Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-15

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! they deign to indorse
are as a rule successful. Standing at the elbows
Of the great personages who dispense the good
things under government they jog them as they
like. 1t is their part to be familiar with men
and matters in detail, which the executive
chiefs have no time to inquire about, and what
ever they decide is in effect final. They can
hopelessy pigeonho!e mans papers or put
them to advantageous use, just as they please.
Nothing goes to the Secretary without passing
through their hands.
Considering the great powers which they
possess 1t seems odd to find that nearly all Of
the confidential clerks OF the new cabinet
officers are mere youngsters. The average OF
their ages is less than thirty years. The most
youthful Of them all is Private Secretary
Seager, Mr.. LAInont's factotum. He is only
twenty-fcur. His complexion Is light and hts
hair and mustnchs are very blonde. He acted
for one year as stenographer for Secretary Of
| the Navy Whitney, in whose service he has ro-
manned nearly all Of the time since Mr.. Whit
ney went ont Of Office. Mr.. Whitney recon-
nended him to Mr.. Lamont. Only one year
his senior is Lewis II. Finney. jr.. who is pri
vate secretary to Secretary of the Navy Herbert.
lie is a small man with dark hair and eyes and
very engaging manners. For eighteen months
under tue last administration he was employed
in the Navy Department as private secretary to
Assistant Secretary Solely. He comes from
Virginia and WAS formerly the right-hand man
OF Frederick ". Huidekoper. who now is re-
ceiver Of the Richmond and Danville railroad.
Two OF the private secretaries to the new
cabinet are newspaper men. Journalists make
the best confidential clerks. LII their business
they are apt to acquire tho essential qualities,
not the least important OF which are tact,
genial manners and nerve. Robert wynno
had fifteen years experience in doing the
departments" for newspapers before he became
private secretary to Secretary of the Treasury
Foster. He WAS for long time on the Cincin-
natl Commercial Gazette, aud, being we'll &C.
quainted with Ohio politics, he WAS Just the
man Foster wanted. His familiarity with Ken
lucky politics has rendered him valuable to
Mr.. Carlisle. who hns retained his services.
Wynne is forty years old: he is Of medium
height and has dark and curing hair. There Ia
no mur better known in Washington as an all
around good fellow. One reason why he is
useful In his place is that he knows all tho dead
beats. blackmaers, beggars. fraudulent claim
ants and other disreputab.e persons who assail
every new Secretary Of thu Treasury.
The o.her newspaper man ia Claude n. Bon
nett, HoGe Smith private secretary. He is
twenty-six years old. During the last two
Congresses lie has been engaged in Washing
ton rs correspondent for the Atlanta Journal,
Mr.. Smiths paper. Besides, he has done q
tary OF the Interior. Ho ia tall ard slim.
Yesterday he tod story about an Irishman
named Mike Rcddy who worked SO hard for the
democratic ticket at Valdnsta. Ga, that he be-
cane known in that region as "G-over Cieve-
land, whom nc somewhat resembles in ply
siqsc. During the campaign he me. Hokn
Saith and said 10 hi When you ere APP
pointed 20 the cabinet I'll como and ask YOU fora
place us messcnger.' Hoke ioaingiy replied:
You shall have IT," Ho had forgotten all
aboat Mike when the latter turned up in Wash
ington and reminded him Of lis promise. The
IrishInnn got the place he wanted.
Nearly all OF the boys who used TO know
Noke Smith az school and go a-nutting with
him lost no time in wiring to him letters OF
congratulation. As a rule they have refrained
from accompanying these friendly messages
with applications FOR offices. The latter are sent
on from dav to a week later. There are prob
ably one-third more applicants toc places in
the Department OF the Interior than at any
other Of the departments, because the number
OF employees Is 80 great aggregating 1900 in
the pension Office. land office, census Office,
geological survey and other bureaus. The
chance for getting job is supposed to be pro-
portionate. There are thousands of petit
TONERS who have asked Mr.. Smith for ANY
place you think cen fll.' They commonly
say: You know me and are acquainted with
my abilities. Can you not find hole that 1
can fit into?'
They expect the Secretary to look around
and find places which they are capable OF fill
ing. The great majority are willing to take
anything they can get. while those who are bet
ter acquainted with the methods OF Office seek
ing point out positions which they feel disposed
to accept. Many ask for situations with a
SALARY Of from $4,000 to IS, enough" as
they say, Ito support the family comfortably"
Some speak Of their daughters whom they
would like to take to Washington. with view
to introducing them to fashionable society at
the capital" Numerous applicants send their
applications by registered mail in this way OBJ
tanning signed return card, which makes them
certain that their petitions have been duly re-
ceivcd and contents noted" at the department.
Only the other day Private Secretary Bennett
was the recipient OF an express package marked
with valuation Of s100 He supposed that it
was an Easter gift for himself. but it proved to
be bulky petition for Office.
The private secretary of the Secretary Of
State is Kennesaw Lands OF Illinois. He is
twenty-slx years old, clean shEven, with black
hair. dark complexion and lines in his face
which make him look older. His first name
was taken from the battlefield where his father
not Gen. Gresham, as has been wrongly re-
ported-was wounded during the war. He is q
lawyer and Gresham has known him from a
boy. Most Of the applicants for offices with
whom he has to deal are seeking consulates
There are $50 consulships and only thirty-five
foreign missions. For these minor agencies Of
Uncle Sans abroad not less than 10 900 persons
have already put in requests. They come from
all the states Of the Union. Many Of them send
their photographs, imagining that in this way
they may produce favorable impression, and
sometimes they forward likenesses Of all the
family including the babies Not q few indi-
viduals suppose that the department is particu-
larly in want of translators.
Gen. Gresham has a second private secretary,
whose more proper designation would be that
OF confdep tial man. His name is Henry Bryan
He is rather tall, with sandy hair and mustache.
He was private secretary to Mr.. Bayard from
| the time Of the electoral commission through
the entire period during which the present am
Senate. When the latter became Secretary Of
| State he retained Mr.. Brysn's services In the
| same capacity. For the last two years Mr..
Bryan has acted as secretary Of the bureau Of
American republics. He is editor of tho laws
In the Department Of State. His thorough ac-
quaintance with matters Of routine has caused
him to be assigned by the present Secretary Of
State to the duties Of trusted assistant The ap-
plicants for consulships are numerous and per-
sistent enough to require great deal Of Official
attention. One Of them has mentioned in his
petition that he desires to be 'near the art GEN.
tiers Of Europe," because his own talent needs
cultivating His papers are accompanied by
| an elaborate drawing which represents Mr..
Cleveland and the members Of his cabinet
grouped about . fish pond. All Of them have
got fish in the shape OF Offices, while the petit
toner is sitting on the bank and waiting for .
nibble from fnny denizen Of the pool labeled
"consulship.''
No private secretary has as yet been chosen