Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-12
GOSSIP IN WASHINGTON.
CLOSING A CHAPTER IN CLEVE-
LANDS ADMINISTRATION
The Cabinet and its MethOds-some
Members who Talk and Some who
viii Net-FIxing the White House
RIidsummer Inactivity.


From ne Nsso York Sua
WASHINGTON, Aug 9.-The departure
Of the President and his Cabinet for the
summer brings the iTst chapter OF the
administration to a close When they get
back % will he autumn, aud tue approach
tng session OF Congress will give ne"
direction to affairs. In the live months now
ended the administration has become IA
mihsr with, and, on the whole, Is liked
in Washington, chiefly because II lets the
clerks alone. President Cleveland has
made deep impression as IA plain-spokeu,
plain-dealjng obstinate man. He mas
stamped his personality more clearly on
the Cabinet than any President since
Grant This Is shown. among other
things, in the symmetry of department
changes. 1t is evident that one system,
and that directed by the President, I'M
deTies them.
This is a silent administration. 1t ia
careful and sparing Of speech, differing
in this respect from its Republican pre-
decessOrs. This is particularly notice.
able in its attitude toward the newspa-
pers. The President is not a ready talker,
and he and his Cabinet are disposed TO
weigh their words. AS between Arthur
and Cleveland it might be hard to choose,
etiquette that the President is never inter
viewed. Still. scarcely day passes
when some newspaper writer does not see
him, and to them he expresses his views.
Mr.. Arthur always treated reporters
civilly, but they rarely got much news
from him. President Cleveland has not
such urbane manners, but Is accessible,
and is communicative with persons he
has found 10 be trustworthy. To strangers
he has little TO say.
The Secretary If State is supposed TO
say nothing to anybody, and Mr.. Bayard
maintains the traditions Of the office. His
expressions are models OF elegant Oh.
security. He talks, perhaps, a trfle more
Guently than his predecessor, the late
Mr.. FTelinghuysen, who was very dis
Greet man indeed. Postmaster General
Villas is the orator of the Cabinet, and if
ia the mood talks well, though he carries
the platform into the parlor so that his
visitor feels like the music-mad King
of Bavaria, an audience Of one.
Prank HattOn, his predecessor,
was quick-tongued Western
business man, never at a loss for sharp
word. The two Southern members, Sec
rotary Lamar and Attorney General Gar
land, are not lOquaciOus, especially the
Attorney General, and Secretary Man
ming is hard man to get at. The milf
tary and naval Secretaries, Judge Endi-
colt andlMr. Whitney, are reserved aud
silent. so that. as a group. the mem bers
OF the Cabinet have not put themselves on
familiar terms with the newspapers. Of
fce-seekers, gOssipers, or the public in
general. 1t is to be remarked that there is
not local nickname among them, while
in the late administration there was
'Cbet," "A Bob" a Frank" "Bill."
and Benny"
The members Of the Cabinet, like the
President, again, are very hard workers.
They come early to Office and leave late,
do much work at home at night, and take
few holidays. Their chief business thus
far las been to near and decide on
tbe claims Of O1fice-seekers, particu-
larry in the case Of the President and
tbe Postmaster General All the other
members Of the gOvtrnn - have
devoted on An a'sNays from one TO
three hours daily listening to what call
ers had to say on this all-engrossing. sub
lect, and these interviews have necessta-
ted patient consideration afterward. MIR.
Lamar went into the Cabinet with rep
utatiou az an eloquent dreamer. but he
has shown "A good capacity for dispatch
ing business, though he is not as brick at
his desk as was Secretary Schurz, whose
rafting dispatch OF business is still ira
dition IN the Interior Department.
The most striking contrast in any Of
flee. perhaps, is in that OF the Attorney
General. Garland is the antipodes OF
Brewster in every respect, and the change
in the office has been fairly dramatic.
Secretary Whitney is rather the gentle
man of the administration. He has
wealth and culture, handsome presence
and polished manners. He occupies "A
dne house near the British legation, be-
sides owning a country seat In
the suburbs, which he bought re-
NIB he Il
leagues occasionally to quiet lunches.
He has also entertained the Cabinet hand
sOmely on several occasions, notably the
fishing excursion 10 WOOdmont. His
latest act Of courtesy was to charter "A
special car and tender il TO the army and
navy officers who went TO the Grant Obse-
quies. But Mr. Whitney is stern Secre-
tary, and his course toward Roach and
the old Naval Advisory Board has excited
bitter element Of opposition in the de-
eaFtment.
His neighbor in the great State Depart
ment building, Judge Endicott, has here
tOfOre done little TO excite remark, but his
order Of yesterday touching staff duty will
make his life burden. The 0rdev strikes
At toe root OF one of the deepest abuses in
the army. Former Secretaries have REQ
Ognized it--notably Secretary Lincoln,
whose'discipline OF the army would have
been strict 70 harshness had he been
backed up by Mr.. Arthur. The present
Secretary finds himself strongly support
ed in the White House, as we'll as Nv the
highest ana most faithful army officers,
and no doubt he will enforce his or
der and give all the youngsters far
and equal taste NJ the alkali plains
Outside of the Cabinet one Of the men
IN whom President Cleveland reposes
great confidence Is Representative Morrl-
son. The President gives Morrison the
status of senator-elect in the distribution
OF patronage 10 Illinois, and the two men
enjoy close personal relations. Not long
ago an Illinois Congressman saw the
President on local appointments. Mr..
Cleveland heard his statements, and then
asked him how no stood with Morrison.
The Congressman replied that they were
friendly, but added that he thought he
could stand alone.
"Certainly," answered Mr. Cleveland.
81 shall always treat you with due con-
sideratiOn as a Representative, but Nor
rtson Is good man 70 know. good man
70 tie 70; just remember that"
Morrison is evidently in high favor
The Illinois appointments show that con
oiusivelv. He il certain 20 be Chairman
in the Ways and Means Committee again.
II be wants the place. as the cordial re-
)ati0ns betwSen him and Mr.. Carlisle
have been strengthened OF late by several
circumstances. On the other hand. there
Is belief that 1orman's influence ia