Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-03-13
Walter WeIIman Calls on Them
While at Work.
Sec'y Gresham in Fosters Chair
Carlisle in a Historic Room.
Eusiaess Characteristics q Sscy's Smith,
Herber, Bisssli. nsrtsa and 0iasy.

KNOW very wen III washington. Judg
Gresham, the premier. has been in tw,
cabinet posts before. that of postmaste
general and secretary of the treasury
He has his characteristics, just as he ha,
when he was q member of the Arthu
cabinet.
With all his affability and lovablenes
Gresham can be quite imperious whel
he likes, and he often chooses to decid
things in a rather summary manner
Woe to the man who attempts to pre-
sun upon his good nature. If Gresham
has fault, it is that Of being ittl
too suspicious. That was one of Gen
eral Harrison's faults too. Both Gresh
am and Harrison are too much incline,
to suspect that there is job or an i'm
proper motive lurking behind every mat
ter that is pressed upon their attention
Neither of them has this characteristic
in private life, but both have it yer,
strikingly in performance of their pub
lie duties.
Secretary Gresham occupies the sam
room and the same desk which his i'm
Mediate predecessor. John w. Foster
use a during the short time he was at tn,
head of the state department. Mr.. Blain,
used the same room nominally, but pre-
ferred to sit at the end of the great tabl
in the magnificent diplomatic room ad
joining. 1t was a queer choice to make
apartment.
The room which Secretary Gresham
now occupies is one of the handsomes
apartments in the war, state and nav,
building, which is by long odds the fines
of our public buildings in the capital L
is an apartment about 40 by 80 feet in size
with plenty of light streaming in through
three large windows, and with charm
ing view over the valley of the Potoma,
and to the Virginia hills beyond. Ii
one corner of the room is a screen, be
hind which sits the private secretary
This assistant can hear everything tina,
is said at the desk of his chief
An odd way to do business, you think
But wait till you learn the real uses Of
the secretary. In the first place, hi.
presence deters some men from saying
things to the secretary of state which i,
would be just as we'll to leave unsaid
They are more on their guard than they
would, be if closeted absolutely alone
with the secretary. Again. at a touch
of button On his desk Secretary Gresh
ain orders the stenographer behind the
screen to take down names and dates and
such other facts from the conversation
of his visitor as it may be important t.
remember. See what great load ol
detail this takes from the mind of the
man who as secretary of state has about
as many things to think of as an ordi
nary mortal should attempt. But if tht
caller be one with whom the secretary
really desires to converse in private ht
simply touches another button. and the
assistant gets quickly up and walks out
of the room.
There is no nonsense about Gresham
1t is as easy to get to see him as it is any
lawyer in your town. You simply send
in your card and await your turn. Whcr
yon get up to the desk of the hand
some premier-Gresham is by long odd,
the handsoinest man in the cabinet anC
Dan Lamont the plainest-you are in
vited to sit down. The secretary look:
you full in the eye, asks you few plair
questions, drives straight at the heart ot
your business, makes note with his leaf
pencil, in-iicates that the interview j.
practically at an end, and as you rise tt
go he speaks a friendly word or two tina
makes you like him in spite of his abrupt
ness and his quick way of getting rid o.
you.
Secretary Carlisle uses the same room
which secretaries of the treasury hav'
used for number of years-John Sher
man. Window, Gresham, Fairchild, Man
ming, McCulloch, Foster Mr.. Carlisl,
has been in office but four working days
and already he is weary. His is not th'
temperament that enables q man to 81
all day at desk receiving callers, shift
ing rapidly from one topic to another
denying requests and standing off cvel
his friends without mental worriment
Just as soon as the conditions settle dow
little it is Mr.. Carlisle's purpose to shu
himself mp as much as possible and b
the theoretical manager and brain engi
neer of the great department. leaving T.
his assistants the bulk Of the work of dis
posing of applications for office. Tn
sooner he is enabled to do this the better
But Secretary Carlisle is courteous t.
all comers. With his fine kentuck,
training he could not be otherwise. II
told me today that he had constantly f
fight against tendency to interest him
self in the purely financial business o
the department, and that it was witt
difficulty sometimes he could rouse him
self from study of the financial problem
with which he is confronted to NV
decent hearing to the Office seekers Blu
when he does rouse himself he gets alon
surprisingly well.
Mr.. Carlisle has such keen perception
that before his caller has uttered half
dozen words the secretary appears +
know the whole story of his errand. I
is not necessary to explain. The secrt
tary sees the point. and with fash .
that matchless intellect of his has take
IN all the conditions and collaterals. i
twinkling he seems to think Of every
thiny-the objections, the difficulties. tn
strength and the weakness Of the preposi
ton. There are few such minds in th
world. snd few men who could "Ena
words ont of the mouth Of caller an.
state his own case for him better than Il
could state it himself, and without giyi,s,
offense, as Mr.. Carlisle often does
Carlisle loves the abstruse problem
of finance. Even now, tired as he /
when night comes, he gets his dinnt
and then sits down at a big round tabl
in the top story Of his residence. lock
the door and stndies reports. document
and great columns Of figures till or
O'Clock in the morning.
Hoke Smith is success This man
whose peculiar name has 80 quickly be
come a household word throughout tn
country, has besn IN Washington lon
enough to show us that he is made o
sterling stuff. It Is . delight to see hos
he goes at his work. He is one OF thos
big, masterful fellows to whom all thing
L.. \ -.