Evening star., 1897-04-08

the hotels today the waiting patriots COM
posed themselves for still longer waits
The most of them are going to hang on
until their cases are settled, but they are
already complaining of accumulated board
bills and the prospects that these will be
a complete loss.
A Change I'm the Rules.
No decision has been reached by the
President and Secretary Porter as to what
change will be made in the rules when the
President returns from his trip. AS here
tofore stated in The STAR the President
thought that the place hunters would have
dwinoled to such number by this time
that he would have had a chance to attend
to other matters. He had no idea that the
pursuit for positions was going to be so
warm and SO persistent. That is why he
vas in favor of giving the office-hun tiers
liberal time in which to present their
cases. Over month Sfter his Inaugural
ton he finds that there is no let up in the
battle for government plums. He finds
himself going through the same routine
from day to day. From 10 o'clock in the
morning until midnight he is engaged in
talking to men who want jobs for them
selves or somebody else. and going over
the papers of off1ce-seekers. He has little
time to devote to public matters Of great
concern.
because the President wants to give all the
time he can to this class of people. He
doesn't want to be accused of shutting him
self up. His hope Is to give access to peo-
pie of all kinds. To do this, and at the
same time to shorten the hours going to
the ofhce-hunters, is the question now un-
der debate. The plan which has obtained
most favor so far is to close the receptions
to the office-seeking element at l o'clock
each day. instead of 3 o'clock in the after
noon. This scheme would give the Presi-
dent more time than at present, although
there would be little difference, as up to
this time the President has lunched be-
tween l and 2:3O O'Clock, and the callers
were forced TO wait until he returned to
his Office. 1t may be decided to shut off on
callers at an earlier hour than l o'clock.
Ihere 1s not much danger that any
radical change will be made in the schedule
OF public receptions. The President is dis
inclined to a change, because he finds n
pleasure In meeting and shaking hands
with those who want nothing but the honor
of grasping his hand and looking him in
the face. These receptions often take near
ly an hour of the Presidents time, and are
occasionally fatiguing, as he has to stand
on his feet all the time, but this causes no
regret
Judge Day and His Mission.
Judge w. r. Day of Canton is expected
in the city within a few days He will
then begin preparations for his trip to
Cuba. From administration authority it
can be stated that the scope Of Judge DAYS
mission has been much exaggerated. He
has been selected as a lawyer to specifi-
cally investigate the death of Ruiz, and is
not commissioned to handle the Cuban
Spanish situation generally. The President
did not ask him to do this, and he does not
expect to attempt it. He will, however
report to the President all that comes to
his knowledge as incidental, to the inyesti-
cation he will make. This itself may have
highly important bearing on the future
policy of the administration Judge Day
Will not shut his eyes to what he ascer-
tairs 20 be facts in any direction. but
these must come to him without his inves-
tigation.
Only those close to the President and the
man he has selected for this mission know
how much II may affect the future policy
of the administration toward Spain. The
President has unlimited confidence in his
old friend and neighbor. and one of the
closest friends the President has says that
the relations between the President and
Judge Day are those of brothers. It is as
serted that whatever report Judge Day may
make will be accepted without question by
the President. If this report deals entirely
with the Ruiz case the President will be
guided accordingly. II. however Judge
Day Is impressed with other facts and
matters and reports upon theu his advice
will be followed. If that advice should
suggest the most radical action It win he
followed.
After going through the papers in the
Ruiz case that are on file In the State De-
partment Judge Day will leave for Havana.
He will take an interpreter with him, who
Will be detailed from the State Depart
ment. He may take clerk, but this has
not been decided upon. 1t IS not thought
tnat the investigation In the State Depart
ment Will take over ten days after Judge
Day arrives here.
Piatt and His Sore Followers.
New York politicians who are coming
to the city say that the Platt followers
in the state are disconnected at the an
pointment of Theodore Roosevelt as as
sistant secretary of the navy. Despite
assertions to the contrary. there is truth
In saying that the New York followers Of
Senator Platt, from members of the House
to ward bosses, are sore over the sItua-
tion. Senator Platt's closest friends are
said to be vainly trying to smooth matters
over but they are unable to do So The
senator has been flooded with INQUIRIES
from his stalwart friends. inquiring why
he doesn't fight the nomination.
The greatest fear Of the New York poll
| ticians Is that Roosevelt will get control