were anxious that he himself should occupy a seat in the upper house of congress, and it would be strange had he not in consequence fostered an ambition which was, of course, made unattainable by his unselfish adherence to the strictest interpretation of duty. Governor Shaw's hold upon the people of Iowa may well be appreciated from the fact that his reelection as governor in 1899 was by nearly twice the plurality and by four times the majority which he had enjoyed when first chosen, being the largest majority ever received, up to that time, by any candidate for governor. He peremptorily declined renomination for a third term, and was planning to return to his law practice and his business interests when, on December 25, 1901, without solicitation or suggestion from himself or his friends, he was tendered by President Roosevelt the position of secretary of the treasury, succeeding Lyman J. Gage, resigned; and he assumed the duties of that office on February 1, 1902.
Secretary Shaw's administration of the affairs of the treasury department has been masterly in many respects, and several of his official acts have been of historic significance, as, for instance, the manner of the payment of the sum of $40,000,000 in consummation of the transfer to the United States Government of the property of the Panama Canal Company.
Mr. Shaw has long been an adherent of the Methodist Episcopal denomination, and was a prominent lay delegate to the general conferences of the church in 1888, 1892, 1896 and 1900. He often addresses audiences in the interest of Christian truth, of the church, and of the Y.M.C.A.
Mr. Shaw has given no attention to athletics or to any modern system of physical culture, and he is not and never has been devoted to any sport or amusement as a mode of relaxation. He has received the honorary degree of LL.D. from three institutions.
Mr. Shaw was married in the year 1877 to Miss Alice Crawshaw, daughter of James Crawshaw, an early settler of Clinton county, Iowa, who came from England while Iowa was yet a territory. They have three children, two daughters and a son, Enid, Earl and Erma, and the home life of the family is ideal.
