The Progress., 1893-04-01

correspondents tips which would save them
a heap of bother. For instance, he would
tell them not to trouble about such and
such story. because there was nothing in
it as yet When there was, he would tell
them the facts. Lamont earned the conf
dence of all the newspaper writers, and
they helped him to that fame which event
ually landed him in the cabinet.
Secretary Smith is another member of the
cabinet who has liking for the newspaper
profession. Hoke Smith is not a newspaper
man himself. though he owns one of the
most fiourishing journals in the south. But
he has mingled enough with journalists TO
like the flavor of the profession, and on two
or three occasions | have seen him in the
Press club in this city talking politics with
the correspondents and having some pretty
heated arguments with them too. 1t was
difficult to tel which had the better of it,
the secretary of the interior, who is as sharp
as a steel trap and a trained lawyer or the
keen men of the pen who were carrying on
the good natured war of words with him.
What were they arguing about, and what
did Secretary Smith say? That is another
story.
It is one Of the A1written laws of the
Il
walls is not for publication. The club is
one of the few places in Washington where
there are no reporters. A senator or mem
Der of the cabinet may sit down and talk as
freely among the correspondents in the
Press club as he would in the bosom of his
own family, and with no danger chat what
he says wfil find its way into print Secre-
tary Smith has lost nothing by mingling
4 IL. l. l.. - l.
that he is man of broad character, tre-
mendous energy, large brain capacity and
a great deal of courage. The members of
the press have pronounced him all right,
and though this may not do him much
good it certainly is a good deal better than
if they had concluded he was all wrong.
Secretary of Agriculture Morton likes to
drop in at the Press club and swap stories
with the correspondents too. He is prince
of story tellers, and his yarns from the
prairies are mostly new down this way and
are sure to be enjoyed AS an after dinner
| speaker Mr.. Morton is about the brightest
in the business He is always ready and
never fails to have a story on the end of his
tongue with which to illustrate his points
As feared would be the case, Secretary
| Carlisle shows signs of breaking down
| under the tremendous strain of the treasury
| department. He is not fitted by tempera
ment for the exacting and confining duties
| of this great post Mr. Carlisle is happiest
| in his contact with ideas. Men always
worry him. In the treasury department,
| there is ample need for his intellect and fol
| his great ability as a financier, but the
office seekers drive him nearly crazy. He
has not the happy faculty of dispesing Of
| them that some of his contemporaries have
| They bore him and fatigue him. A few
| days ago Mr.. Carlisle came within an ace
of losing his life. He was walking acros:
| the street from the treasury, absent
| minded as usual. when a cable train came
rolling around the corner. Mr.. Carlisle
did not see or hear it and stepped upon the
| tracks. In vain the gripman rang his
| gong In vain the people on the car and
| on the street shouted to him. Carlisle
never looked up from the brown study
| which engrossed him. In the very nick Oi
| time a passerby seized his overcoat and
| dragged him one side, the car brushing his
clothing as it passed.
1t is a rather interesting fact that the big
heavy men of this administration appear tC
be enduring the strain of the early days bet
ter than their thinner. colleagues. Mr.,
Cleveland seems never to tire, Hoke Smith
is as fresh as daisy every morning, and
Postmaster General Bissell permits the
postoflice seekers to surround him and climb
upon his neck and ride on his shoulders
all day long and day after day without
showing the first sign of annoyance. In
fact, he appears to hike it, But Carlisle
and Gresham are very near to breaking
down under the burden of work and nerv-
Gus strain which they have been called upon
TO carry.
A veteran observer in Washington was
giving me his idea the other day of the sort
of man who will make success as cabinet
minister The man who comes down here
determined to reform everything and every
body" said he, will hayo a hard row to
hoe II he labors under tie delusion that
the department has been going to the dogs,
and it is his mission to bring order out of
chaos and to introduce better methods. he
will soon find himself in trouble There
will be confusion and turmoil But the
man who says to himself on starting in that