The evening times., 1897-03-11
CALLS OF congressman
They Make the Rounds of. the
Departments.
ALGER TO CONVERT STEWART
The Secretary OF War Threatens to
Attempt the Work-Three Thou
Places Diplomatic Day at the
State Department-The Gossip.

~ was uipiOInauc Gay at the State
Department, and the numerous callers upon
the Secretary were Obliged to catch his
ear at intervals only. Many left their
cards and will caIl again. A large number
or Senators and Representatives made the
rounds OF the three departments i'm the
State, War and Navy building Among
the former were Senators Elkins, Bacon.
Proctor, Stewart, Hawley, Hale, Frye,
Davis, Spooner, Sawyer, Merrill and Plat.
When Senator Stewart reached Secretary
Alger, the general greeted him with a
challenge.
Il mean TO try and convert you, Sena-
tor be laughingly remarked, land if /
succeed, shall account ii one of the big
gest successes OF my administration OF
this office"
IF you succeed, it win be-" returned
the Senator. Better not waste your eio-
quence nor your ammunition
About 5000 applications for positions
have been placed on file with Secretary
Alger since he was named for the War
Office, and he hasn't place at his in
dividual Disposal. lie las to send one reply
to all, and refers them to the civil service
rules.
Gen. Alger is vieing with the swiftest in
the disposition OF his work. He and his
private secretary, Mr.. Mason, visit the de-
partment at night and finish up what is left
undOne at the close of the department day.
Among those who called upon him to-
dag are the Senators mentioned above,
and Senators Warren, Sewell, Gaiiinger,
Foraker, ex-Mayor Grace. OF New York;
Hon. Benjamin Butterworth, ex-Goy Rich,
of Michigan; Gen James Longstreet and
the members OF the Interstate Commerce
Commission, who also paid visit to Sec
retaries Sherman and Long.
The applications filed with the Secretary
Of the Treasury since yesterday number
Bine, five of them being for the post of
Assistant Secretary, and all for positions
of prominence.
Thefive aspi rants for the Assistant Secre-
ia ~ ships, some OF whom have been al
ready mentioned, are John II. Keatley, OF
Minnesota; w b. Howell, of New Jersey;
William odlin, OF Massachusetts,; w. t.
lockwood, OF New York, and s. r. Nc
Lean, OF New York.
1t goes without saying that 10th of the
New Workers cannot win. and. as in the
case of tie two Ohio men named yeste rday,
each may defeat the other.
NJ. NJ. Garland. of Pennsylvania, has
filed his application for appointment as
Commissioner of Immigration at Ellis
Island; T. T. Anain. of Illinois, wants to
he auditor for the Navy Department; w.
w. Bates. of Illinois, has petitioned for
appOintmeRtas Commissioner ofNavigation,
and John A. Ackerson, of Missouri, has
applied for the position of superintendent
OF the Coast and Geodetic Survey.
There will be from this time on a spir-
tied contest for each of the Treasury As
sistant Secretaryslips, and for the Audi
torship as well There are not enough
offices upon which to base a compromise
among the aspirants, and the competition
is therefore likely to be ito finish,'' with
the man ahead who has the strongest pull
Secretary Gage made thorough inspec-
ton OF the office OF the United states
Treasurer and its collateral divisions this
morning, and is sensibly impressed with
the magnitude OF the departm which
President Mckinley has intrusted TO his
care. His Investigation, ending with the
money vaults, has extended to almost
every important branch OF the Treasury,
and the Secretary is disposed to commend
those upon whose integrity and capacity
such vast interests depend.
Mr.. Gage had a number OF callers this
morning before IL O'Clock, among them
Senators GaIiinger, Fairbanks, Platt and
Lindsey, and the man from the Blue Hen
State who wanted 10 be Senator, Mr.. Ad-
dicks.
Representatives Hopkins, Bartholdt. Payne
and Murphy were also in to see the Sec
retsry, but they and the Senators were
merely wanting TO get acquainted with
the new chief-those, at least, no had not
previously paid respects.
The Postoffice Department continues 70
be center of activity for candidates for
office and their fIiends-of course there
are more friends than candidates
Postmaster General Gary this morning
had over a hundred callers in little more
than an L our Many who called were not
specially asking for office. Among those
noticed were Senators Wellington, Davis
and Cullom.
Senator Platt OF New York was new
figure in the corridors of the department,
but was easily recognized as the great
master of New York politics. Ex-Gov. Nc
Crcary Of Kentucky, who has in the many