Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-06-30
DON'S FRIEND.
WHY SIMON CAMERON SECURED AN
APPOINTMENT FOR VIRGlNlAN.
Some Curious Capers Cut by Postmas-
ter-Gcnerai wanamakcr--A Special
Casc--yirginia Post-Ofilccs.
From Our Regular Correspondent

from Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON. June 29.-The death Of the
venerable General Simon Cameron, of
Pennsylvania, calls TO mind an episode Of
an executive session of the Senate when
| he was q member Of that august body, and
/ also illustrates aseadins trait in the charac-
/ ter Of the grea, political manipulation.
General Camerons success rs a politician
was to make friends, and he made inroads
even into the opposing party by doing
+ thincs that less able and positive man
+ would never have undertaken. Away back
in General Grants first term as President
/ there came to the Senate one day batch
/ of nominations and among the lot was
( that of Joseph t. Mason. Of Virginia, to be
+ United States Consul al Dresden in place of
1 an Illinois man who was a friend Of the then
/ senator Logan. When the nomination was
read outthc swarthy Logan jumped to his
feet and said What's that, Mr.. Presi-
dent! Let that nomination be read again"
Just then General Cameron arose and
quieily remarked: Let that name be
temporarily laid aside" and the Pennsyl-
vauian proceeded TO explain matters 10 the
Illinois Senator. As the story goes, Logan
moved his arms violently, and the blood
came TO his face. A Democratic senator
I who sat near SAYS that Logan demanded TO
know who this man Mason. of Virginia,
was.
/ He's a friend Of Don's." quietly replied
nerOn-" my son DON
His politics z" inquired Logan.
Il know nothing about his politics.
added Cameron. "All ! know is that he IS
a friend and former schoolmate of Don;
Don wants him appointed Consul 10 Ores
I den, and have had him appointed"
Logan was new senator. Cameron was
old and experienced and he soon quoted
Logan. Mason went to Dresden and he
has been there ever since. hundred peO-
pie at least tried to get him ont during
Cleveland S administration, but MIR. Mason,
of Virginia, remained at Dresden, drawing
81 500 per year "a salary and fees. Ii IS a
nice place and the mere fact that he was a
schoolmate and friend of Don Cameron
kept him in the Office Through four or five
administrations.
QUEER. If NOT INCONSISTENT.
Postmaster-Ge neral Wanamaker IS GER
tainly queer if not a thoroughly-ncon-
sistent man. as can easily be proved. 1t
viii be remembered that a couple Of
months ago he positively informed three
Republican congressman that he would not
remove Democratic postmasters until the
expiration OF their terms, unless charges OF
a specific nature were preferred against
/ them showing them to be unworthy and
incapable. And these charges, gentle
D. H.. q.
affidavit and proven Just the same as II you
were going before a court of law"
All this sounded very NICE and the idiotlc
Z Mugwump newspapers and sO-called civil
service reform advocates began 10 pat " old
/ brceches-maker." as Judge Thurman calls
him. on the back under the mistaken idea
that they had man a the head of the Post
/ Office Department who would stand by the
colossal humbug of the age. Right on the
I hcall rf fbie t,rofaeqio ha removed l., " =.
Caldwell from the post-oftce at Warrenton,
Va, Oh a fiimsy charge preferred oy Billy
Malone TO the effect that Caldwell was n
vicious PARTISAN
CURIOUS CAPKBs.
To-day the Dispatch correspondent learned
of some curious capeTs that the POstmAs-
ter-General has been cutting lately. \
Democratic congressman called at the de-
partment and proposed the name OF a
Democrat for postmaster III his place on
the ground that the party whose name he
offered was more popular, and certainly As
J capahle as any Republican who might be
suggested in the place. Mr. Wanamaker
GOT hot and talked ike a real bad man ~
& In politics NOu want me 10 appoint q
Democrat. do youF" he said Never |
intend 10 appoint none but Republicans to
Office while | am at the head OF this de-
paTtment.'
The Democratic congressman, of course,
did not expect 10 succeed. and the wonder
is that he should have asked Black Re-
publican Administration to give Demo
crat post-office of the presidential class.
4 Republican congressman dropped IN
next and wanted removal made IN his as
trict Have yOu any charges 20 prefer
against the present pOstmasterf" is what
the raiser OF q $4,000 Republican cam
paign corruption fund asked.
. am not that kind of a man" frankly
responded the congressman. want the
man removed simply because hels a Demo
I crat There is nothing against him. lie
/ Is honest, square, and capable-and one OF
the best party men in that portion OF the
State. only wish could get Republic
can who is as solid in his Repubhcanism as
that Democrat is in his Democracy. ,
The congressman refused 10 make fool
of himself and the Postmaster-General de
clincd TO make the removal because absurd
charges were not preferred.
ANOTHER SAMPLE.
Here is another sample of John Wana-
makers way of running the department :
Two New Mexico Republicans tried to have
a Democratic postmaster removed.
is he a bad MANI" inquired Wanna
maker.
de is not a very bad man." was the re-
Spouse of one Of the callers.
How about his habits. ability, etc."
Attends 10 business, and he is pretty
good man. Works hard all the week and
is riproaring Democrat"
He PLAYS poker" mildly suggested one
of the men from New Mexico.
a gambler" Sasped Wanamaker.
"Oh. no. said one. you could not call
him gambler. He works hard all the
week. and sometimes on Sunday. / have
known him to engage in small game of
draw-pokcr, with a 25-cent limit, merely as
a pleasant way to pass time, not having an
opportunity to play during the week
" Gentlemen" exclaimed Mr.. Wanna
maker this is simply terrible. | shall
make the case special, and 1t shall be acted
upon Immediately. A man who would
play poker on Sunday must CO."
The PostmastCr-G General bounced that
1 postmaster.
Mr.. Wanamaker has no love for the New
York papers. In an animated conversation
the other day he said to several callers: |
see you have been reading the New York
papers. | put no faith IN the New YORK
papers. Quit reading them, Or you Will go
wrong"
hill CHANDLER's EAR.
During the present week there has been
much in the papers regarding the episode
in Senate committee-roOm last winter,
when Senator Blackburn pulled Bill Chan
dler's ear. Little Billy's denial does not 20
down here worth cent. 1t was really adj
mitted ~ Chandler himself the day after
il occurred. and was corroborated by both
/ Democrats and RepGb licans that the pulling
took place. Many people, irrespective OF Pc
litical feeling. reercttedt that Blackburn dld
not thump the impudeui little SOuth-hater
I inayieorous style Bill Chandlerls by long
odds the most bitter and byena-hke politl-
clan now in public life. His character was
truly shown up when John VI. Clayton was
assassinated in Arkansas. The news being
first broken 20 him hy Republican con-
rrcssnan from the South. Chandler. as has
heretofore been stated in this correspond
encc. beamed. and, instead Of expressing
I cnv regret over Clayton's death, exclaimed:
Another splendid chance for us 20 make
some political capital at the expense OF the
South"
The southern congressman right then
and there administered q terrible rebuke
10 aim. A man of Bill Chandler's instincts
hasn't the respect or confidence Of nail the
public men IN his own party and Demo-
Gratis hold him in utter contempt.
Posr,iAsTERs.
The folloWinc Virginia DOstmaetCrs were