Evening star., 1897-04-10

consulted with Mr.. Lamont and Mr.. Tir r
Der in regard to its duties and the ID st
methods of performance as shown by tneir
experience AS a consequence, he knew he
mad u hard task before him. but his eX-
perience during his brief official career, has
shown the reality to be far in excess Of
his most extreme anticipationS- He was
prepared for a siege of hard work, but 1t
come upon him with a pressure that Is
proving a supreme test of his powers OF
patience and endurance, and he was as
much. If not more, In need OF the bTie-
respite he enjoyed this week than was
the President himself. 1t is a safe asser-
ton that outside of President Mckinley
no man in the country has had more oner-
Gus and laboriouS duties to perform since
the 4th OF March than has Secretary Por-
ter. He has found time to eat three quick
meals a day and to snatch few hours
sleep at night, but the rest of the time he
has experienced a steady, continuous grind
of the hardest kind of work, mental and
physical. Nothing but his strong constitu-
ton and his temperate habits has en-
abled him to stand the ordeal, and there
were suggestions in his face and manner
just before his departure on the Dolphin
with the President that he was the
verge of possible collapse. The incessant
and frequently irritating opportunities of
office seekers. to whom at first he gave
attentive hearing, finally began to wear
on him, until at last, in utter despair of
showing an interest in the constant reit-
Grafton of the same old story over and
over again, he felt impelled to tell many
of the most fragrant offenders who We're
at his elbow day after day that their pa
pers would receive thorough consideration
by the President, and that 1T was per-
fectly useless for them to make any fur
ther representations to him.
Not only were these personal appeals
irksome to listen to, but they tired him
out physically by keeping him or his feet
almost constantly during the entire dav
Whenever he had an opportunity, and it
did not come often, he would throw him
self into a chair with sigh of relief and
take a few minutes rest. On sucn occa-
sions his manner showed that he was near
ly exhausted. Latterly it has also been OBJ
served that he listens to the spoilsmen
who attack him from all sides with a de-
cided lack of interest, and az times he
seems preoccupied that the chances are
ne hears very little of the carefully pre-
Jared speeches that are being solemnIy
whispered into his He braces up
however, by the time the speaker is
through, and tells him briefly ara concisely
the status of the matter under considera-
ton, and the best course for him 10 pur-
sue, which is generally to file his papers
or to go and see some other official He
has tried 10 be patient and considerate to
everybody who has called on him, no mat
ter how frivolous or futile his business,
and with great success so far. He has
done his best to tighten the Presidents
burdens and to give satisfaction to every
tody having business with him, and that
he has passed through the trying ordeal CT
the past five weeks without having, so far
as known, displeased anybody, Is an ex-
cellent augury of a successful administra-
tion of one of the most trying offices under
the government
With No Variety.
There has been very little variety in Sec
retary Porter's life in the White House.
and not a single moment of leisure up to
the time he went away on the excursion
with the President and Mrs. Mckinley last
Wednesday. Ever since the 4th of March
he has had an unceasing diurnal round of
toll, and If he has any chosen pleasures or
ways of relaxation he has not yet had an
opportunity of developing them to the de-
lectation of the Washington public. Ordi-
narily he is a thorough family man of
strictly domestic tendencies, but he has
had small chance of cultivating these COM
mendable traits Of character since his re-
cent entrance upon an exceedingly active
public career. His charming wife and
bright children have established them
selves comfortably in the fine dwelling at
1923 K street. formerly occupied by ex-.
Secretary Hoke Smith, but Mr. Porter can
hardly call it his home yet. He takes
his meals there and spends few hours in
sleep there but nearly all his waking hours
are passed at the White House, listening
to the dreary tales of disappointed appli-
cants for Office and assisting the President
in the manifold duties of his office.
Secretary Porter is simple In his tastes
and abstemious in his regimen. If he rides
hobby or has any pet fad 1t has so far
escaped the notice of those who have come
in daily contact with him since his advent
In official life in Washington. He and ev-.
erybody who has been associated with him
have been SO busy that Star reporter as
signed to the duty found it extremely diff
cult to get even the barest outline Of his
daily official life. Either from choice or
necessity, he Is an early riser. He has
breakfast with his family at o'clock, and
is invariably at his desk in the White
House before o'clock. Usually his first
work is the consideration Of a file Of tele-
grams and letters to the President from
people whose wishes cannot be ignored.
Most Of these he answers himself, but
many Of them call for the Presidents per-
sonal consideration. He takes the latter to
the President and learns his wishes In re-