The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-01-23
Especial Correspondence

thing in the world more interesting than
men? Some one may say, Eyes, wom-
en-" This is true, but none OF us likes
to sit down in cold blooded way and
write two column letter about wom-
en-. I make it rule never to say any
thing about women unless it is some
thing nice, and just now don't happen
to think of enough nice things about
women-at least, not about women that
you take any interest into fill couple
of columns.
It is different with men. You can say
nice things about them and things that
are not nice, SO you don't 60 too far,
and the sensible ones won't complain.
Shrewd public men in Washington
scheme and plan to get the newspaper
correspondents to write about them.
They prefer praise, but if they can't get
that they would rather have abuse than
nothing. Anything but to be ignored.
So if any one has fault to find with7what
/ say of him or his friends in this letter
let him remember that silence is the I'M
kindest cut of all.
1t has been settled for some days that
Mr.. Carlisle is to be the new secretary of
the treasury. He notified Mr.. Cleveland
two weeks ago of his acceptance and
will resign from the senate Feb. 1. This
is no longer news, but it leads up to
what I want to say. I have heretofore
expressed the opinion that Mr.. Carlisle
is the most intellectual man in the pub
lie life Of this country, and I am natu-
rally glad to have my opinion confirmed
by so eminent an authority as Grover
Cleveland. To certain eminent gen
tleman who called on him few days
ago and mentioned Carlisle, Mr.. Cleve-
land said, with something like enthusi-
asm: 81 am happy to be able to tell you
Mr.. Carlisle has accepted the treasury
portfolio. Carlisle, in my Judgment, is
the greatest man in America"
'Not excepting yourself, Mr.. Cleye-
land?" the caller smilingly inquired.
s'I except no one, was the response.
Mr.. Carlisle's friends think he is max
ing great mistake. They say that aft.
er he has worked himself to death for a
few years in the cabinet he will find it
impossible to get back into the senate
and will find himself out in the, cold.
But these friends need not worry. am
going to strain point in confidence to
tell you that Mr.. Carlisle will go from
the cabinet to the supreme bench.
How queer it is that a woman always
sticks to the bird in the hand! Now,
there's Mrs. Carlisle, fine Kentucky
woman of charming manners and keen
political Judgment. When the Repub-
licans obtained control of the house two
years ago, and Mr.. Carlisle saw a chance
to 20 to the senate, Mrs. Carlisle said to
him:
ssDon't you do it, John. Stay right
where you are. The Democrats will re-
gain control of the house at the next
election and will hold it for six or eight
years, and you will be reelected speaker
just as long as you want it. A senator
ship isn't to be compared with the speak
ership. Isit, John?'
But Mr.. Carlisle decided to go to the
senate and has since said, probably a
hundred times, that he wished he had
accepted his wife's advice. Mrs. Carlisle
was not in favor of his going into the
cabinet either. Let us hope that for once
awoman's intuition will turn out wrong.
Probably Judge Lindsay will be SEN
ator Carisle's successor. OF another dis
tinguished Kentuchan, also an aspirant
for the seat which Carlisle is to vacate,
it is said he would have been sent to the
senate years ago if it were not for his
habits. On hearing this cynical friend
of mine remarked:
Judging from the habits Of some of
the Kentuckians who do come here, what
must we think Of those who are kept at
home on account of their habits"
Probably I can write this thrust at
Kentucky with better grace than most
men because have SO often expressed my
admiration for those genial, dashing Ken
tuckians. How some of them manage
to drink SO much whisky and at the same
time to keep up appearances and do good
work is thing could never understand.
Why, a certain famous Kentuckian
never thinks of letting day pass with
out taking all the way from ten to TWEEN
ty generous drinks of the popular Ken
lucky beverage. Perhaps it is with the
Kentuckians as Lincoln said it was with
Grant, "'Twould be a good thing if
other generals would try the same
brand"
There isn't a tenth part as much drink
ing among public men as there was ten
or fifteen years ago. It is going out Of
style. And yet not every one that drinks
has reputation for it. For instance, a
certain man who has been offered seat
in Mr.. Cleveland's cabinet, and who has
not yet accepted decline to particu-
larize- along as steady as clock
for about three months and then disap-
pears for couple of weeks. I'm New
York on business" In Chicago. .
"Gone southfor q few days rest" These
are the explanations given at his office,
while the facts are he is alone in some
hotel room as dumb as lord! Yet he
Is a brilliant and safe man, and his occa-
sional "still" is no affair of ours. AS the
women say, "Ygu men are so funny"
Senator George Gray, of Delaware, has
declined seat in Mr.. Oeveland's cabinet,