Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-06-21
Commissioner Miller.

COMMISSIONER ulllleEs
Of course all the papers in the revenue cases
90 through the hands of Mr.. Higgins, but
the responsibility of selecting the pen for
these places, Of listening to the appeals for
the appointments, rests largely with Mr..
Miller. An boar in his room will show to
the oberver something Of the scramble there
is for the places in his bureau, and the work
devolving upon him. he occupies a large
room in the north end of the Treasury b1ild-
ing, a full square from the office OF the Sec.
rotary, although in the same building. The
number of visitors calling upon him in q
day is wonderful. All Recommendations for
place in his department, all oral arguments
as to the fitness of this or that man for col
lectorship, are poured into his ears. HIS
room is the Mecca Of all pilgrims who visit
here with reference to the internal revenue
collectorships Of the entire country. 1t has
become generally understood that the inter
nal revenue collectorships and the places
under the collectors are to be the first filled,
and every collection district has turned its
batteries upon the Commissioner. GO to
his room at almost any hour Of the day and
you are sure to find it filed with anxious
souls. Some of them are the candidates for
place, some are the friends of these csndi.
dates, and some are the members of Con.
gress, all of whom think they ought to have
something to say about the selection of these
places. The room Is q very large one, and
is lined with chairs and sofas. These soon
fill up and those coming later are obliged to
stand. The Commissioner sits quietly at
his desk, and receives his callers in turn.
There is a chair close BY his and when a
man has anything to say he takes his turn
in getting into the chair, much as at a bar
Der shop. Then he gets his head as close
to that OF the Commissioner as he can, and
pours his story into his ear. If the day is
especially hot or the man has anything es-
pecially private in its nature to.ssy, the Com
missioner over by q window in the corner Of
the room, and hears the story there. he
has a private room, into which he occasion
ally takes his more important visitors, or
those who want to be especially secret
about their communications, but this is the
exception. As q rule the work is done in
public. Of course the conversation is com
paratively private, though the average viS-
tor soon gets warmed up with his subject
and forgets to talk in the low cautious tones
with which he begins bis appeal. Mr.. Mil
Ter is one of the most ~spproachable men IN
the whole line of new officials. He is al
ways at his desk, always pleasant and ready
to listen to what you have to say, and be
counted as having accomplished more in
the way of official changes than other Of
fcer Of the new administration except one
or two of the Post. 0fie Department officials.
He has recommended the removal of over
three-fourths of the internel revenue collec-
tors of the country and his recommends
tons have been followed in most or perhaps
all cases. This means not simply sixty or
seventy removals, but at least fifty times as
many as that, for the internal revenue col
lectors have as q rule at least fifty subordi-
mates under them. So that Mr.. Miller has
been responsible for three or four thousand
removals since his work began of changing
the personnel of the internal revenue bu-
reau. He expects to about finish this work
during the present month, and hopes to get
rest Personally Mr.. Miller is M of the
most popular officials in the new regime.
Always frank, always pleasant in manner,
always prompt and business like, he has
more friends in Washington to-day through
his happy combination OF business talent
and constant courtesy, than any three of the
other department officials.
Another very busy man, and one who is
Just now attracting q good deal OF atten-
ton, is