The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-04
But Very Brusque and Rude with Callers
Who Uselessly Occupy His Time-Bores
Treated with the Scantiest Ceremony.
EOme0f the Absurd Features of the Pam
Electric Inquiry Pointed Out.
An Executive Session Incident Of 1874. with
Dir. COnkling as the Principal Actor
Public Men and Their Personal Comfort.
THE MAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

THE MAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
Courteous to the Servants, but Bluff and
Brusque to Time-Wasting Callers.
Special to the indianapolis Journas.
WASHINGTON, April 3-"'Deed, sab, President
Cleveland Is the best-humored man I've ever
seen in this house," said an old colorsd attend
ant at the White House this afternoon. Other
servants speak of Mr Cleveland in the same way.
They praise his general amiable disposition, and
1aud his generosity. During mild weather the
President is fond of walking around the yard Of
evenings and early in the morning. He is fire.
quently accompanied by one of the messengers
or the hostler. and the attendants are pleased at
the way he greets them.
'Mr. Cleveland knows us all by name," said
one of them to your correspondent, land he
never fails to speak when he comes in contact
with US. He seems to be fond of talking to the
servants, too There is nothing naughty about
him when he is away from the crowd"
do you mean to say he is harsh when he is
conducting public businessr asked.
sWell. not that, hardly" replied the messen-
ger, shut he some times gets pretty much out OF
patience. A man who waits upon Mr.. Cleveland
In his Office told me that the President talks aw-
fully, sometimes, to the people who call to see
him. He gets out of patience, don't ye know,
and he first tells them he's through, and they
can 60. Oh, you'd be surprised to know how
many men are ordered out of the White House
by the President. A lot of them are told to get
out They are men who come in and try to
argue with the President Now, he won't per-
NIT that. When he tells person that he will or
he won't do thing he expects that to be sufi
eient and it makes him mad to have any one
contend or argue with him. / remember to
have responded to a call enc day, and to have
gone to the Presidents room on an Grand
when / found the President ordering q man to
60. tell you the scene was stormy"
WAS it a quarrell'
'It wasn't much less You seem to want to
question my determination in this matter the
President was saying, and that is one thing
will not suffer. When I announce my purpose
to do thing, that settles it, and you, nor any
other man, cannot enter into an argument with
me the subject; and when you do, you tres
pass and you are no longer desired in my pres
ence.' The man was very angry, and was say
ing something about pig-headedness, and man
who never changed his mind when he knew he
was wrong
There is another time when, it is said. the
President also gets out of humor It is when he
Is delayed by delegation. Under the present
way of admitting people to an audience with the
President, the latter is always in knowledge OF
the mission, and generally knows how long he
will be detained before he sees the visitor.
When man or crowd enters his
room he looks up, and in greeting
him or them he shows an expression
which plainly says: 'This is two-minute sub
ject." or 81 will just give FIVE minutes to this
or ''Ten minutes is my limit to these people"
and when the time is up it is no trouble to see it
in the executives manner He grows nervous
and irritable and his affabllity turns to gall If
the time is very greatly prolonged the President
becomes crusty. and If the auditors fail to take
the hint he gives them one by remarking that
there are others to be heard.
Mr.. Cleveland, during his comparatively short
public career, has had very great experience with
delegations. He has never held On Office that
did not cali before him, at frequent periods, peo
pie. singly, in pairs, trios and crowds. They
have asked for all kinds of favors official and
private in character, and he feels that he has
arrived at point where he ought TO be able to
gauge the time belonging to subject or class
of people. So, when ne learns of a subject and
sees his auditors. he instantly makes up his mind
what it and they are entitled to-
sit is really amusing" said a gentleman who
often calls upon the President, "to see him shut
off man or a lot of men who are before him for
favor WELL gentlemen, understand what
Won want and am conyersant with the subiect
you present. 1t only remains for me to think of
the matter, see some of my subordinates and
make an answer. You couldn't help the case If
you remained here week and talked heard
him say to delegation one day. Then he
looked up and said good day. and gave his at
tention TO something else. Another time was
present when an office seeker was urging his
claims for place in the diplomatic service He
had made q fair presentation and
favorable impressions; but he wouldnt
60. He fingered, and seemed to be determined
to exact pledge from Mr.. Cleveland, who final
ly observed, with gravity: This kind of work
takes most of my time The fellow didn't take
the hint. Then the President made another OBJ
servation, after pause You have said all that
can be said in this matter and you cannot get
an answer until I have talked to Mr. Bayard
Still the man fingered, and said good things
about himself Directly Mr.. Cleveland took the
bit in his mouth, i always make it rule, said
he. to inquire about applicants for Office, and to
inquire of the best citizens of the locality the
applicant halls from. The more an applicant
says Of himself the more inquiry devolves upon
me. 1t is. therefore, to the advantage of an APP
plicant not to say too much"
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