The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-05-28
INVALUABLE TO ALGER
Confidential Clerk Mason Is a
Good Man.
GETTING POPULAR IN WASHINGTON

He Welcomes Every Michigan Visitor To
the War Department with Glad Hand
-Garbled Facts Concerning Some Recent
Appointments : Ex-Governor Rich at
the National Capital to Demand High
err Duty ON Wool.
Washington, May 25.-There Is a dis
position on the part of some correspond
ents, and on the part of some editors,
to garbe facts and mistate news oc-
currences. Last week a Washington
correspondent sent out word that George
Farr had been appointed collector or
customs at Grand Haven. and that
James A. Coye had been appointed sur
veyor OF customs at Grand Rapids.
That was mere statement of fact. One
of the editors in western Michigan,
however, added to the news matter, the
assertion that both of those appoint
ments had been secured solely through
the influence of Congressman William
Alden Smith. The object of the asser-
ton was, of course, to keep up po-
litical wrangle and row; but it Is just
as well to remember that the Michigan
senators are somewhat influential in
Washington, and the president always
consults them before making appoint
ments. 1t is all right for an ambitious
congressman to keep himself before the
people, and advertise himself, but there
is such a thing as OVERRIDING it; and
the man who claims ALL or whose
friends claim all for him, ignoring all
others in the political world, will ulti-
mately have more enemies than he can
handle.
Growing in Popularity.
Confidential Clerk Mason is growing
in popularity here. He is closer to
Secretary Of War Alger than any other
man in the war department. He is a
good business man and meets with
many people Who transact business wih
him.; thereby saving great deal Of
time for Secretary Alger. Nobody kr ows
what bore it is to a secretary 10 be
obliged to listen to tales of woe, and
listen patiently, when there is great
deal of public business to be tt nsact-
ed. In such cases a good private Sec
rotary is a jewel. Mr.. MasoN under
stands the current business ct The war
department, and knows just who should
and who should not have access to the
private offices of the seer, AIRY. He
welcomes every Wolverine visitor to
the war department with a warm heart,
gay face and glad hand. He knows all
Of the friends of General Alger, not
only his Michigan friends, but from
every state in the republic; and hence
he is an invaluable aid to the secretary.
Not Bothered by Oficeseelxers.
Congressman Brucker Of the Saginaw
district is the only member of the Mich
igan delegation in the national house OF
representatives who has been here dur
ing the past week. He is a silver DEM
ocrat, and has no influence with the
present administration; so he is no.
bothered by constituents who seek Of
flee. The other congressman are at
their homes, looking after business mat
ters, and listening to the stories of the
hungry and thirsty who feel that their
lives will be forever miserable, unless
they can make connection with the pay
roll Of the government.
Dr. William NJ Edwards, superin-
tendent of the Kalamazoo insane asy-
lum, has been attending the conven-
ton of superintendent Of asylums liz
our neighboring city of Baltimore. He
spent several days in Washington be-
lCIe lOI DOlIlc. ne Cdleu upOU
Senator Burrows and Senator McMii-
Ian, and occupied seat in the gallery
during the debates on the Cuban ques-
tion.
Ex-Governor Rich, accompanied by
several parties interested in the wool
schedules of the tariff bill, were here
last week demanding a higher duty OH
wool. The gentlemen brought witt.
them a sample case Of skirted and un-
skirted wool, which they exhibited with
pardonable pride to many senators. The
case is large canvas covered box, and
opens like a book, and the samples Of
woods were marked, 50 that their value
might be readily understood. The
wool was grown by Payne x. Leech OF
Utica, Mich, and was shorn in april.
Mny Have Hearing.
Senator Burrows has undertaken to
secure hearing for the gentlemen be
fore the full committee on fnGrce; but
that is a difficult matter, because the
committee has not been disposed ~
give hearings concerning the scheduled
in the bill.
Senator Burrows, although member
of the comlntttae on finance is q new