Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-03-13


One thing / like about this new man
in the national arena is that the many
columns Of jokes and doggerel that have
been printed about his name have found
no more appreciative listener than him.
self He laughed with me today about
one of the latest Of these jokes and ne
marked that the .sHoke" business had
probably added 10 years to his life by in
dncing him to laugh and grow fat. He
has been smart enough at the same time
TO perceive that wholesale system Of
advertising like that which has sent his
name laundering down the ages is not a
bad thing to have in the house, particu-
larly when it doesn't cost cent.
Here in Washington the newspaper
men are already speaking of Secretary
Lamont as 1.-The daisy" This is not .
very dignified manner Of designating a
member Of the cabinet. but it is quite
expressive. If you want to realize the
force of the term as applied to Mr.. La
mont--to old Washingtonians he will
never be anything hut DAN even if he
reaches the presidency itself-you should
pay the new secretary Of war . call in
his beautiful office.
Stephen B. Elkinsis known as a sleek"
man in the transaction of business and
in the disposition of a miscellaneous lot
of callers, but Lamont can give him cards
and spades and then beat him out The
callers come by the hundreds, but Dan
gets through with them sans friction,
sans ruffling of his own or any one else's
temper. and with apparent satisfaction
to all concerned. If he shows himself
able TO manage the war department with
out having the usual outbreak Of hostil-
tiles between the staff and line officers.
he will do well indeed.
1t is one Of the traditions Of this de
partinent that new secretary must be
taken in hand at once by the barnacles
who have been hanging on for the Lord
only knows how many years, and that
his chief duty is to sign the letters which
are placed upon his desk. If he wants
to be a real good and comfortable secre-
tary Of war, he will not even bother him.
self to read the letters. A man stands
over him and says, Sign there" indi-
eating with his finger, and the complai-
SAINT secretary signs. But Dan Lamont is
not that kind of secretary of war. He
has his own ideas of how the business of
his Office should be managed, and am
thinking that for month or two there
will be more war in the department than
out of it.
The new secretary of the navy has set
tied more easily and gracefully into his
work than any of his colleagues. Secrc-
tary Herbert has the Immense advantage
of knowing every detail of the depart
ment, knowledge that was acquired
during his long service on the naval af-
fairs committee of the house. He knows
the chief bureau officers. too. and they
all like and admire him. Therefore Mr..
Herbert is getting along very nicely. He
sits at the same desk which Mr.. Tracy
used four years. and when talked with
him today he said very graceful thing
about his predecessor. ''lf shall he able
to do as well in the navy department as
General Tracy has DONE" he said, Il
shall be well satisfied" General Tracy
and General Herbert are warm friends.
Postmaster General Bissell is perhaps
the hardest working man in the admin
istration just now. 1t is for the post
Office department that great numbers
and an immense variety of persons make
the moment they arrive in the town
Thousands Of them came here for the
Inauguration and started out bright and
early Monday morning to see Bissell
about that little postoffice matter. Full
ly two-thirds of the Democratic mem
bers of congress are still in town. and
they have certain rights, or think they
have. when it comes to the distribution
of postoffice plums. and they are not at
all backward about making their wishes
known.
They haunt the Office of fat, big. good
natured ard easy going Mr.. Bissell from
morning till night. He seems to get
along with them tolerably well, consid
ering the immense disadvantage which
he lahors undcr in having had no Wash
ington experience and in being wholly
unacquainted with public men and the
methods of public offices here.
Attorney General Olney was bending
over his desk hard at work when
called. He is a lawyer-a typical lawyer
and that is the most can say for him
till | know him better. He has charm
ing manners despite his directness. and
his blunt way of speaking his mind must
have been one of the things which MIR
Cleveland liked in him.
The member of the cabinet who seems
destined to greatest popularity is Secre-
tary of Agriculture Morton. He is a
worthy successor to our good friend
Uncle Jerry, who was one of the best
liked men of the whole Harrison admin
istration. Like Uncle Jerry, Secretary
Morton tells stories. He is fond of sit
ting down with his friends for good,
old fashioned talk He is a great friend
to all newspaper men.
WALTER WELLMAN.