The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-04-01
DANIEL s. LAMONT.
The New Presidents Confidential
Secretary.
A Description OF the Man Who Has the Ear
of President Clevcland-some OF the
Men Who Have Served Other Ex-
ecutives in Like Capacity.

Washington Cor. Cincinnati Times. .star.l
One OF the most noticeable men about
Cleveland Is his private secretary. The
reason why he is specially noticeable Is
Because he Is credited with having so much
influence with the President. Ordinarily,
the private secretaries 10 the Presidents
|. do not rank high, so far as influence Is
concerned. It is generally supposed by
the public that the private secretary Is an
official whose principal duties consist in
protecting the President from importunate
and unimportant callers. But in reality
the average private secretary in the White
House has very little to do outside Of the
routine found in managlngthe correspond
ence of the Executive Mansion. Public
men who go to see the President are not
inclined to spend much time with middle
men, however talented they maybe. Sem
ators, leaders of the House and diplomatic
people, when they go to see the President,
always insist on PERSONAL audience.
Prominent politicians, when they come
here from their States are not fond of be-
ing kept waiting In the private secretary's
room. There has been, however, no prl-
vate secretary who has come TO the White
House for many years who has had the
wide political experience Of Colonel La
mont.
He possesses Cleveland's confidence to
remarkable degree. He has been his close
adviser and has for q long time been taken
into his confidence. AT Albany, however,
the situation Is much different from that at
Washington. There Lamont was practi-
cally Cleveland's only adviser. Here
Cleveland has seven counselors, who will
see him every day of his life, five of whom
are very prominent, influential men. In
addition to these counselors the Democratic
leaders In both houses will have access to
him, and will insist upon giving him ad-
vice. No President can escape this unless
he should cut loose from ,his party. No
President would dream Of doing that un-
less impelled by very extraordinary cir
cumstances. Tyler, who cut loose from his
party, thought he could form new party
not realizing that parties arc not made by
politicians, but by the people. johnson
got out with the party that elected him.
The only result that followed was an abb
solute want of influence. An administra-
tlon that hopes to accomplish results must
stand well with the people that contributed
to its election.
II Is understood here that some Of the
Democrats who represent the revenue re-
form element are very much opposed to
the Tilden influence in the new admins
tration. These gentlemen have 4 prejudice
against Colonel Lamont on account Of his
former connection with Tllden, and be-
cause II Is still believed that he has conf
dontlal relations. 1t Is a prejudice that
may be very easily disposed Of, as I un-
derstand that the new private secretary
Is a diplomatic and adrolt politician, who
has much more skill In creating friends
than the average men Of his age. He does
not believe In making needless enemies.
His present position Is one that will try
his ability. II he can maintain his innu-
ence and close relations with the Presi-
dent In the face OF the counter influence
that will surround Cleveland here, IL will
show that he has very marked ability as
politician and diplomatist. The outgo-
ing private secretary, Phillips, was Mr..
Arthur's private secretary when he was in
the Custom house In New York. He waS
appointed his private secretary when Ar
thur became Vice. President. He followed
the latter to the White House. He Is a
very amiable, carefully-dressed young
man, who is fond Of club life and OF going
out In society.
He knows nothing, however, about poli-
tics and had no more to do with tho poll
ticlans, and no more influence upon the
White House policy, than II he had been a
clerk in a department. He has been sim
ply n private secretary and nothing more.
His predecessor, J. Stanley Brown, was
originally clerk in the geological survey.
He was u very young fellow, and received
in the department n salary Of about 500
per month. He was valued there because
he was industrious and a skillful short
hand writer.
During the Garfield campaign, Gar
field sent to Was hington for Sec
retary to help him out with his let
ters at Mentor. He said that he could
not pay over SO month. Major Powell,
who had charge Of the survey, was asked
about IL. He took an interest in young
Brown and advised him to accept the
place, although the salary was much less
than he was getting. He said to Brown
that he could afford to take the chance, for
II Garfield was elected he would certainly
come In for something good. During his
short term OF service Brown gave great
satisfaction, but he was too Young to have
any influence In politics.
Hayes private secretary was bankrupt
commission merchant out In Minnesota.
once heard him say that he did not know
where to turn for s. when Hayes picked
him up on account OF certain business re-
lations that they had some years previous
In Ohio. Rogers was very thrifty indl.
vidual, however, and feathered his nest
very well while In the White House. He
picked up so much information relating to
the French and American claims that he
was able to gojnto very good practice
before the commission here when he left
tho White House.
I He was also made the.trustee OF large
estate in Ohio. His wife was also left
some money out Of the Same estate. He