Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-18
How He Was Appointed

PiN"'e secretary came to him as
hluch OF surprise as anything that has
happened to him in his life Six days he
lore he Joined the presidential train on its
way from New York to Washington he had
never thought of such thing as leaving
his law practice in Detroit to ACCEPT anv
appointment. 1t was about five DAYS be-
lore the 4th of March when Mr. Dickinson
came to him from a trip east and abruptlv
asked him how he would like to go to
Washington as President CleveIand's pri-
vate secretary Mr.. Thurber laughed and
SAID he would not like it at ALL Mr. Dick
lnson then became serious and said tina
President Cleveland had been very much
worried over the matter of selecting a pri-
vate secretary and had been unable to find
just the man he wanted. He desired n
man, he said, of business ability. and some
legal knowledge, and who possessed in
dustry. tact and the knaclk of getting on
with the people. Then. Mr. Dickinson told
Mr.. Thurber. that he told Mr. Cleveland
he had just the man he needed in the per-
son of his law partner and the President
said all right. send him on: Mr.. Cleveland
had, of course known Mr.. Thurber, having
met him occasionally when Mr.. Dickinson
was Postmaster General. so that he was
not specializing entirely in an unknown
quantity. Mr.. Thurber pointed out to Mr..
Dickinson a great many reasons why he
ought not to give up his business and go
to Washington, but the senior partner ar
gued away all objections. and the result
was lnaI the partner accepted ana
the characteristic Dickinsonian announce
ment of the appointment was given to the
newspapers, and few days later Mr.. Thur
Der was hurled into the midst of Inaugural
ton confusion. from which he is just now
emerging.
Mr.. Thurber's salary as the major domo
of the White House is 5000 per annum. In
the days of the first Lamont 1t was only
$500, but knowing only too well how mad
equate such a sum is a return for the
vast amount of labor performed by pri-
Congress to raise the amount of course
providing that it would not take effect
until after Mr.. Cleveland'S term of office.
Mr.. Halford was the first beneficiary of
the new law. and as he drew the salary
for four years. and then stepped into the
regimentals Of full-fiedged paymaster in
the army with the rank of major, there is
no doubt that he considers himself very
wise to leave the office of the Indianapolis
Journal to come to Washington with Gen
eral Harrison. MIR. ThurDer earns every
cent of his 5000. which is less sum than
he realized from his law practice in De-
troit but he does not regret that he &C
cepted President Cleveland's call.
Mr.. Thurber has not yet had much fun
in Washington. He has lived since he
came to Washington until now at the Ar
lngton Hotel, which is within a stones
throw from the White House. and has rare
ly been away from one or the other of
these places, except when walking the
short distance between them. He does not
seem to have caught or cultivated that
American habit SO noticeable in Secretary
Gresham, Controller of the Currency Eek
els, Congressman Tracey of Albany, Sem
ator Murphy and others Of the prominent
public men, who every day after dinner