The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1893-12-21
MARK TWAIN AND CLEVELAND.

Mark Twain has pull with the
administration. That has been demon
strated. He has a bigger pull than
Secretary Gresham. Josiah Quincy
and the Democratic delegation from
Illinois put together, says the Wash
ington correspondent of the Chicago
Record. Last summer, when Mr..
Quincy was engaged IN his herculean
efforts IN the cause of reform, he offer
ed a prominent German Of Illinois a
certain place IN the consular service
which had been and still is occupied
by one of the most efficient men on
the rolls of the government. The re-
moval and appointment were made
out, with the concurrence Of Secretary
Gresham, and Mr.. Quincy took them
over to the White House for the
presidents approval. But he brought
them back unsigned and with instruc-
tons to inform the consul in question
that he might make arrangements to
stay at his post as long as Grover
Cleveland was president of the United
States.
The secretary of state never knew
the reason for the presidents action,
but it has since leaked out that it was
due to a letter written by Mark Twain
while he was in Europe last summer.
He had frequently visited the place
where this consul is stationed, and
knew him very we'll One day he call
ed at the consulate and found his
friend packing up his books and pa
pers for shipment home. He had not
that his successor may be named any
day.
This suggested a discussion of the
tenure of office in the consular ser
vice, and when Mark Twain returned
to his hotel he sat down and wrote /;
letter to Baby Ruth Cleveland on the
subject. Il am mugwump." he said
land cannot ask the president any
favors. 1t would be violation of ou
creed, but there is no reason why
should not ask you to say to him tina
in all my travels throughout the worl(
during the last twenty years l hav'
made the acquaintance of a grea
many consuls, good, bad and indiffer
ent, and l have never known bette
one in all respects than Mr.. SO an(
So, who has just received notice tina
his place is wanted for some inexper
fenced man. simply because he is
Republican and the other fellow
Democrat"
Here followed review of the recor
of the consul in question, a descriI
ton of the peculiar qualification
which fitted him for the place, and Nj
Twaln's views as mugwump cor
corning the manner in which Assis
tant Secretary Quincy was carrying O.
the work of reform by turning out a.
the Republicans in the service an
filling their places with Democrats re
gardless of their efficiency or qualif
/, cations. In conclusion he asked Bah
Ruth to use her influence with he
father to stop that sort of thing, an
particularly to prevent Mr.. - froI
: being slaughtered like the rest.
The letter was posted, and in abou
} three weeks there came a reply writ
' ten on the stationery of the executiv
mansion, in which Miss Ruth Cleve
land presented her compliments t
Mr.: Twain and begged to say that sh
:, had communicated the contents of tn
contents of the letter to the president
, who desired her to thank him for ha,
ing brought the matter to his after
ton, and to assure him that the ger
tleman of whom he wrote would b
: allowed to remain in Office as long a
/ he performed his duties as faithful
. as he had done in the past.