The Progress., 1893-04-01
ATTHE WHITE HOUSE
SINCERE SYMPATHY FOR PRIVATE
SECRETARY THURBER.

Paying Dearly For Being a Great Mans
Assistant Much Overworked.
Dan Lamont and Hoke Smfth-Morton,
Bisseu and Carlisle With the Reporters.
Especial Correspondence.l
WASHINGTON, March q. - President
Cleveland's private secretary, Mr.. Thurber,
has my sincere sympathy. Mr.. Thurber Is
killing himself. He is laying down his
life upon the altar of duty. The funny
thing about it is, he appears to glory in it.
1t is bad enough to commit suicide by the
painful and, should say, irrational method
of work without being proud of choosing
such an awkward way OF shutting of the
mortal coil. Mr. Thurber may live long
time vet, but if he does he will have to
change his style of work. One of the hard
est posts in the world to fill is that Of pri-
vate seDretary to president like Nr. Cleve-
land. Yoa should see Cleveland work. He
appears to be made of iron.
Up at the White House they tell me he
always breakfasts at and raises a big row
if any member of the family or any cause
in the kitchen or elsewhere detains him five
minutes beyond that hour. Mr.. Cleveland
is an old horse kind of a man, never so
happy as when he is at work and making
other people pant to keep behind him in
the furrow. At $50 he goes to his desk and
sails into the big heap of correspondence
which has been placed there by his secre-
tary and the other clerks. This means that
poor Mr.. Thurber must be at his desk at
least by o'clock. All day long the grind
continues There is no interruption, ex-
. <Ro% hx-o n holt
for luncheon. The callers only make the
work so much the harder. Every man
whose business or professional engagements
require him to see several scores of people
in day will testify that it is the most try
ing of all work. There is the constant
struggle to place ones self in something
like sympathy with ones visitors. This
requires effort, especially when they all
harp ON the same string-that of getting an
appointment for some one. This caller is a
bore, and it makes man nervous to listen
to him. Another man is fresh, and a way
must be contrived to get rid of him with
out being rude, Then there are the i'm
portant callers, who must be treated just
so or the administration is sure to suffer
Mr.. Cleveland gets along pretty well
with his callers He has been through the
mill so long and has become so imperturb-
able that / think he rather enjoys the
change from desk work. But Mr.. Thurber
being new to the business and to Wash
jngton life is in a state of mind all the
time He labors under the immense disad-
vantage of not knowing who is who, and
every minute of the day he is afraid of
making some costly blunder. When Mr..
Thurber came to Washington, he did not
know a half dozen United States senators
or members of congress by sight. He was
so little familiar with politics that he had
to learn men, their political Importance,
their residence and their association, Just
as a schoolgirl starts out to learn one of
the languages. His boss knew so much
and he knew so little that he was all the
time going about as if he were walking
barefoot on sharp stones and afraid of
hurting himself. l am sure / have been
sorry for him all the time
But he has learned fast. Every day has
brought him new familiarity with his du-
ties and new confidence in himself 1t is
easier now, but still hard. II Mr.. Cleve-
land would only let up little ON the work
and give his private secretary chance to
take much needed exercise or rest, things
would go along better. But this is evident
ly Just what Mr.. Cleveland does not intend
to do. He appears to need no exercise him
self he is never seen walking in the White
House grounds or the adjacent streets, as
General Harrison was, and as most of the
presidents have been seen. During all of
his first. term Mr.. Cleveland stuck to the
White House as If he was imprisoned there,
except when he went away fishing. He
never walked out, and only now and then
took drive. This time he has started in
to repeat the same methods Only one man
in million can work in this way without
rest or exercise and still maintain his
health. But, as Gresham says, Cleveland
is as tough as mule. He can stand it.
So Door Mr. Thurber, who is paying dear