The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-19

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however, under the direction # his private
secretary, j. Stanley Brown, kept the scrap
book system going. and when the breakup
came in the fall Of 1881, Mr.. Brown took
possession Of the collected material 10 be-
half OF the executors and removed it 70 the
Presidents old home
In President Arthur's term, also, the
scrap books were kept up. although the
President did not read great deal that was
written about him outside of his own state.
be remained, uD to the day Of his death,
very deeply interested In the internal poll
tics of New York.
President Cleveland did not leave the Gull
ing OF his matter TO the care of anybody
who happened to find it convenient. Col
Lamont went through the heap of 'execu-
tive exchanges" every day with his own
hands. narking an article here and para
graph there, aud having some one follow
him with pair of shears and cut out what
he had marked. The rest OF the printed
stuff was thrown away, and only part of
what was cut reached the Presidents own
eye. Many Of the clippings did not go into
the books at all. but were filed away IN the
colonies desk drawers for more effect
i've use. These were usually articles not in
trinsically worth keeping, but contained
sheer or an attack from some poor devil of
an editor who felt that the distribution of
patronage in his ueighoorhood had been
made with shocking disregard of his per-
sonal Interests. After firing his broadside
of censure, the critic was very apt to con-
clude, as he heard no response from the ex-
ecutive mansion that no one there had no.
ticed it, Delusive fancy There never was
scribbler so Insignificant that some
damned good-natured friend"-as the poet
puts it-would not take the trouble to
mark a copy of bis hastiest fling and for
ward 1t either to the President or
to the clonel. In the course Of few months,
journalism at the crossroads having become
extra hard shedding, the editor would begin
20 pine for government salary, and would
turn up IN w ashington with pocketful of
recommendations for appointment TO some
petty office which would at least keep his
family In shoes. Forgetful OF the free iom
with which he had been pouring out IN
vective only little while before be had
been transformed into the most IN
equivocal friend and admirer of the admin
istration, and an ordinary English vocabul-
airy scarcely sufliced to put his encom-
lums into words as he approached the
executive presence. But stay-Cok La
mont, though never having met the GENTLE
man before, had a marvellous memory for
names, and was sure he had something in
his drawer which would interest an appli-
cant for Office. The chagrined aspirant
would then be confronted with bis worst
specimen of editorial utilization, and ths
curtain usually dropped at that point. AS
for the President himself, he would not have
been able 20 swear In a court OF Justice
whether half the newspapers of the country
were friendly or unfriendly to his admins
tration. For the opinions of very few be
had the utmost respect; the rest he could
hardly recall by title.
President Harrison, like his immediate
predecessor, has a trained journalist for a
private secretary, whose services as a scrap
book editor are Of value when needed
Usually, however, Mr.. Halford turns these
matters over to one of his assistants, Mr..
Montgomery, an old newspaper man, who
long ago mastered the art OF exchange read
lug at railroad speed. His quick eye catches
whatever is worth looking at a second time.
The President himself, moreover, probably
reads more of the newspapers directly after
publication than Mr.. Cleveland did.
He fell into the habit through be-
ing so often in the thick of a par
tisan struggle at home, where it was neces-
sarJ to keep up with the changes OF
sentiment and of outlook from day to day.
He has everything saved for him, whether
of new or of an editorial character, that
will be likely to cast light for posterity on
the chief features of his administration.
He must be given credit for the most abso-
Lutte impartiality between friends and foes
in this embalming process Perhaps he is
really anxious TO profit by criticism now,
while the effects may @ shown; or, perhaps,
his strong faith in himself impels him to
preserve the nnfayorable prophecies along
with the favorable, that he may at some
future time measure them up against each
other and see, for his own satisfaction, which
have come nearest the truth in the light of
the verdict rendered by the historians OF his
own era.
The Harrison scrap book library Is divided
between several subjects the space devoted
TO each being a pretty trustworthy index
of the relative proportion in which IL has
filled the public mind or attracted the at
tention of the President Naturally, "Po-
litical Topics" leads the list of titles, with
nine thick volumes. Next follows Social
and Personal" containing accounts of the
dinners and receptions given by the white
house family or in their honor, and bits
of biographical chat and comment,
filling series Of five volumes. Third in
rank we find Economic Questions, Tariff,
Finance, etc." with four volumes; then
come Political Gossip and Conventions"
with three and "Pension Matters" with two:
while civil Service Reform, 1.-THE Sout6s
ern Question: Public lands, Including
Indian Relations, !" "The Foreign Policy of
the United States" 1.-THE New Orleans
Massacre" "The Political Upheaval in
Brazil. p" THE Chilean Imbroglio" and
'The keystone Bank Scandal" each has a
single book to itself.
II will hardly astonish the readers of the
Picayune to be told that their favorite
paper is also the one which the President
apparently consults more than any other in
the Lower Mississippi valley. Conspicuous
among the articles collected at the time be
cent his latest message to congress we find
"The New Orleans Lynching in the Presi-
4
hold prominent places are those which have
figured in connection with our recent trou-
bles in South America. including The Diff
Guilty With Chile" printed on Dec. %;
How We VIII Whip Chile" on Jan. l. and
"Ths Trouble With Chile" on Jan. g.
How is it possible for an administration to
go far astray with such wealth of good
counsel to draw upon?
A Srvy " ATuprAT for paviuu ia novu haiuo, in,