The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-01-25

Newspaper Men Like to Have the Public
Service EnIivened-S Story of the Late Sec
rotary Gresham Popularity of senator
| Perkins of California.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23--lSpecial. The
! election of William Il. Mason as the new
senator from Illinois gives great satisfac-
ton to public men, and especially to news.
! paper men here Mr.. Mason formerly
served in congress as member from Chi
cago, and he was one of the most pictur-
esque and interesting men in the house
He has not changed his ways and will be a
valuable addition to the senate, where men
OF wit and humor and quaintness are be.
coming too rare. AS a story teller Mr.
Mason has few equals. During the COM
ing year he will probably be the most talk
cd of man In the senate 1t will be a dull
day in which Mr.. Mason does not set afioat
D new tale, bright enough to be worthy
of publication all over the country
VIII BE Warmly Welcomed.
With all his wit and good nature and
happy manners, Mr.. Mason is man Of
much ability and force. AS congress
man he was q fighter, and some of the con-
kesiS WHlOll On upon uOOT
were admirable examples of generalship
and nerve. He once held the house up for
the better part of two days by filibustering
tactics. That was in the old days, before
Car Reed had adopted his present system
Of sitting down upon everybody but him.
self. Mr.. Mason can make an eloquent
speech, and he cares so little for the pro-
prieties that he Is sure TO stir the sedate old
n III, from, ito no1Hincr he tip,aa
as he has fingers and toes 1t is needless
to say that he will be warmly welcomed
back to Washington by members of the
newspaper profession, who see In him
valuable adjunct to their task of instruct.
ing and amusing the great public
One of the great needs of our public
service at the present time, from the news
paper standpoint, Is a greater number of
men of interesting personality. The crop
of actors on the national stage Is running
more and more TO the commonplace Pres
ident Cleveland is an interesting man, Is
always doing the unexpected, and his con
versation Is studded with quaint express
sions; but, unfortunately, we newspaper
men are able to get at the president only
through third persons. In the cabinet
there is not now single man with what
might be termed IA picturesque personality
There are strong men and able men, but
not one who helps to make gossip and
story. Judge Gresham-peace to his ashes
was the last of these l can remember.
A JolIier.
/ recall story about Gresham and his
private secretary that has never been pub
lished. This private secretary, Renesaw
M. lands, brother of Congressman Elect
lands Of Indiana, was more of IA charac
ter than Judge Gresham himself He
loved to jolly people and to invent the most
ingenious stories to keep people from both
ering the good naturCd secretary during
business hours Ono day Chief Justice
Fuller called at the state department TO see
Secretary Gresham Moro through the
force of habit than anything else lands
ut once proceeded to explain that the secre-
tary was not in.
"He Just left here with Secretary Car.
Isle for the White House, said the private
secretary eff you had come in five min
utes earlier, you would have caught him;
don't believe they have reached the White
House yet"
At that very moment Secretary Gresham
himself walked into the Office from the
diplomatic room adjoining without his
coat or hat on and buttoning up his waist
coat, as was his wont on preparing to leave
his office, The chief justice greeted the
secretary with some surprise and then
turned TO speak to Lands, but the private
secretary was nowhere to be found. For
the first time in his life he had put his foot
in it and had taken refuge in sudden flight
The sequel of this little story remains to
be told. Not long afterward there was
reception at the White House Lands was
there, "behind the line" of receiving ladies,
doing the proper thing in high society.
The chief Justice came along and greeted
the president. At that instant he espied
lands few feet away mir. Presi-
dent, said tho chief justice, with a merry
twinkle in his eye, do you know that
young mani" 81 do, very WE'LL" replied
Mr.. Cleveland. "well, you want to look
out for him." said Mr. Fuller, "for he is
on the western prairies I" With this shot
the chief justice passed on.
OF course the chief justice didn't mean
It, He was only turning the tables on a
practical joker. Mr.. Fuller likes lands
very we'll, and the young private secretary,
who is now successful lawyer in Chi
cago, was also favorite with President
Cleveland, who laughed till his sides ached
when he heard the whole of the story
Spry Senator Perkins.
Senator Perkins, who has just been re-
elected in California is one of the most
popular men in public life Mr.. Perkins
holds a record here, and 1t Is a quaint one
In the Turkish bath rooms OF the national
capitol many prominent public men may
often be found boiling and roasting them.
selves into proper condition l have had
many state secrets whispered to me in the
hotroom or amid the vapors of the steam.
room. A certain congressman from the
west has until recently held the record of