The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1897-05-05
Has Porter, McKInIsy's Secretary
His Varied Duties.
REQUIRE AN EVEN TEMPER.
President Mckinley at the Services
Attending the dwelling Of
Gen. Grants Tomb.
eOTHAm's IRREGULARITIES.


are 1t win some day be gratifled IL is TO
be governor of Connecticut. Mr. Porter,
1t should be remembered, is a great poll
tician himself. II any of the office seekers
who infest the White House imagine Mr.
Porter Is a tenderfoot who can be fooled
with any of the little tricks of politics they
win make greet mistake. He has been
there himself. At an age younger than
that of any man who ever held the office Of
governor OF Connecticut Mr.. Porter set
out to get the nomination for the chief
magistracy of his state. He was warned
that he would not get enough votes to save
himself from ridicule, but he made very
good showing. The next time he tried it,
with all the old political organizations
against him, he came within an ace of sue
ceeding. A change of a very few votes
would have given him the prize.
Porter's Ambition.
Secretary Porter in all probability will
decline to be a candidate for the governor
ship as long as he remains President Mo
Kinley's right hand man. Itwould scarce
ly be seemly for him to go out as an Office
hunter while standing so near the presi-
dent. But the Republicans Of Connecti-
cut, who are just beginning to learn what
a good and strong man they have among
them in the person Of Mr.. Porter, keep
saying that they are going to have him for
governor now whether he wants It or not
They aver they will nominate him by ac-
olamation and take him away from the
White House. If they do, they win not
please the president very much, for he
likes Porter immensely, and scarcely
knows how he could get along without
him.
Mr.. Porter has the hardest job in Amer
lea. The presidents task is easy compared
TO that Of his secretary, for the president
can relieve himself of trouble and impor-
tunity whenever he wishes to do SO by
simply giving an order to have the doors
closed. Poor Porter has to stay and take
It as 1t comes, and It usually comes ia
largo and unpalatable doses. He must
never lose his temper. He must be mon
ument Of patience. He must smile when
he wants to curse. He must invent ex-.
ouses and offer explanations to men who do
not deserve either when every fiber of his
body tingles with a desire to say what he
thinks and have a row. Now and then Mr..
Porter does hit out from the shoulder at
some oyerimportunate Office seeker, some
fellow perhaps who insists that the presi-
dent shall be interrupted while holding a
IN order to give him chance. The gall Of
some Of these chaps Is an amazing thing
and the wonder is that Mr.. Porter does not
moro often sit down upon them. 1t has
taken some of the habitues of the White
House long time to learn that when Mr..
Porter says "No'' he means 1t.
Distantly Related.
President McKinley's secretary and
a.. Al a.
and it is exceedingly difficult for him now
and then to restrain his temper He comes
of lighting stock. A Connecticut man WAS
telling me the other day that Secretary
Porter Is rotated to the Grants, to Grover
Cleveland and to Israel Putnam, he who
was too much for the wolf II all this re-
lationship does not indicate fighting blood,
I am at loss to suggest what does. When
Mr.. Porter first came TO Washington and
met Mr.. Cleveland, he said to him;
Alr. President, believe you and I Boz
long to the same family"
Yes, replied Mr.. Cleveland, ~ know
all about that. / was reading IL the other
day in the history of the Cleveland family.
You and are kin, sure enough In one
branch We both go back to old Israel Put
man,
Speaker Reed is well pleased with his
visit to New York for the Grant cere-
monies. He was at first reluctant to 60.
He did not like to DO outshJne by the pres
ident Of the United States. But he finally
resigned himself TO his fate and made the
journey. Now he is glad he did, for he
was everywhere we'll received. OF course
he did not attract Us much attention. as
the president, or-eiieftas much applause.
bat he was easily the second man In the
city during those memorial exercises, and
thut Is saying a good deal, for It was
wonderful assemblago Of notables. Wher-
ever Mr.. Reed went he was at once recog-
nized and oheered. When he made his up
pearance on the grand stand in fronto tn
Grant tomb, the cheers were almost as en-
thusiasfio as those which had greeted Pres
idont Mckinley.
Where Fame Il q vapor.
New York is queer town. There ar
regions ia the metropolis IN which the pop
ulntlon cares nothing for president, or q
speaker, or any one else IN the wide world.
doubt II the coming Of Queen Victoria or
tho emperor OF China would cause many
Of them to turn their heads One OF these
regions lies between Fifth avenue and the
Hudson river, President Mckinley and
bis party drove through 1t after reviewing
She naval parade. They were not recog-
nlzod by many people Only now and
then was any attention paid them Prob
ably the president would not have been
recognized at all had IL not been for the
presence OF an unusual number Of police
men. which caused the populace TO think
there must be something going on.
prosident Mckinley's training na an
opon air speaker stood him IN good stead az
fho Grant ceremonies. Half a gale was
blowing ACROSS the Hudson, making things
dance and tremble It was a most dis
coume|ng wind to speak IN, for ID blew
up 10 angry gusts which now and then
ftIealoned to take the words out Of mans |
mouth. But the president got along beau
I'lnlIy Knowing just how 70 do Il, from |
4frfI|rnco, DO started out low and easily. |
Az soon az ho had pitched his voice 10 |
warmed up Then bis words rang out |
0|0aI ana distinct above fha whlstlIng Of |
Iae NInd Every syllable was pronounced |
M 4o onuno|Hilon like that Of nn oloou- |
|'0n|aI. Though the presidents voice Is
N0I a strong cnn Il carried Tar on this 90
t4s|oH' Three times As uAnI people were /
able 81 hear him as could distinguish v bat /
|0n#N| FoI't| vos saying. ana General /
|0I|0I IS H|U.|f a 4lIII'1 public speaker /
||0 0I||'00Ha |0INI|HH| IN |||a| day vas /
.10.|0|.0 |.|..I. AN. ard #. boat thing /