The National tribune., 1897-04-08
CHAT OF THE CORRIDORS,


Since the change of Administration over
$4,000 applications for Postoffices have been
| filed at the Postoflicc Department. The num-
Der is said to be somewhat smaller than four
years ago. All the papers have been recorded
and classified, and the cases made up to date.
X
| Secretary Sherman made an amusing mis-
| take the other day. Senators Carter and Man
| tle of Montana. visited the State Department
| with one Of their constituents, a Mr.. Lawrence
who is an applicant for appointment as Consul
at Cardiff. Mr. Lawrence is modest sort of
man, and when the party was ushered into the
Office of the Secretary of State he fell back q
few steps to make himself as inconspicuous as
possible.
Senator Carter made little speech to Secrc-
tary Sherman, told him what loyal and de-
serving Republican Mr.. Lawrence is, and said
that he wanted the Secretary to meet him per-
sonally, so that he could judge of his merits
for himself.
Thereupon Mr.. Sherman arose, walked
around the table, and, grasping the hand Of
Senator Mantle, shook it vigorously, expressed
his great pleasure at meeting Mr.. Lawrence
aud assured him that his application would
have careful consideration. Then, adjusting
his eyeglasses. the Secretary peered closer at
the embarrassed Senator. whose colleague he
was for two years, and said:
"Nour face is very familiar, Mr.. Lawrence.
We must have met before somewhere"
Senator Carter. who had been very much
amused at the Secretary's mistake and the con-
fusion of his colleague, succeeded in strsighten.
ing out matters, and finally introduced Mr..
Lawrence. Apologies were made all around,
and the party Withdrew.
X
Some of the Solons who adorn the Upper
House" are not averse to finding shrewd ways
to avoid the persistent ofice-seeker. They are
telling it of an Eastern Senator who has about
90 callers at bis hotel every morning, gathers
the cards in a bunch, and sends down a request
to the applicants that they wait until he is
through breakfast So they wait. Meanwhile
the Senator slips through side door of the
hotel cafe, and is on his way to the White
House before the crowd knows whats up"
The opening of new day for the veterans
in Washington is drawing perceptibly all
around. They have stood a good deal during
the last four years. but that is ended. A man
named Francis. who has been Captain of the
Watch at the Weather Bureau, has made him.
self particularly offensive by his conduct and
his sneers against the soldiers specific allie
CATION against him is that every time veterans
funeral passed the Weather Bureau he would
express the wish that all the old soldiers were
under the sod at Arlington. SO that the Gov
ernmcnt could be relieved of their expense.
There is now another Captain of the Watch
at the Weather Bureau, and Mr. Francis has
been reduced to a laborer.
Ia line with the promises made by Secretary
Gage to the veterans who called on him, he
has Issued an order renstating d. W. Harring-
ton. veteran, formerly of New York, as Chief
of the Division of Accounts. Mr. Harrington
had held the Office 2S years and had performed
the duties satisfactorily, it is said. Three years
ago he wss'dscbarged. He served through the
war u the 44th n Y.
1t is evident that for the first time in q long
while the American Government is to be repre-.
some resemblance in experience aud reputation
with those of European countries. Hardly .
man has yet been named for high Diplomatic
station who has not before been distinguished
in the Government service, many of them under
the State Department itself.
4
The opponents of the Arbitration Treaty as.
sert that an actual poll of the Senate shows that
vote wonld result against ratification ia full
Senate. Thirty negative votes will be neces-
sary to defeat the Treaty, and the following
named Senators a.e said to be pledged to vote
against IL: Baker, Bate, Berry. Butler, Carter.
Chiffon, Clay, Cockrell, Daniel, Earle. Hans
brough, Harris of Tennessee, Harris of Kan
sas. Heitfsld, Jones of Arkansas, Jones of
Nevada, Mantle. Mason. Kenney, McEnery,
Mills. Morgan. Penrose. Pettigrew. Pettus,
Quay, Rawiins, Roach, Stewart. Teller, Till
man and White. Others considered doubtful
are sTessrs. Allen, Bacon, Chandler Clark, Cor
man, Turner and Wellington.