIO: Horace White; New York State
surname: White

submitted by W. David Samuelsen (no relation)
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Copyright.  All rights reserved.
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An Illustrated Legislative Manual
The New York Red Book
Containing the Portraits and Biographies of the U.S. Senators, Governor, State
Officers and Members of the Legislature; also with the Portraits of Judges and
Court Reporters, the New Constitution of the State, Election and Population
Statistics, and General Facts of Interest.
By Edgar L. Murlin
New Constitution Compiled by R. C. Cumming, O. L. Potter and F. B. Gilbert
Published, Albany, J. B. Lyon Company, Publishers, 1909

Copyright by J. B. Lyon Company, 1909
     
     Horace White, Lieutenant- Governor, was born in Buffalo on October 7,
1865. He is a son of Horace K. White, a highly respected citizen of Syracuse,
and a nephew of the Hon. Andrew D. White, ex-president of Cornell University
and former Ambassador to Russia and Germany.

     Mr. White has lived a Syracuse since infancy. He attend ed the public
and high schools in Syracuse and graduated from Cornell University with high
honors in 1887. His gift of oratory became manifest during his college days
and he won prizes in this art in both his junior and senior year. Mr. White
then studied law in the office of ex-U. S. Senator Frank Hiscock for two
years, continuing this work by taking a law course in the Columbia Law School.
He was admitted to the bar in May, 1890, and then put in another year's study
in Mr. Hiscock's office. Mr. White then formed a law partnership with Harry F.
King, for some years managing clerk in Mr. Hiscock's office. On Mr. King's
death in February, 1893, Mr. White formed a partnership with Jerome L. Cheney.
This partnership has since expanded into the law firm in Syracuse of White,
Cheney, Shinaman & O'Neill. which still continues. It is one of the busiest
law firms in Central New York.

     Mr. White has always had an interest in athletic sports in his junior
year at Cornell he played first base on the varsity nine and was a participant
in all collegiate sports. He is a marksman with both rifle and shotgun and has
been an expert horseman since boy hood. He has had sport with both rifle and
shotgun. He has killed moose and deer in the Adirondacks and in
Northern Canada and is the possessor of many fine specimens of the big game
that have fallen to his rifle, He is also an enthusiastic hunter of small game
and spends the better part of his vacations shooting duck and quail. He has
done some extensive exploring along the line of the old Hudson Bay Company
trail in Canada and in these wilds has dropped many moose, caribou, bear and
deer. He is also a disciple of Isaak Walton and has landed his share of
salmon, bass and trout.

     Mr. White has been an active participant in the affairs of the
Republican party almost since the attainment of his majority and enjoys a wide
political as well as personal acquaintance. He has been an active and
enthusiastic campaigner for the Republican party's policies and candidates
since he was 23 years old. He has taken the stump in every national, State and
municipal campaign since 1888.

     In 1895 he was nominated for State Senator by the Republican party in
what was then the Thirty-sixth Senate district, composed of Onondaga county,
and which became in 1907 the Thirty-eighth district. Mr. White represented the
district from the beginning of 1896 to the end of 1908, or for thirteen years.
During all these thirteen years he was a member of the Senate Committee on
Cities. For seven years he was chairman of most of the important
sub-committees appointed by Nevada N. Stranahan when the latter was chairman
of the Committee on Cities, and upon the latter's retirement from the Senate
in 1903 became chairman of the committee itself. The original charter for
Greater New York passed through Senator White's hands as a member of the
Cities Committee and later the revised charter passed through his hands as
chairman of the same committee, and he did a vast amount of work upon both.
Mr. White upon ending his terms as Senator enjoyed the reputation of being the
best authority on the subject of municipal government in the Legislature and
it was a subject that occupied his attention as a legislator to a greater
extent than any other. Such a prominent part did he take in the work of
preparation of the uniform charter for cities of the second class that it
became known popularly as the White Charter."

     The most conspicuous measures with which his name has been associated
are also the Civil Service Law, signed by Governor Roosevelt, the
tenement-house laws and the State Fair laws. He advocated and voted for the
original act consolidating the various municipalities under the Greater New
York charter. the Liquor Tax Law, the Franchise Tax Law, the Tenement- House
Laws, the Labor Department Law and many labor laws, the Stock Tax Law, the
Public School Reform Law for New York city, the Educational Department
Consolidation law, the Rapid Transit Laws for New York city, the Police Reform
Laws for New York city, the Public Service Commission Law. the Agriculture
School bills, the State Fair bills, the Agnew- Hart hills for the suppression
of race-track gambling, the bills for the purchase of lands for the Adirondack
park, and the good roads development acts.

