New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-28
A DEM0CRA TIC IDOL SHELTERED.
SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE Posi-
MASTkR-GENERAL,

|
MASTkR-GENERAL,
| IPRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
| WASHINGTON. Dec. 27.-When Mr.. Villas
| took his seat in President Cleveands Cabinet last
March he was OF the popular Democrats IN the
| Northwest Great things were expected Of him. He
had YOUTH talent and host of friends. He was known
TO be ready talker. fairly good railroad lawyer ana
a business OF energy and experience AS po'-
itcan he had support Of his party In the state 10
day all this changed. Mr. Villas Is no more the pop
uar hero He longer occupies In the hearts OF MS
friends the place that he occupied before he became
Postmaster General He has ceased to be the "B'h
Villas of old From being tho idol OF the young Democ-
racy of his has become the object OF ridcue
| and contempt Recent files of Wisconsin newspapers
furnish ample evidence Of the existence OF such eei
ing and in Washington there is little difficulty In ascer
tanning why 1t exists Mr.. Villas arrived here Win eA
aggerated notions OF the Importance ana dignity Oh MS
| onice He surrounded himself with corps OF ines
sengcrs and doorkeepes whose duty WAS to tell every
body who called at the Post Oce Department. thal INC
could not him. To obtain an audi
epce with Mr. Villas had to come Washington pre-
pared to stay week. and even then success was DOUBT
full Congressman cooled their shns III the
| lobby while the Postmaster-Generm discussed
| grave affairs of State with Oshkosh ward BOSSES
| The tales told Of Mr. Vilas's exclusiveness were
| many and amusing They showed him to be possessed
of great deal of innocent selfcOncet and harmless
prctentions TO Importance. In his manner TOO toward
strangers he adopted that airy cOndcsceDsOh assoocu
I'm The public mind only with stage kings ana village
constables. II 1t did not always impress Mr. Nl!asS
visitors IL at any rate pleased him. and that was after
| all, perhaps the main thing
recent requires card TO be sent to the POST
master General indicating the name aud Importance OF
the visitor before audience can be granted lhe mes
sengers instructions to admit no one nor 10 permit
body TO pass beyond the anterOom, without special
| drec tons from him. failure to obey these
Instructions dismissal. for Mr. Villas is strict
discipln arian and u gentleman OF somewhat her'ou
| and uncertain temperament. The messengers know
this and they govern themselves accordingly but the
other day II so happened that none Of these trembling
serytors was on spot when an Illinois Congress
man stepped In and seeing one TO take IN MS earn
made his way into OF the inner rooms lie hai not
been IN Washing ton the change or Administration
and though well acquainted In tue Post once Depart
ment for he has been "A member twelve years he had
| never met MI. Villas Seeing a man seated at desk
busy engaged IN writing he dropped into one OF the
empty chairs intending TO wait until the cerk Tor such
La supuosed the man was should finish and be at lib
ery to direct him the POstmascr-Gencrds room 10
his surpri.c however the supposed clerk jumped to his
feet rushed the door through which the visitor had
entered closed It, turned the key In the lock and then
turning upon him savagely exclaimed "Who are you,
sirl How did you get IN here what DO you want why
| don't you speak, srF'
The illinois member is a mild hammered man and the
savage tone other rather startled him. He found
presence of mind enough, however. to say that he was
seeking messenger a clerk who would take his card
| to -.
You are r. shouted the excable occupant OF the
| room Well, / the Postmaster General Now.
| what do you want and who are your
The Representative quietly remarked that he haA como
to the Department Oh some public business He would
defer, however, the presentation OF his case to some
future day as the General was evidently no
IN proper OF mind to listen TO an argument As
to how came nere," he continued Il came In through
the door which you have just locAed Now. you Will
unlock another out Of this room Will
| leave you to yourself"
MI Villas at rushed to another door opened it and
his visitor passed To the present day lie does not
know probably. that his visitor whom he treated
| htey, is OF The most Influential members OF the
House. lie may hnd out, however, before long.
Tho recent OF the Postmaster General Of Japan
TO tins country gave Mr. Villas another opportunity to
show his rudentss. The japanese Official was IN this
city several days II was known That ne al come "itn
"A view studying the postal system OF THIS cohnlIy III
mgpt have been supposed thai MI Villas would extend
10 5n s,an%r the WORKINGS Of the Department lie
did nothing OF the kind. lie did not even c!i Oh the
called at Department Mr. Villas was too busy 10 see
him. lie contented himself with sending subordinate
The Japanese left the eity without
having even Mr.. Villas What lie will have to ray
upon returning home about oiclaI courtesy IN to United
states az dspayc by Mr. Villas safely be Imagined
Of the United States was too busy
TO him. he was not " too pnsy TO accept an INVITA-
| uonary celebrated the anniversary OF the Mkados
IL this lack OF consideration for others and the high
estimation In which ne holds himself that have cost Mr.
Villas his popularity. TO DE member OF the Cabinet
to have upset his judgment. lie walks with MS
mead cCuds His feet scarcely tOucn the ground.
| lie ia not the same that he year Wat
worse hc has the Senatorial bee DuZLug
| in bonnet Ho Is among those VINO believe
| That Wisconsin is grayiiang toward democracy.
More once within the last ten years, his parry
have carried lower branch of tho State Legislature
| Why not tue Senate and. having both house why
should they not send him to the United States senate
These things the PUstmaster-Geucral has always IN
mind and he here with the lGca that he would
the ONCE Department 10 advance his political fort
IA al al pf
using his Influence reward those who had for
years make Wisconsin Democratic. be has distributed
among what lie considered his personal iOi
lowing He has made enemies OF ha f0riuer and been
unable TO satisfy the demands OF the latter Instead OF
political lever the Post Office Department hAs come
an engine OF destruction In MS hanI@ HIS political Iunre
| IL wrecked. his standing among Democrats in
| WISCONSIN, Ia To secure tIe receive the
Mr.. Villas must show better judgment and
abilities than ne has displayed since he into office
And he will n0t be given chance 10 do either II Gen
help IL. General Bragg rival OF Mr..
Villas for Senatorial hOnOrs. HcdsKcs the Postmaster
General for personal and political reasons. lie has
TOO. VIII only ciio one Instance. Mr. Villas,
received custom, which gives tue office
In Cong IOna District to the Congressman
It, is attempting 10 secure the appointment OF
Richard l.. Cove as postmaster at Waukesha THIS II
Bergeer appointed and he is moving heaven and earth
To induce the President To reject the PO,tmasier-
Generals candidate The place is OF some I'M
lew o the that the AsSeulymau
from this district may hOid key the situation II
the next legislature should be Democratic. Defeated
in his district by Mr. Villas General Bragg would
have only poor showing as senatorial candidate.
This he knows. Hence his dislike OF Mr. Villas and the
aiteTs Gicy weaken General Bragg. The quarrel
is a pretty one 1t stands. Its outcome rs eagerly
awaited by the Badger" DemOcracy-WiH II be Villas
Bragg But after all the Democratic Legislature has
| not been elected yet