Wichita eagle., 1889-07-03
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9ai1y eagle
NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL.
POSTMASTER GENERAL WANAMAKER
AND THE AMERICAN LORDS.

The Merchant Cabinet Officers Misfortune
In Not Being Scribe-CIarkson the
Imperturbable-Candya and Antiquarian
ism-Kentucky Girls and Horses.
Especial Correspondence.]
WASHINGTON, June S.-There is no more
Interesting man in the cabinet that Postmas-
ter General Wanamaker Activity, mental
and physical, is one of his most striking char
acteristics. Mr.. Wanamaker likes to be on
his feet, and receives most of his visitors AT
the big postoffice building in standing pos
ture. Admitting a dozen or more persons
TO his room at time he moves from one to
the other listening to what they have to say
and giving prompt and decided replies Not
wiGhstending his lack of experience in public
business, it is said he can grasp a point about
as quick as any man that has ever held the
office. Mr.. Wanamaker sees everybody who
calls, and has some democratic ideas about
the equality of man in the office of the post
master general These ideas put into prac-
tice came near, some time ago, to getting
him into a pretty row with number of
United States senator's The average United
States senator has large not to say some
what exaggerated idea of his own dignity and
Importance, and this is not to be wondered
at considering that from time almost IN
known the chief officers of the executive
branch Of the government have made prac-
tice of bowling down and worshiping the
most august and powerful representatives of
the national legislature 1t has been the rule
of the departments that no hour, no door,
was to be kept from a senator.
Rptf bo -t,, RI
lowing precedent to the extent that senators
were given sort of prior right in the matter
of admission to his sanctum, received them,
when they were once in, as he received every
body else; that is to say, standing, with
conversations short and to the point and de-
cisions as prompt as possible The senator's
did not like this, as they had been in the
habit of basking in special attention at the
Office of the postmaster general, with the
inner or private room of that functionary
open TO them, chairs provided and time given
up to their entire satisfaction. Several SEN
ators were SO nettled by these stand up re-
captions that they compared notes, and fer d.
time there was serious talk among number
of them of ways and means of "discipliningn
the postmaster general. But the talk came
TO naught, partly because it was too small a
thing 10 kick up row about, and partly be-
cause the postmaster general, after the first
rush of business was over, relaxed his method
sufficiently to enable him to give private and
sitting audience to all the senators who hon
ored him with their presence In this con-
nection a curious fact, not generally known,
is worth mentioning. 1t is generally believed
that none but Republican senators are inter-
ested in the distribution of offices under Re
publican administration, and yet Postmaster
General Wanamaker tells me that since tax
ing possession of his Office he has had
greater number of calls from Democratic
than from Republican senators.
In the corridors of the postofiice department
a large crowd of men is always TO be seen
during business hours awaiting a chance TO
see the postmaster general or his first assist
ant. Occasionally this crowd sees a smooth
faced man, of medium height, attired In a
suit of solemn black, and looking as cool as n
polar bear in the most sweltering of DAVIS
rush through the corridor from one room TO
another. The man races around as if his
life or at the very least his employment. de-
pended upon his activity. He goes through
the swinging doors with a bang, and as he
disappears somebody says, THAT'S him
that's Wanamaker.n The postmaster gen
eral is very light on his feet, and likes moth
ing better than a chance to skip I'D or down
stairs. He seems always in hurry, but
never hurried. One of his fads is a sort Of
schedule of working hours. He does not put
this on paper, but carries it IN his mind, and
when he begins work in the morning knows
pretty well how each hour of the day is to
DO spent This habit is so strong with him
that he unconsciously divides his hours into
sections and strives to do such and such a
thing, or see one of his many callers, In each
of these subdivisions A favorite expression
of his is: "Glad to see you. Am very busy.
but want to know what you have to say.
Have three minutes to spare, and if you will
make good use of the time we can get through
nicely" This is SO frank and practical that
it offends no one, perhaps United States
senator or two alone excepted, and pleases a
ma jority of the visitors.
In his elegant home on street, formerly
occupied by Mr.. and Mrs. Whitney, the
postmaster general continues his activity of
mind and body. Callers there often wait a
moment or two in the parlor till the servant
comes down with the remark, BE down in
n minute or two, sir" only TO look up in the
next instant to see the postmaster general
before them. Occasionally he beats the ser
want, for it is his habit to run down stairs at
every opportunity. Mr.. Wanamaker is very
kind to newspaper men, and his nimble mind
often skips away from his business and
enables him TO think of that of his visitors
in way quite unexpected After answer
ing the questions put to him he sometimes
turns to writers and remarks: "Now, that is
all l know about that; at least, that Is all
can tell you. The other day the thought
occurred to HE that this would be good
thing 10 write up, and if the suggestion is
worth anything to you, I'm sure you're well
come" Then he throws out his hint. AS
general thing these suggestions of the post
master general are most excellent, and the
press corps has reached the conclusion that
Mr. Wananlaker would have made a rafting
good newspaper man if he had not been SO
unfortunate as to become a millionaire mer-
chant He would also have made good
pedestrian or baseball player, and it is
doubtful if there are many fields of endeavor
In which this versatile, masterful man would
not have e1celled-
An incident which cleverly illustrates the
status enjoyed by newspaper men in Wash |
ington occurred the other day. 1t was in the
office Of Secretary Noble a newspaper man
Of considerable prominence had never met the |
and happening to mention this fact |
in the presence Of 4 senator, the latter kindly |
volunteered to take the journalist up to the /
interior department and introduce him |
Thinking il could at least do no harm TO be
introduced by prominent Republican seIa-
tor the newspaper man gladly accepted the |