     In addition to being chairman of the Senate Committee on Affairs of
Cities, Mr. White has been chairman of the Senate Committee on Printed and
Engrossed Bills, of the Committee on Public Education, of the Committee on
Codes, and a member of the Committees on Indian Affairs and of Canals.

     As a member of the Legislature he drew and secured the passage of many
measures designed to better the condition of laboring men, women and children,
especially bills tending to improve the conditions of their surroundings in
large municipalities.

     In conjunct ion with the late John S. Kenyon of Syracuse he prepared the
first bill to improve the conditions surrounding primary elections and Mr.
White further devoted much time and energy to legislative enactments in that
direction. A large part of his activities as a legislator have been directed
to the promotion of the welfare of the laboring man and of the best interests
of the farmer.

     In 1895 Mr. White was elected chairman of the Republican State
Convention which nominated Theodore Roosevelt for Governor. Reviewing in his
speech on taking the chair the Republican State administration of the four
years previously Mr. White said: "Abundant revenue has been provided for the
public use in spite of the fact that burdens heretofore unknown were imposed
upon the State and this without adding to the hardships of the tax payers. The
care of the insane, the purchase of forest lands, the requirements of the war
in men and in money, have tested the financiering skill of our
representatives. Yet so ably has this branch of the government been managed,
so economically has it been administered that a tax rate the lowest with two
apparent exceptions since '56 in amount 2 8. 100 m ills, is offered the
people." In closing his speech Mr. White referred to the recent Spanish
American War, saying:

     "The splendor and fruits of conquest are attended by grave trials and
responsibilities. Problems and politics of far-reaching importance must be
promptly met and affirmatively determined. - The wisdom and the energy which
has so successfully guided our destiny in the past may he safely relied upon
in the future, We have outgrown former conditions. We must prepare for
subsequent events. The career of this republic cannot be confined to this
continent. it is not lacking in territorial space, it is not wanting in
abundant resources; it is naturally endowed for the development of a great and
free people, but the sturdy enterprise, the restless energy of the Americans
are now alive to the opportunities beyond the seas. We have had a significant
warning An extensive navy will require coaling stations, harbors, strategic
points. Shipping and commercial interests will lead our people far and wide
over the globe. The die is cast. It is not bred in the American people to
shrink from possible dangers, to neglect glowing opportunities, or to forsake
the lofty humanitarian principles for which the war was waged by abandoning
the unfortunate people of the islands to anarchy. Alaska, Hawaii, the
Philippine, the West Indies, all stretch forth their arms, appealing to us for
protection and civilization, offering to the United States new markets for its
wares and products, fresh channels for its labor and trade, and with it all an
inspiring and imperial future. "The advent of peace heralds a new birth of
freedom. In distant lands where tyranny and oppression have long prevailed the
unfettered civilization of the American republic now rises in its beneficent
power. Human liberty and Christian influence spreading through strange regions
will bring light and thought to myriads of souls."

     In 1908 Mr. White was zealously supported for the Republican nomination
for Governor by many of the delegates in attendance at the Republican State
Convention then being held in Saratoga. - He was then unanimously nominated f
or Lieutenant Governor and at the succeeding election was elected by a large
majority, receiving 827,416 votes to 707,701 cast for John A. Dix, his
Democratic opponent, thus having a majority over Mr. Dix of 119,715 votes.

     Mr. White entered upon his duties as Lieutenant-Governor on January 1,
1909. The following week the Legislature met. In assuming the chair as
presiding officer of the Senate Mr. White said, addressing the Senators:
" The Constitution of the State de dares that the Lieutenant-Governor shall be
President of the Senate. In entering upon this agreeable task I am mindful of
the obligations and responsibilities, and aware of the limitations, imposed by
the Constitution, the statutes and the rules of the Senate. It will be my
earnest effort to discharge the former impartially and efficiently, and my
determined purpose to observe the latter faithfully.

     It has long been my privilege to serve here - many sad memories. many
cherished recollect ions, cluster about this chamber, "As I reflect upon the
work of the Senate during the last thirteen years I am impressed by the volume
of wise, useful enactments and by the number of progressive achievements.

     "In closing, permit me to say that I view with grave apprehensions some
of the tendencies and conditions of the time and particularly the frequent
attempts to change the Constitution and the careless disregard for its
provisions; the long delayed. sorely needed reforms in the administration of
justice and the lack of adequate consideration and attention to the problems
presented by such great public works as the Barge Canal development and the
highway improvement.

     I wish every Senator a career which will be a credit to himself and of
enduring value to the people of the State."