The San Francisco call., 1897-04-17
HOW NOT TO GET OFFICE.
Mutual Disgust of President Mckinley and
En- Deniso1, Though From Fer
lJnereDf cnUSec

WASHINGTON, D. c., April 16-Eli
Denison of Oakland left here sadder but
wiser man. He is utterly disguised and
ieels that he made long trSnscontinental
trip for nothing. Senator Perkins could
not give him any encouragement, as
Frank Leach had already been decided on
for the mint superintendency. But Sem
ator Perkins fed Eli little taffy. He
took him to the White House and gave
him look at the President. This is all
Eli will get.
When the President entered his office
this morning he found such large con-
gTegation awaiting him that for the first
time he plainly exhibited impatience and
expressed a desire to be excused from
undergoing the impending ordeal. The
crowd was made up mostly OF Senators
and REPRESENTATIVES, many of whom were
accompanied by friends and constituents
whom they desired 10 personally present
TO the President.
Applicants for Office seemed i'm bued
with the notion that a personal pre- senta-
tion 10 the President by the Senators and
Representatives will further their chances
for appointment, and many of them per-
sist in handing their papers to the Presi-
dent, declining to follow the advice of
their sponsors to send their papers to the
department under which appointments
are sought. Except in few cases, when the
applicants are we'll known to the Pres
dent, these personal visits and appeals do
no good whatever, and, as rule, annoy
the President and simply consume valu-
able time to no purpose. OF the hundreds
OF applicants who call daily, it is risking
little 10 say that he does not Der q
tenth of. them or their appeals one hour
after their disappearance from his pres
ence.
,-t~k
time and money in coming to Washing
ton and trust their cases to Senators and
Representatives. 1t is a great mistake to
suppose that the President receIv and
examines the papers filed by applicants
for appointment to Office. Some of these
are prepared with great care and at con-
siderable expense, and their owners be-
lieve if they can have the opportunity 10
take them to the White House in person
the President will certainly be att racted
by their elegant style and bulk and will
give them personal attention. No papers
of this character are ever looked at by the
President. Nor are the papers which are
addres ed to him, no matter how con-
veyed or marked, laid before him until
the particular case is taken up. All pa
pers rec ived at the White House are
taken by the clerks and immec lately sent
to the departments to which they prop
erly belong.
IuCiS Lucy are UTleleQ anu Uleu TO await
the action OF the President and Secretary,
when they get ready to take up the par
ticuiar appointment to which they relate.
These facts are known to Senator'S and
Representatives, but the average appli-
cant will not be convinced, and insists
upon coming to Washington and, under
the convoy of his Senator or Represents
tive, calling in person upon the President.
1t can be confidently stated that the
President is becoming very weary of these
daily visitors, and it Is probable that he
will be compelled shortly, in self-defense,
to make rule declining TO see any appli-
cants for Office except those invited to
meet him.
This morning he sent word to the throng
that was waiting for his appearance that
he would like to be excused that he might
be permitted TO devote a morning to i'm
portant public business. but this appeal
did not save him. A number OF Senators
and Representatives gave heed and de-
parted, but the bulk o them remained,
each declaring that he desired to occupy
the President but minute.