Evening star., 1896-03-14

| f+hD up our patriotism in
f-s lettei Salisbury as to Venezuela
BY his action he brought the English to time
ana ne may be called the father of the fight
ing spirit which is now abroad in the land
"ithin the space of three months he has
SHOWN himself to be the strongest element
IN Clevelands administration, and TODAY
upon him, to large extent, rests the
question as to whether America shall have
peace or war. Within less than three
months he has jumped from comparative
ooscurity to international prominence. ard
the situation at present is such that he
may be a strong presidential quantity at
the democratic national convention.
And still. with all this, neither the poli-
ticians nor the people know much about
Richard b. Olrey. He was not personally
known to the people of Massachusetts be-
fore he was made Attorney General. and
tooay the majority of the statesmen of the
democratic party have no close personal
relations with him. He has never been a
poitician, and does not know what it is to
play the toady and lick boots to get office
he was one of the biggest lawyers OF
massachusetts, at the time of his appoint
ment, He had a practice largely connect
ed with railroads, which / am told was
worth at least $4,000 year, and like most
railroad lawyers he was to a great extent
an autocrat in his own office He saw
Who Olney Is.
But before go farther as to Mr. Olney.
the Secretary of State, let me tell you
something as to Mr.. Olney. the man. He
Is one of the most striking figures in Wash
ington His face is that of an Irishman
though his blood is of Puritan blue The pic
lures which have been published do not do
Justice to him. His face is strong and
pugnacious. 1t Is Irish in every feature
anc though It is said that his ancestors
emigrated to this country from England
they must have originally come from
the vicinity of Cork. The first Olney set
tied at Salem. Mass. He was a preacher
ard his name was Thomas. He is said to
have been the founder of the Baptist
Church in America One of his sons was
a colonel in the revolutionary war and
another was captain, who received
number OF bullet and bayonet wounds dur
iEg the struggle. Another Olney-who l
think, belonged to this same family-Was
the author of the Oirey Geographic These
We're used in the public schools of Amer
lea for more than thirty years. They had
1t is said, larger sale than any other book
outside Of WebstsrS Spelling Book. They
ran through ninety-eight different editions,
and millions of copies of them were sold.
Secretary Olneys father was the cashier
of bank in Oxford Mass. Richard Oney,
the Secretary of State. was his Oldest
child. He Was born in 1885, and he is now
Just sixty-one years of age. He was edu-
ward Law School, and he began his study
OF the law under Judge Benjamin Franklin
Thomas, one of the most famous lawyers
of Massachusetts. He soon showed his fit
ness for the law and it Is said that he has
made a fortune out of his legal ability.
An Athletic Secretary of State.
Secretary Olney has better physical ma
chinery than any ether man in the cabinet
He keeps himself in perfect condition by
exercise. His joints are well oiled His
blood IS full of iron, his eyes shine with life
and he has the sprngiest step of all those
VINO tramp Pennsylvania avenue. There
Is no public man who goes to more dinners
There is no man who has better digestion
and a greater physical activity. He is the
champion walker of the administration. He
takes from three to a five-mile walk
every day.
Some people think that the Secretary of
State is snobbish. l don't believe it. He
is full of plain, practical common sense, but
not having been brought up in the school of
politics he does not think it necessary to lick
his lips and say sweet things whenever "A
politician comes in sight. He is, indeed de-
cidediy Independent. This is to be seen in
his dress as well as in his actions. The dress
of the average Secretary of State has been a
long Prince Albert coat, dark pantaloons and
high silk hat. Secretary Olney's fayorite
suit is of q business cut. He wears a sack
coat, and have seen him going down Penn
sylvania avenue when the thermometer was
wears an overcoat only in the coolest and
stormiest weather. He has, like as not, his
hands in his pockets as he walks. and his
hat is of soft felt. He puts on tine Prince
Albert coat or the double-breasted frock
cnly on diplomatic days when he receives his
callers. On other days he is dressed like the
| most ordinary business man. and he could
| take a bicycle ride without changing his
clothes.
The Secretary believes in working while
he works and in playing while he plays. He
also evidently believes that all work and
no play makes Jack dull boy. Hence his
walks: hence also his TERMS games. After
| the Secretary has finished his tennis in the
| summer and his walk in the winter, he goes
home, has his bath and dresses for dinner.
He puts on a swallow-tail coat at such times
and appears at the table in full evening
dress. He has to do this in most cases. at
| least, for during the winter he is invited out
| to dinner nearly every night, and his position
as Secretary of State keeps him busy in
giving and returning such invitations.
Olney's Sunday Dinners.
And here, by the way, Is one feature of
our social festivities which many of the
| good church people at Washington do
| not like. 1t Is the Sunday evening dinner,
| which Is common among many of the
| diplomats, and which. I regret to say, is
| not unknown to Secretary Olney. He fire.
| quently gives dinners Of Sunday evening
! and at such times has many of his friends
/ at MS taDle. dShingtOn with all Its sin
| has a strong religious element. One Of the
leading pastors preached against these din
| ners not long ago, and 1t will not be
| strange If an anti-Sunday dining society
| should be formed.
1t is interesting to know how he prepares
| his state papers. When he has anything very
| important to write he does not use a stem
| ographer. He first takes a pencil and pad
/ and writes out carefully Just what he
| wants to say, and then hands the manu-
| script over to his typewriter to be copied.
| He revises carefully, and when the paper
| Is completed 1t represents his exact
thought. All of the important State De-
partment papers which have been sent out
| during his administration have been writ
| ten by him. He wrote all of the Bayard
instructions except the last paragraph
This was written by President Cleveland
He Has = Backbone.
| I called upon Secretary Olney some time
| ago at the State Department. He talked
| with me for some time, but would not per
| mit me to quote him IN the newspapers
I could see. however. that he has a number
| of new ideas as to our diplomatic service
and that he is big enough man not to be
twisted around the fingers of Julian
Pauncefote. the British minister, or Of the
other willy diplomats Of Washington. He
is, judge, a man with q strong backbone
He has opinions Of hfa own. and h NOT