The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-04-24
Mr.. CLEVELAND MAYMOYE
His once Nay be Transferred from
the White House
How the once Seekers are Treated
Business In All Departments 10 Away
Behind Time-Brsesy Gossip from the
Capital

WASHINGTON, April "a. 1T is said that
the president Is seriously considering the
question of moving his Office for transact
ing executive business to suitable apart
ments In the building of the state and
navy departments 1t Is proposed that
the suite Of rooms on the second floor Of
the war department, In the north wing Of
the building, formerly occupied by the
secretary of war, shall be converted into q
business Office for the president. They
are handsomely decorated, admirably
adapted for the purpose. The only objec-
tion Is their exposure
There Is a large ante-room, general re-
ception room or business Office and also an
adjoining room, for private consultation
The latter would afford the president and
some of his callers an opportunity for
few words of confidential conversation, a
privilege not enjoyed under the present
arrangements at the White House. There
are said to be
Preoedents For such . Course
and the case of Andrew johnson, shortly
after the death of Abraham Lincoln. is the
most recent citation. Mr.. Johnson, in
stead of taking possession Of the official
apartments in the executive mansion and
transacting his business there, established
private Office in the western wing OF the
treasury department I'm the rooms now oc-
cupied by the comptroller OF the currency
or the director Of the mint. There he
received his business callers and transact
ed the bulk of his executive business.
This same question arose during the last
administration when the suggestion of an
official residence for the president was
under discussion. Ex-President Harrison
once remarked that he had no objection to
living in the same building In which his
Office was located, but as he walked from
his sleeping apartments into his public
Office he was frequently reminded of the
merchant who resided in the back part of
his shop.
Decidedly Considsrats.
In one respect, at least. all applicants for
public offices are treated alike by Pres
ident Cleveland, and that Is the reception
by them Of an answer to their petitions.
To every application that is received at
the White House q neat typewriter re-
ply, signed by the private secretary, Is re-
turned. This much consideration is con-
siderably more than that vouchsafed 20
years and less ago, when the letters
of the. great majority of the
applicants were thrown into the
waste basket, and only q few were kept to
which the executive gave serious consider
alton. Visitors to the official portion of
the White House observe great stacks Of
letters, most of them applications for
Office, and force of clerks Is kept con-
stantly employed in directing replies. The
nr mber of applicants for Office IL much
g'sater than it was four years agO.
Business II Away Behind.
There Is almost stagnation in the gov
ernment departments so far as concerns
the transaction of other than routine bust
ness The new officials appointed have
hardly got the run of their duties, and
many important bureaus are still pre-
sided over by the Republican holdovers
Most of the chiefs of divisions are hold
overs from the last administration.
These Republican incumbents naturally
avoid taking any action not strictly in
the line of precedent, and are careful TO
make no movement involving change in
policy. The result is that business is
moving very slowly, and there will
be considerable accumulation Of i'm
portant matters awaiting the considera-
tion Of the new administration after the
appointments are pretty we'll settled and
the ADMINISTRATION is fairly under way.
Nothing Surprises Chicagoans.
Ine people Oh OnlcaRO since Jne 1alr Oe-
gan have become SO used TO big things that
nothing can now create a sensation there"
said Assistant Secretary Willets yester-
day. He had only short time before re-
turned from the fair grounds, where he
spent over week performing his duties as
chairman OF the board OF government ex-
hibits. "The great krupp gum" he con.
tinued, (which would have caused the
whole country here TO turn out to see it,
attracted no attention when IL was un-
loaded in Chicago The people had grown
used to big things When / first got to
Chicago and saw how far along
the government exhibit was, advanced
a. compared with other exhibits, and
heard the fair people say everything
would be ready the day the fair opened,
said our exhibit would he in fine shape
the instant the fair was formally opened,
for we are considerably more advanced
than other exhibits But, after l was
there some time, saw we would not be
able to have everything in just the shape
we wish 1t by May /. We will have a
unique exhibit, and something different
from any government exhibit yet made
It will be fully a month before il is in fine
running shape and AZ perfect as intended
60 be, though IL will be well worth seeing
from the very first"
Gofhayo Readv For Her Guesxs