The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-01-06
AT THE OUTER GATE.
THE PRESIDENTS DOOR CLOSED TO
THE PRESS.
Walter weiiman Says Mr.. Cleveland Would
Lead by Thought Rather Than by Per
sonaI Fr1sndship-Phs-es of Our Chief
Mseistrate's Character.


Msgistrate's Character.
WASHINGTON. Jan. D. = Especial. -
President Cleveland Is one OF tbs most In
accessible chief magistrates we have ever
had In the White House. While IL is true
that senators and representatives can gain
audience with him on certain days Of the
week few avail themselves Of the privilege
This IL true In part because there are now
few offices 10 be filled, but perhaps In
greater part because they do not feel that
they are welcome there. Mr.. Cleveland
cares very little for the personal friendship
OF members OF congress. Tie has never
cultivated the art OF pleasing them or OF
attaching them to himself. The result Is
that a comparatively small number even
| of the Democratic senators and represent
atives call at the executive mansion.
| When they do call they have definite bust
| ness to transact, and this IL nearly always
| attended TO In the shortest possible space
| OF time and with the least possible num-
| Der Of words. The president does not en-
| courage consultation a. TO the affairs OF
the government, or even as to the policy
Of the party. 1t Is said by men who have
| been quarter of a century In Washington
that they have never known president so
| little In touch with the leading men OF his
| party In congress as Mr.. Cleveland Is.
The presidents idea appears TO BIO that he
can get along without personal friendships
| outside his immediate circle. He wishes
20 lead men by thought, by enunciation of
principles and ideas rather than by the
loyalty born OF friendly contact and mu-
tual confidence.
| Politics In II.
4 a. A.. a
land were taotful, IL he wished to be
friendly and communicative 20 senator's
and representatives If he were In short,
leader of men as well as Of thought, he
would be the most powerful figure seen I'm
the White House in generations. Probably
this is truc .r. Cleveland acknowledges
his weakn,- h,ii rather glories In IL. He
Is by tempe nt.t "A man who loves to
drive and who does not care to lead. He
Is now engaged in a somewhat bitter ard
acrimonious quarrel with congress. ASH
predicted at the beginning of the session,
the game OF politics between the two ends
of the avenue is being played with vigOr
and acerbity. Each side accuses the other
Of insincerity, Of wishing more 20 produce
an effect upon public opinion than TO Sc
cure results beneficial to the goyesnment
and the country. AS an independent OBJ.
server, caring not q whit for the fortunes
of any man or any party, but close enough
to them all to be pretty familiar with their
motives and private views, l am con-
strained to admit that In both cases the
charge Is not without foundation.
Door Closed to the Press.
Mr.. Cleveland is the first president I
have seen in Washington who seems TO
care nothing for the friendship Of the
/ hf. ha hoe ha.
much longer than l have say the same
thing is true of their experience. 1t is lit
orally true that no correspondent for the
| press, no matter how able, no matter how
influential in molding public opinion, no
matter how much devoted to the interests
Of the administration, can gain audience
| with the master of the White House Mr..
| Cleveland is the first Of the presidents to
close his door absolutely in the face of all
his friends of he press. Moreover, it Is
ku .raDu"r ayP,ye TO gain any informa-
ton a., -zC s. nsssEsSate Secre-
tary Thurber, While a H. and
kindly gentleman personally, rarely gives
to the representatives of the press any hint
| of the president actions or intentions. In
all former administrations private secre-
taries have been useful TO the press. They
have helped at least their friends to correct
gauging of the movements of the presi-
| Dental hand.
President Cleveland is never Interview
ed-not in these days. The correspond
ent who gets an order from his paper to
Interview the president for two columns"
ON this or that topic simply laughs and
wires back without leaving his desk,
"The president cannot be seem" The last
| time the president was interviewed by
correspondent was In the first administra-
ton. 1t was, oddly enough, on the ocos-
sion of the dismissal from this court OF
Sackville-West, the British minister. Mr..
Cleveland was in New York when the sem
sation about the Murchison letter first be-
| came public. He was there to review a
great Democratic campaign parade. On
his return, late at night, he drove at once
to his country seat, Red Top. Two Wash
ington correspondents conceived the idea
| of driving out to see IL they could not get
a talk with the president. They hired a
carriage and started through the rain and
darkness. On the way they cursed them
selves rs pair Of idiots. OF course Mr..
Cleveland would not see them. They
would not even be able ~ get inside the
house or past the sentries posted IN the
front yard.
The Last Interview.
L But In tDls rs III QUIET prOlesSlODs cue
never knows when he Is going to strike it
rich Sure enough, the door opened, and
the two Journalists were invited to seats
In the parlor. In a few minutes the serv-
ants told them the president would be
down right away. The correspondents
looked at one another. Both were excited.
How would they accost the great man?
What questions should they ask himp In
few minutes the president appeared. He
held out his hand to them and asked,
"what in the world brought you fellows
out here at this time of the night?" Then
be planted himself In big chair, and the
correspondents began to feel easier. "Oh,
yes; that Sackville West AFFAIR." Well, I'll
tell you about that, boys. This British
minister has made bad break. He's got
20 get out Of this country. We don't want
him here. That's plain, isn't ity What
would you do, boys, under similar cir
oumstances? Fire him, of course. But
this must be done In a dignifled manner
We must remember our own dignity. We
cant afford to do as we would like TO do
take this chap by the nape of the neck and
the seal uf his trousers and lrop him into