Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1895-09-27

H)I'''' |l'F'1llIlS
THE PRESIDENT RECEIVING THE NEWS.
~days the wire in the white house was
kept not day and night. Over that wire
-an of the proceedings of congress and
~ot the electoral commission were trans
emitted to Gen. Grant. And when there
were insurrectionary threats reckless
I 1y made in public prints that same wire
7vtickedt the orders for the proper dispo-
= sition 'of troops to maintain order.
Thus the last actions of President
0frant were the actionA of military
man, and were in consonance with his
natural tendencies Of mind. His his
toric declaration, "Let us have peace" "
~ was1eErnest and sincere. Yet the fact
: that he was a military genius and a
r1man of great determination of charac-
ter constituted a potential factor in
calming the inflamed minds of that pc
rSod and preventing the necessity of the
-use of force to preserve order.
The white house telegraph wires
came into reauisition very soon after
& the inauguration Of Hayes. He found
3 nseifnr them after the railway strikes
and riots of 1877, when he was daily
= and nightly in correspondence with
the troubled districts. After Garfield
rwas shot the telegraph was kept busy
flor months distributing news about the
sdying presidents condition all over the
4s1nion.
President Arthur sent over the same
-ovires the orders which gave tents, food
land clothing to the sufferers by the
Mississippi floods in 1854.
President Cleveland used the same
wire when he sent invitations to ex-
Senator Thurman and Speaker Car
isle to visit him at RED Top" the
country home where the celebrated
revenue reform message of 81 was con-
.ceived and written. The telegraph in
..strument is an important bit of furni-
4ture. at the white house. By means OF
Its key and sounder the chief magis-
Iltrate maintains constant interchange
ssof intelligence with the outside world.
During any excitement or trouble he
receives news direct from the seat of
himself on the spot. At the time of the
-Johnstown flood Gen. Harrison and
Mr.. Halford spent day and night be-
side the ticker, giving orders for fur
nishing tents, pontoous, supplies, ETC.,
for the relief of the survivors. Wires
were first permanently introduced into
pEhe executive mansion just before the
inauguration of Hayes.
Since President Grant commenced
the nse of the telegraph wires in the
-Swhste house, it has been found conven-
..iert and necessary to form wired
-eelectric circuit Of all of the executive
departments, so that TO-DAY The greater
Fyart of the routine daily n0rrosr~ 7ar
fOeCN,. .-csIucuJ uuu CuIN-IS "a
the executive departments is conducted
lover the white house wires. The same
wire is the usual means of communica-
tEion between the white house and the
capitol while congress is sitting. The
government owns the lines which con-
meet the white house and capitol with
all the departments. Congressman en-
Npioy these wires freely in sending mes
ssages to and transacting business with
the departments. By the courtesy of
the telegraph companies and news as
ssoeiations Mr.. Cleveland is constantly
kept informed of the latest important
Intelligence from all parts of the globe.
When an election is pending he has the
nse of direct wire, getting the re-
turns as fast rs they come in. The
clerk who operates the telegraph at
the white house is paid by Uncle Sam.
He also acts as keeper of the executive
scrap books, in which are pasted what
ever opinions respecting the admins
tration are deemed worth clipping from
the columns of the newspapers.
Electricity is no longer mere luxury
or convenience. 1t is necessity in the
transaction of public as well as of pri-
vate business The wires which con-
meet the capitol and the white house
with all the departments form one con-
tinuons circuit. There are two of them,
to cover the chance that one may get
out of order. They are under the
charge of the superintendent of public
buildings and grounds, and 81 900
year is appropriated to keep them in
repair. They are strung in ordinary
fashion, ON poles, and the thirteen
operators who send messages over them
are all in the pay of Uncle Sam. There
Is one at the house and another at the
senate end Of the capitol. Both are