The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-25
AT THE TREASURY.

The Nations Financial Chief Is n Busy
Man-His Many Signatures.
Washington special to the New York Re-
| corder: A big, handsomely furnished room
| in the treasury overlooking the Potomac
flats. Groups scattered about the room
busily chatting and laughing. A door
| opens and admits a pompous bureau Off
| cial, who stands aimlessly for a minute,
and after gazing solemnly around retires
whence he came. Another opened door,
and a second person of like appearance goes
through a slmiia" performance, while the
| conversation flows on. The door opens again
and q third, less snowy than those who
| came before, dressed in a modest gray bust
ness suit, with the look of a country mer-
| chant or perhaps a minor official on small
! pay, glides nolselessiy In.
As o momentary hush falls on the assem-
| bled group the stranger among them chances
instinctively toward the door to see
whom this worthy individual may be usher
ing ii.
But nobody follows. A slight hesitating
look around, a quick step forward, q cordial
grasp of the hand of one OF the waiting
group, and the rural gentleman is seated at
the head of the big table ready for the bust
ness of the day. And a busy day 1t will be,
for the new conner is the head of the most
important department of the government,
the hardest working man IN Washington,
and burdened with more exactlng duties
than any of the peoples servants at the
national capital.
For one who is engaged in the study of
our democratic institutions or who has Il
relish for the cutting OF
governmental red tape, a half hour spent III
observation while loungiug on one of the
luxuriously upholstered sofas that surround
the room will not be wasted.
There 10 no inner Sanctum here. and no
series of ante-rooms and tinklinq bells anC
softly treading attendants to guard the
privacy of the divinity within. Nothing
could differ more widely from the picture
presented here.
A member of the group steps forward
and in a minute IL deep in contidentia
talk. He is a man whose name is known il
every corner of the land, and he brings ar
otiice-seeking friend, whose PAGES he pro
ceeds to show. In the midst of the exhibi
ton a couple of division chiefs appear witt
questions OF business that will admit of NJ
delay, and the secretary, after giving then
n few minutes attention and a decision
turns again to the visiting statesman ant
his friend.
As soon as these retire a curious seen,
begins. A messenger steps forward with
huge bundle of letters and papers an
stands respectfully by, blottinp pad il
hand. while the secretary hurriedly sign
his name to each, looking only to zee tina
HIS signature falls in the right place, an,
lazily turning II cigar between his iips
While his hand Is thus engaged his MIND
taken up with other things. No sooner la
he caught the swing of the pen than b
glances inquiringly at those standing by
At the signal one after another glides int
the chair at his side and pours into the sec
retary's ear his individual tale.
Tn secretary, lifting his eyes occasion
ally from his work, ausWers each quickl
and rnIafly and Mt tar~n1 o aptar, into
brief but animated conversation with SON
newspaper friend without lifting his han
an instant from his work, whilo his privat
SIC etary, Bob" Wynne, an old newBpap,
man himself, is busily engaged j
disposing of tho callers who do not requil
a personal word with the chief.
1t is in surroundings of this kim that
great deal of the routine work of the seer
tary of the treasury must be ca rried on. II
papers to which he sets mis- hund will ave
age a thousand a day, and occasionally
i'd compelled to spend the afternoon, Ion