Evening star., 1897-03-20

have seen a good deal Of Gen. Horace
Porter during the past three weeks. He
has teen here in charge of the inaugural
parade, and has been a part Of nearly all
the ceremonies connected with the intro
ducing of President Mckinley to the White
House. Gen. Porter Is perhaps the finest
looking man of the new administration.
He stands fully SIX feet in his stockings,
and he Is as erect today as he was thirty
seven years ago when he graduated from
West Point, one Of the highest men in
his class. He Is broad-shouldered and
deep-chested. and is 80 straight that line
dropped from the back of his well-brushed
head would just touch the heels of his pol
ished boots. His face is very handsome
one. The forehead Is high and broad. the
is Just little inclined to the Roman.
Above all things, he inpresses you be-
ing a gentleman. He keeps himself we'll
groomed. He wears the best Of clothes
of the latest cut, and he has the quiet air
of tie New York club man. He Is now
sixty years of age, but ne does not look to
be more than fifty. 1 am told that he
never worries, and that he has accustomed
do them. He says himself that he never
goes in a spasm over anything. and you
can see by talking with him that he has
himself well in hand.
Horace Porter and General Grant.
Some of Horace Porter's experiences with
Gen. Grant will stand him in good stead
at the court of Paris. Every one knows
that he was with Grant during the war,
but few appreciate that he was to a large
extent the confidential adviser of Grant
while he was President of the United
States. Grant did not at first take to the
Idea Of being President. When his name
was proposed by his friends he hung back
ard when h, went into the White House
he felt afraid Of the change of life and
1rffao ha OH
ever he sent for Gen. Porter and told him
that he must come with him into the
White House, and that he needed his as
sistance.
I'm what capacity" said Gen. Porter.
Il want you to come and take charge
of things" replied President Grant II
have a set Of clerks and secretaries here
but don't know them. They are not used
to me- l need some one about me whom
can trust and who will see that no mis-
takes are made in the carrying out of my
orders. l want you to be my military
partment assign you to the White House"
To this Gen. Porter assented, and became
sort of confidential adviser to Gen
Grant He was not private secretary
nor secretary to the President but he was
associated with him In many important
matters of his administration He had a
great deal to do with the fisheries COM
mission OF Grants first term and also with
the settlement of the Alabama claims. by
which we got from Great Britain S15,-
100000
He Speaks French,
In this work Gen. Porter was able to he
OF the more advantage to Gen. Grant on
account Of his thorough knowledge of the
French language. He is a natural angufst
and he can speak French and Spanish
quite as f1uently as English. He can make
an after-dir ner speech in French, and he is
noted as being one of the best after-linner
|CrNr In~ .NPfI IL
by many higher In this regard than
Chauncey Depew. He is also a man of
literary note. He has the degree of LID.
and has written number Of books. This
iact VIII VIII ada to his standing at Paris, for
the French have a high respect for literary
characters. His position an army officer
Will also help him, and the fact that he is
rich man Is another important item. The
spend all the way from $50. 600 and upward
year In entertaining. Ien Porter will
probably do the same. although his salary
Is $l7.JOO. He has made u Tortune you
know. In railroads and other Investments
He was for years manager of the Pullman
Palace Car Company and he has been the
president and director OF q number Of the
largest business enterprises of the United
states. He has made some inventions
which have brought him in money, and he
understands our business relations in their
broadcast sense.
Gen. Porter's business experience will a:
the start make him especially valuable as
ambassador to France 1 happen to know
something about how he feels as to our
business situation. He believes that an
enormous increase can be made In our for
eign commerce. and that the reciprocity
feature may be SO developed In connection
with certain products as will be of vast
advantage to this country. Both he and
the President think that the national expo
sition at Paris In 1900 can be used to great
advantage to us by proper American ex-
hibsts. and Gen. Porter goes abroad with
the idea Of pushing American industries at
that exposition.
He believes also that the consular service