Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-02-20
WASHINGTON LETTER
SPECIAL CORREsPoNpENCE.

1
government. As rule, the president.
elect regards this matter as largely
persona, Notwithstanding the fact that
those whom he selects for the various
cabinet portfolios have to be pissed
upon by the Senate before they eau
assume the prerogatives and respou-
sibilities of Office. Mr.. Mckinley
has taken Il very different view of this
question. He has shown, from the
very hour that his SUCCESS at the polls
was known to be an accomplished fact,
proper appreciation OF the supreme
Importance OF selecting a cabinet that
would be as responsive to the sent-
ments OF the people and the conditions
of the country rs was his own nomina.
tion and election. He realized that
his action in this matter would, to
a great extent, indicate his own at
titude on many vital issues now con-
fronting the nation, as we'll as afford
u basis of popular judgment as to his
personal qualifications for the exact
ing Office to which he has been called
by the suffrages of his countrymen.
The president-elect has. without any
apparent effort, fully conformed his
conduct to the exigencies of the situa-
tion. His cabinet selections have been
such as not only to disarm prejudice,
but also to inspire confidence. He has
not surrounded himself with the at
mosphere of official mystery, nor with
the secret councils of those who are
commonly regarded with suspicion.
He has taken the people into his con-
tidence, and, in consequence, he will
begin his administration with degree
OF popular support and sympathy not
possessed by any president since Lin
coln. The people, however, do not
yet fully appreciate the consummate
tact and nice discrimination which the
president-elect has exercised in the
performance OF this difficult and deli
cate task.
FAREWELL REcEPTIoN-Mrs.C Cleve-
lands farewell public reception drew
out large crowd. The White House
was artistic.lly decorated with red and
white roses and smilax, and groups of
big palms and garlands of vines beau-
titled the state apartments. Through
out the reception the Marine band
furnished the music. Mrs. Cleveland
was gowned in violet. The assistants
included Mrs. Gray, Mrs. Brice, Mrs.
Villas, Mrs. Hale. Mrs. Cameron, Mrs.
Wetmore, Mrs. Mcmillan, Mrs. Lodge,
Mrs. Faulkner, Mrs. Lindsay, Mrs.
Catchings, Mrs Benton Mcmillan. Mrs.
Brewster, Mrs. Washington, Mrs.
Ben Miles. Mrs. Admiral Walker, Mrs.
Thomas Mason Page and Miss Nico-
lay.
CHANCE FOR UNpLEAsANTNEss -
Poor Sherman! Not only will there
sit at the cabinet table with him the
man who "bought Johns niggers," to
quote from u letter of Gen. Sherman
to Gen. Alger, and who, US John
thought, dsfeAted his nomination to
the presidency, but across the cabinet
table, directly facing the secre-
tary OF state, will sit secretary
of the treasury who says:
"The treasury note is a standing
evidence OF foolish operation-the
creation OF debt for the purchase on
a falling market OF commodity for
which the purchaser has no use; it
lies open to the just charge of being
both idiotic and immoral" The trea.
sury note is otherwise known as a
Sherman note, the act authorizing it
being known as the Sherman act,
because OF Mr.. Sherman's prominence
in favoring it and advocating its pass
age and defending it on the stump
sfter it had been put in operation.
Coop MOTIVES AT LEAsr-Some OF
the Washington sentimentalists want
to invite the defeated Democratic can
didate for president to attend the in
auguration Of his successful oppo-
nent. This scheme is animated by the
same irrepressible generosity that led
the girl who. after declining one fell
lows company home from singing
school. kindly gave him permission to
sit on the fence and watch her march
past with his more fortunate rival.
PUBLISHERS PRoTEsr-The Senate
Committee on post Offices and post
roads has been giving hearings on the
Loud Second Glass Mail bill. o. j.
Victor, chairman OF New York com.
mittee of publishers, said the bill wns
in the interest of express companies,
and opposed to the interests of the
public, which demands good and cheap |
literature. He called attention to the
large amount OF government matter
which is carried free, which would, he
said, go far toward accounting for the
post Office deficit. There we're many
letters and speeches for and against
the bill, those strongest against it
being the publishers OF cheap novels,
who, under the guise of 'serials" or
Irregular publications, secure second
class rates and enrich themselves
at the cost of the general public.
NEED Bus1NEss-The death of the
bill to legalize railway pools is an-
nounced. 1t was the national board
of trade which gave it the finishing
blow by appearing against it. But the
railways have suffered no loss. What
they need now is more business and
not measures to enable them TO pool
business.
ExTENUATINa CIRCUMsTANCEs--Pres-
ident Ceveland's pardon of Wash
ington citizen sentenced to the work
house for using profane language is
thought by the Chicago Tribune to be
due to the presence there Of the ex-
Hawaiian queen, which has impressed
upon his mind the weight of possible
extenuating circumstances in the case
in hand.
College Record Smashed.