Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-03-09

been opposing the president as to civil
service reform, and u story was lately told
of u remark that he was said to have
made to Senator voorhees,, that he would
displace Il Republican and give his place
to a good Democrat whom Voorhees,
recommended. This story, am assured,
is untrue, and a true story of his rebuff
of politician is quite to the contrary.
This politician thought Dickinson was an
ardent spokesman, and he came in and
effusively Grasped his hand, saying:
81 am glad we have at last got a man
in the cabinet who is good Democrat,
and that the postoflices of the United
States will no longer be held by Republi-
cans"
He was going on to criticise the presi-
dent, while Mr.. Dickinson's thin lips grew
tighter and tighter together, until the
man made a mention Of the presidents
name, when Dickinson blurted out:
sect out of herel want you to leave
this room immcdiatelyr'
The politician was thunderstruck, and
he said:
"Why, what is the matter?''
81 want You to understand" reioined
Dickinson, that no man can criticise
President Cleveland in this office. l am
thoroughly in accord with the presidents
policy, and | believe that everything that
he has done and is doing now as a chief
executive is right. l want no more OF
such talk here, and | want no more of
you. Get out of here-get right Outr'
1t is needless to say the politician left,
and as Il private hint | would not advise
any one else to try the same game.
Still, Postmaster General Dickinson is
ordinarily the mildest hammered man that
ever cut an Office seekers throat. He is
the Chesterfield of the cabinet, as he was
the Chesterfield Of the Michigan bar A
man of a strong social and literary taste,
he makes friends everywhere, and he is
president Of the Detroit club the leading
social organization Of Detroit He is
president Of his college class society, and
he evidently believes with Marcus
Aurelius, that mans social nature should
be cultivated as well as his moral and in
tellcctual nature.
He has, so a Michigan statesman tells
me, II large sympathy for the poor. He
has done Il great deal of "Thani you'
business at the law, and his poor and non
paying clients have been many.
! have heard many Instances Of his
kindness, ana ! will here state that none
Of the information in this letter comes
from him or through him. lie is noted
for his loyalty to his friends, and it is
! SAID that he has never forgotten n kind
| ness He has remembered even the little
| favOrs TINT were done him during his boy.
| hood days. and heard yesterday Of how
| he took care of an old sailor, who was O
| tar when he was in short clothes, and
who when he grew little older, used tc
tell him stories which appealed to his i'm.
| agipatiOn as strongly as those of Othellc
| did to DesdemOna's. l think the sailor
| left for cruise shortly before Dickinson
| grew up but n few years ago he came
back to Detroit, poor, old and broken il
| health. Mr. Dickinson got him place il
| q hospital at Detroit, and saw that he was
| fixed with a good berth for the rest of his
life. He saw, | am told, that gooC
| doctor was provided for him, and my in
formant states that the old sailor does moi
probably know today to whom he is in
debted for the kindness.
Don Dickinson has always been strons
ahti-corpOration man. He sold his inter
est in telegraph stock before he came int
| the cabinet, for fear that it might be con
| sidered as influencing his actions in tn,
| postoflice department, and / am told tina
| he would not take "a premium for it. Al
| schoOlboy he was fond OF denouncint
corporations among his fellows, and hi
hobby in debating societies was, | an
told, corporations. He does not believ
in allowing corporations to trample ON hi
rights, and few years ago the Brusl
Electric Light company introduced thei
system in Detroit. They put up bare
ugly pine poles along the streets, and il
many cases did not ask permission. On
day Dickinson was very busy at court
He came home late, and as he approaches
his handsome brick house on Front stree
he saw one Of these white electric ligh
poles standing rs a sentinel before hi
front gate Its foot was imbedded in til
earth, and it appeared to defy him as Cas-
abanca detied the fire on the burnin
deck The limbs of his faYorite tree ha
been clipped to make room for it, and as MI
Dickinson saw it his thin lower lip wen
up, and his classical brows came dow
Into frown. His nostrils quivered wit
rage, but he walked rapidly into tn
house, took Off his frock coat and vest
and seized an AK which had an edge lik
razor. 1t took Just twenty cuts to la
that electric light pole low, and the futur