The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-04-23
Personal Traits of Hayes, Garfield. ar
fFsur and CIavaIanO
speciaI TO Detroit Free Press


The presidents mail is very heavy.
Quite number of the4etters contain ap-
plications for suthography. These re-
quests are always complied with when
it is possible to do so.
allow does President Cleveland sign
his letters 2" asks the Free Press CORES
pondent of Secretary Henley to-day.
"As matter of fact the president has
had so little time to write letters since
his Inauguration that can hardly say,
but believe his usual form is Yours
truly.bn
"How about his predecessors ~
"Mr. Hayes usually wrote Sincerity
yours Garfield, Very truly yours and
Arthur, Faithfully yours
"Who Of these was the better PEN
manF"
Gall wrote we'll, but Arthur probably
made the prettiest copy. 1t was diff
ficult, however, to get HIM to write. !
never saw any one who dislIked more to
use pen, yet he wrote rapidly and with
apparent ease. Garfield prided himself
upon his penmanship. You know he
taught it in his younger days, but grew
careless after entering public life and
his letters lost some OF their symmetry
and grace"
did Garfield write.many OF his own
letters 81
HE seldom put pen to paper. He
dictated everything to his stenOgrapher.
He dictated easy and well. Mr.. Hayes on
the contrary, seemingly enjoyed writing.
II was nothing unusual for him to write
half q dozen letters before breakfast.
President Arthur never dictated. He
would tell US what he wanted to say,
and we would put it in our own words.
His annual messages, however, he wrote
himself"
who of the four presidents you have
served under we've the most popular with
the clerical force of the executive man.
sIon?"
'Mr. Hayes. l know the politicians
did not like him, but to the employees OF
the White House he was always kind
| and courteous. We were all very fond
OF Mrs. Hayes. Every Thanksgiving
she gave the clerks and secretaries here
an elegant dinner in the state dining
room. After the meal was concluded
she would go down into the east room
/ and enter into their frolIcs with as much
zest as if we were all members OF the
same family"
| How were the GaTfields ?"
"Gen. Garfield was delightful man
generous, whole souled and afectionate
OF Mrs. Garfield l can't say so much
She was very reserved and we met hel
only at intervals. Gen. Garfield delight
ed in a good game of billiards. H'
liked the c. .ntest there was In it. Before
he was Uade president he used TO PLAY
at the Riggs house billiard room witt
Rockwell. Swain, CorbIn, aud otheI o
his famlliars."
ibid his political troubles bottle
him much 2"
apparently not. The office-seeker
worried him the most. He used to SD.
he had been struggling with ideas al
his life, and 1t was very tiresome to hav
to decide whether A or B should be az
pointed to a particular vacancy. HI
Judgment may have been faulty 6
times, but his impulses were good. tn
cast of his mine was essentially literary
, He ought never have entered into poll
tics. HIS perceptions were wonderful
acute. He caught on readily, as tn
boys say"
) ibid you like Arthur"
, I'VE respected him. No one could b
brought into relationship with Gel
r Arthur and not respect him. He Wa
, alwas courteous, but cold and lorna
He transacted his business with I
l through his private secretary, Mr.. Phi
4 lips. He had the rare faculty OF keel
? ing PEG; Te at a distance. There VIZ
? something in his manner that forbac
: the slightest approach to Familiarity
: We all admired President Arthur, bl
3 he never won our hearts as others did
e reason of his unapproachaDillly."