The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-06-07

w
searching reform in the army is per-
fectly apparent: Military discipline
is as necessary in time of peace as in
the time of war.
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Special Correspondent
WASHINGTON, May 25, 1883.
Since coming into the white house
President Arthur has lost most of his
former dignifed and red tape style of
doing business. Whenhe first came to
Washington he attempted to carry
out the same methods of receiving
visitors that he did when he resided
in New York. Each visitor was re-
ceived separately and had a cordial
handshaking, and ample time to talk
to the president, and went away
thinking him one of the best men in
the world and nothing but a
Chesterfield. Mr.. Arthur rapidly
Grew more crusty in sis manners:
but a few seconds was allotted to
each man, and his conversation was
strictly and only about the question
under discussion. He found that the
executive Office did not admit OF any
society etiquette and that every second
of public time had to be economical.
He grew from bad to worse, or, IN
better terms, more. business-like, I'M
til now there is little difference be-
tween him and any other president,
and he is hardly ever spoken OF as
the spolished Chester Arthur. He
receives a man now the same as
Old Hickory used to; makes
him feel by bis manner that his pres
ence is an obstruction and that ne is
wanted away.
The greatest bore, that makes mis-
cradle the life of an important pubic
functlonary. is the VISITOR VINO caiis
with some magnificent scheme to adj
vance, which requires an immense
amount of and waste of valuable time.
President Arthur is now noted for
his short interviews. Those who have
business with him can always have
an audience; but he has no time as OF
yore to listen to long, rambling
stories, and often he is obliged to
plainly intimate that he cannot
listen to q further statemenI
of the case. Those who wish to see
him on business are obliged to send
in their cards, which he lQoks over,
and afterwards sends word by q Aes-
senger whether the visitor can be adj
mitted or not. If your business is
pressing and you are fortunate
enough to be called in, you find your
self in q large room, handsomely fur
nished, which overlooks the beautiful
grounds Of the white house and the
wide stretch of the Potomac beyond,
with the low hills of Virginia form
ing the background. You will see q
dozen or perhaps more people seated,
but you will notice that TIE
president does not take q
chair beside any one. He holds
the cards bearing the names OF his
callers usually in his left hand, and
moves quickly from one gentleman
to another, listening to whatever he
has to say, and after a few moments
talk he makes his decision or an
nounces the time he Will be ready to
discuss the matter further, Then he
moves to the next party, and it is as
tonishing not only to see how much
business he transacts, but the fact
that he carries into practical opera
ton the adage, First come, first
served" Frequently as high as twen-
ty people are seen in the rooms at one
time with the number. constantly
coming and going, but the president
never fails to remember the exact turn
of each visitor, This is the
kind of executive the people POW
have, but when he commenced to
draw presidential money he was vast
" different; a dozen visitors then
would have been great bore to him,
and he would have required about
three times the quantity of time to
attend to them. Mr.. Arthur appears
entirely Indifferent to the army OF
cranks providing about Washington,
and commonly rides out to the sub
urbs with no companions but two at
tendantS.
THE NEW REVENUE COMMISSIONER.
The appointment of Walter Evans,
of Kentucky, to be commissioner of
internal revenue vice Raum has been
a great surprise to the. army OF
hungry politicians who have swept
down upon the city to secure the
place. Very few of these boys pre-
tended to know anything about Mr.,
Evans, while others were diSpleased
because Arthur neglected them and
appointed a southern man. This
same class of politicians prevented
him from appointing southern men
before. 1t is well known that the
president, from the beginning OF his adj
ministration, has desired to recognize
the south and worked hard to have
Gov. Davis, of Texas, placed in his
cabinet, but was frustrated by mar
row-minde dqess. Again, in choosing
a successor to Postmaster-General
Howe, the president first turned his
attention to the south, but Davis was
dead then. and he was persuaded that
he could not find good man
there among the native Repub-
licans who would be suitable,
| nor gould he find man among the
| independent Democrats whom he
thought well adapted to the place.
Had such been found among the Vir-
ginia re-adj usterS there is the author
| ity of a cabinet officer for stating that
| the postmaSter-general would have
been selected from that section, The
first opportunity for appointing a
southern man to any impOr-
tant bureau otilce below
that of cabinet officer has occurred
| by the resignation of Raum, and Mr..
Arthur promptly decided in spite of
| the bowling to give the place to the
south. The commissioner of internal
revenue holds an Office only second in
rank to that of a cabinet officer, while
| in point of practical influence among
the people the commissioner of inter-
nal revenue exerts very much more
| influence than the secretaries of state,
war and navy, or the attorney gene
raj. He has 1000 officeholderS under
him and is an active force in every
hamlet in the land. The plan to con-
solidate the internal revenue districts
| ii enconntering considerable oppose