The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-05
How the New Members
Take Hold of Business.
Curious Assertions Made by
Seekers After Office.
Secretary Longs Quick Decisions.
Two Able Assistants.

| new members or the cabinet are just get
ting settled down TO their work, For
month they have had their time taken up
very largely by Office seekers and by the
friends and champions CT the latter, tho
senator's and representatives in congress.
1t has been pretty hard work for the new
cabinet officers, strange in their places,
unfamiliar with public methods, afraid all
the time Of making some ludicrous mis-
take, and constantly Lcset by influential
men asking for this, that and the other. /
was talking the other day with Postmas-
| ter General Gary about this The new
J postmaster general is "a mild hammered old
| gentleman. Ilo even has benevolent as
| poet, with his chcery, ruddy face, his white
hair, his old fashioned spcCtaclcs. But IL
any one takes him for n groenhorn on
account of bis appearance 10 will bo great
mistake, Mr.. Gary is "a trained and sue
cessful business man. He knows human
nature and is quite competent TO take care
| Of himself.
1t Is amusing To me, " said he, "to
have men come To me every few minutes
declaring that unless l appoint So-and-so
| postmaster at such and such a place the
Republican party will go 90 ruin. They
make the hardest fight for the smallest
NAhNNos ~ 10 ltNShabiS VI near
these dire predictions about little offices
where the salary is only few hundred
year Why, men will travel 1000 miles TO
see me about an office i'm which the salary
of the postmaster is not more than 5000
per annum. And how they do stick and
hang for these little places" And the
new postmaster general laughed most
heartily.
WAYS In the Navy Deuartment.
Mr.. Long, the new secretary Of the navy
is surprising all the veterans of the depart
ment. You must know that when new
man comes TO the head of one of these
great government departments all the lieu
tenants, all the officials who remain there
through administration after administra-
tion, Immediately proceed to "sizc him
up" They want to know how much he
will stand what he will do in the way of
keeping the strings in his own hands, how
easy it will be to Impose upon him. If he
Is timid, or lazy, or prOcrastinating, they
have chance 10 take possession of him.
If they can start him ont as lieutenant
in his own official family, they will con-
triye afterward that he never gets n pro-
motion. OF course this trouble Is greatest
in the war and navy departments, where
the bureau officials are men who have
come up through the service. They affect
Go despiso mere civilians anyway, and
claim 10 know all about everything, and
generally do, while the new man at tho
head of the concern is mere amateur who
needs good advice.
Secretary Long has taken hold of the
business of his Office like veteran. He Is
already famous as quick deoider. The
bureau chiefs are delighted with the
promptness with which he dispatches bust
ness. His predecessor, Mr.. Herbert, was
certainly ono Of the best secretaries of the
navy We have ever had. But he was not
quick. Mr. Long, on the other hand, keeps
his desk clear all the time. When matter
is presented TO him, he asks few perti-
nent questions about IL, appears to under
stand il instantly, and signs his name. It
Is done. Mr. Herbert had way of putting
it off till tomorrow, till some day when be
could lcolS into It, Perhaps this difference
Ia only tho tempcramental difference which
we find between northern and southern
business men.
In the War Department..
Secretary Algcr is not faring quite so
well. Tho war department. Is famous for
being run by tho bureau officials. If these
amiablc and able gentlemen can do so, they
take control. They make the secretary a
nero mail clork-that is, they actually
run tho business, prepare the orders and
letters and the whole business of the sec
retary is to afiix his signature He may
take the trouble Co read them If he likes.
1t doesn't make any difference Or If he
chooses TO designate some one TO sign the
mail for him-his chief clerk or private
secretary, for instance--it is all the same.
In such case the secretary may go away
and have good time, and the department
goes on just as well without him. About
every other secretary of war we have Is
willing enough To do this Mr.. Lamont
was not one of that kind. He insisted upon
running the machine himself. In his
short, sharp, cunning way he brought the
chiefs up standing. AS soon as it was un-
dcrstood there was no further trouble, for |
the bureau men are oil fine gentlemen and
know their places.
Treasury and State Departments.
Secretary Gage of the treasury depart |
mcnt says the greatest trouble he has is |
with the Office seekers. He wants time TO |
study his department, and when the sena- |
tors and representative and their friends |
come about and take up his time by the |
hour no grows trile weary Mr.. Gage |
has shown how much no believes In the |
merit system by appointing rs assistant |
secretary n young man who worked his
way up through tho department from the |
humblest post, that OF messenger or door |
tender. This young secretary, Mr. Howell, |
e only 32 years old. one of the youngest |
assistant secretaries Of the treasury we |
have ever had. lie Is also ono of the most |
competent, for he knows the customs serv-
ice Ike a book. "in fHot, " said Secretary |
Gage Co me today, 81 envy that young |
man his knowledge Of all the details Of the
customs division. But / intend To know |
the treasury through and through in
short time. shall Dot hc happy till ain
as famlliarwlti it rs am with the rooms,
halls and furni src ~ my own house"
Secretary sherman Is taking things |
easy. lie said before he went into the state
department that ho did not SEQ any need
for q man Killing himself there. and he Is
os good ns his word Hc Goes homo prompt
Is cgcry dry ~ 4. iic works lcsurcly. lie, |
a.. frt ,s, ~.s-x..