The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-16
ROBERT I. LINCOLN.


E. H., In Boston Herald
Do you want to know his leading character
istlc? 1t is a sturdy love of justice-the de-
sire to know and to do that which is right
This, and plenty OF common sense in form
ing judgments of the course to be pursued
make Robert Lincoln an admirable admins.
traitor To do the very best things for the
army and for every officer and man in it, to
maintain a high order of efficiency andof
personal honor, and to protect the rights of
the people is his idea. Go to him and tell
him that thing is wrong and ought to be
corrected, or that it is imperfect and can be
improved, and he willlisten respectfully to
your reasons, and act on them if they
are sound, and the way is open. General
Drum the admirable Acknowledgment
OF the army, said to ME once that
in every official position he held, some-
times in the midst of war and again in
city full of rioters, he had found If
safe rule to listen to every honest SUCCESS
tion no matter how humble or how poor the
quarter from which it came. If the idea
was good, it mattered not to him that the
man who brought it was not man of repu-
tation or weight. So, l think it is with Mr.,
Lincoln as the executive head OF the War
Department. His administration has been
long and careful study of correct and useful
methods of doing the public business.
He is the best Secretary of War we have
had since Jefferson Davis, " is the praise the
Acknowledgement gives to him. He is tire
less worker. No man can master the details
OF such vast establishment as our War De-
partment, with its control of internal and
coast improvements, and many things that
are not strictly warlike, who does not take
some of his official problems home with him
at night. Mr.. Lincoln does that constantly.
He has the strength and the enthusiasm for
his work which make him able and willing to
burn the midnight oil, when it is necessary,
in order that he may fully understand the
questions he is to decide, or the advice he
shall give to the President When an old
man like Mr.. Folger undertakes to devote his
nights 10 official labor he speedily breaks
down. Mr.. Lincoln is not liable to such
damage to his health, because, having never
abused his powers, he is now very fully in
possession of them. He does not belong to
the Ohio type" and yet he has his full
share of that abundant vitality which has
given the men of Ohio such an advantage
over the men of other sections in the contest
for commanding positions.
But how does Robert Lincoln look? you
ask. very good-looking man, indeed, who
just misses the right TO be called handsome,
having none OF the gauutiness or the un-
ganliness of the martyr President Just pass
ing from the roundness of limb that belongs
to young and lusty manhood to the fullness
of middle age; white-skinned, blue-eyed,
Drown-bearded man, who seems to have
more forehead when he tries to make
chimney-pot hat stay on his
neau imam Wnen IL is Ou-larger-neaQeQ
| than the President, or, | believe, than any
other man in the cabinet and possessing
more vitality than any two of them. He
looks you straight in the face, speaks prompt
ly and decisively in strong voice, which has
remarkable huSkifess of tone-it almost
crackles, and, if you heard it good distance
away and had never heard it before, you
would know it belonged to n strong, positive,
efficient nature. He walks with a vigorous
and rapid stride, and seems at all times to
have surplus of physical strength. He is
five feet ten inches high and weighs fully
100 pounds, which will gradually increase to
200 as he grows older.
In his Office he sits most of the time, WHEEL
ing when he talks, generally to the left, so
that his right arm rests on the handsomely
carved border of mahogany. His guest sits
at the end OF the desk rather than at the OPP
posite side. As he wheels in his chair LIE
faces the corner of the room where sits Col.
Barr, his military secretary. His private sec
rotary, Mr.. Sweet, and subordinate clerk
are stenographers, to whom he dictates most
of his letters. The official day begins with in-
terviews with senators. members and the
heads of bureaus or departments. Twice
week there is a cabinet meeting at noon to
take him away from his desk. When at his
desk he tries to devote the afternoon to the
dispatch of business, and the last hour Of
the day, whether it ends at o'clock or G.
o'clock, as is more often the case, is devoted
chief clerk brings in his pocket
Mr.. Lincoln's whole life has been that of,
ar administrative business man. When he
first began to practice law in Chicago, he
was partner of Young Mr.. Scammon, thet
son of the then wealthy bank president and
real estate owner, ]. Y. Scammon. This
gave the young man large amount of real
estate having to attend to. He naturally
kept on with insurance and real estate law,
had much office practice, which became large
and lucrative. After time he changed his
partnership, forming the firm of Isham &c
Lincoln, of which he remains member. 1t
is said that his annual income when he en-
tered the cabinet was more than his official
salary of 5000. Whenever he leaves office
he will, doubtless, resume his Chicago prac-
tice
Mr. Lincoln is greatly devoted to his FAM
lily. Mary Harlan, his wife, has been an in
valid most of the time since they came to
Washington to live. The eldest child is q
daughter fourteen years Of age. The older
son, Abraham, is now ten years of age, and
is said to be a powerful young American.
The second boy, Jesse, is Two years younger
They ali attend school here. Mrs Lincoln
is gradually recovering her health so that
next season her house. which would have
remained closed last season on account OF
the death of the Secretarys mother even il
his wife had been well, will doubtless again
be OPEN
If Mr. Lincoln were not so gooda Secretary
of War he might be heard OF q good deal
more in society Mr.. Lincoln dresses very
we'll. He is a great smoker. 1t is said that
he knows how to play poker. Possibly. Ho
is live Western citizen, who enjoys life a
good deal. He lacks magnetism, the politi-
clans say, and they do not put their arms
around his neck,
Experiments with Bubbles.