The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-05-05
PORTER HASAHARDJ0B
McKinley's Secretary and His
Varied Duties.
MUST NEVER LOSE HIS TEMPER.
Although He Comes of Fighting Stock.
One of Gotham's Observation-Disclosures
ley as an Outdoor Speaker-Cheers For
Gar Reed.

One of Gothsm's OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
ley as an Outdoor spesker-Cheers Fo
Gar Reed.
WASHINGTON. May 4.-[Special. job,
Addison Porter, President Mckinley S sec
rotary, has an ambition, and the chances
are il will some day be gratifled 1t is t
be governor of Connecticut. Mr. Porter
t should be remembered, is great poll
tician himself. If any of the Office seeker,
who infest the White House imagine Mr.
Porter is tendorfoot who can be fooled
with any of the little tricks of politics they
will make great 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 ridcule, but he made "a 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 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 Nc
kinley's right hand man. 1t would 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
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 il or not
They aver they will nominate him by ac-
clamation and take him away from the
White House. If they do, they will 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 president s task is easy compared
TO that of his secretary for the president
can relieve himself of trouble and mpor-
tunity whenever he wishes to do so by
simply giving an order TO have the doors
closed. Poor Porter has to stay and TAXI
1t as it comes, and it usually comes in
large and unpalatable doses. He must
never lose his temper. He must be mon
ument o. patience. He must smile when
he wants to curse. He must invent ex-
cuses and offer explanations to men who do
not deserve either when every fiber of his
body tingles with desire to say what he
thinks and have row. Now and then Mr..
Porter does hit out from the shoulder at
some overimportunate office seeker, some
fellow perhaps who insists that the pres-
dent shall be interrupted while holding
conference with member of the cabinet
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 hahitues of the White
House long time to learn that when Mr.
Porter says NO he means it.
DistantIy Related.
President McKinley's secretary and
buffer" is a fighter from the word 90. |
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 related TO the Grants, to Grover |
Cleveland and TO Israel Putnam, he who |
was too much for the wolf If all this re- |
lationship does not indicate fighting blood, |
l am at u loss to suggest what does. When |
Mr. Porter first came to Washington and |
met Mr.. Cleveland, he said to him:
MIR. President, / believe you and be- |
long to the same family
Yes, replied Mr.. Cleveland, 81 know |
all about that l was reading it the other
day in the history of the Cleveland family. |
You and i are kin, sure enough. In one
branch we both go back to old Israel Put
man,"
Speaker Reed is well pleased with his
Vlsit to New York for the Grant cere-
monies He was at first reluctant to 60
he did not like to be outshOne 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 well received. OF course
ne ala not attract as much attention as
bhe president, or elicit as much applause,
out ne was easily the second man in the |
city during those memorial exercises, and
mat Is saying good deal, for it was a
wonderful assemblage of notables. Wher-
ever MI Reed went he was at once recog-
nlzed and cheered. When he made his APP
pearance on the grand stand i'm front of TN
urant tomb, the cheers were almost as en-
thnsastic as those which had greeted Pres
dent Mckinley
Where Fame Is vapor.
New York Is queer town There ar
regions in the metropolis in which the nor
nlatlon cares nothing for president, or a
speaker, or any one else in the wide world.
doubt If the coming of Queen Victoria or
the 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
his party drove through it after reviewing
The naval parade. They were not recoe-
nized by many people. Only now and
then was any attention paid them. Prob.
ably the president would not have been
recognized at all had it not been for the
presence OF an unusual number of police
men, which caused the populace TO think
there must be something going on.
President McKinlcy's training as an
open air speaker stood him in good stead at
the Grant ceremonies. Half gale was
blowing across the Hudson making things
lance and tremble. 1t was a most dis
couraging wind to speak in, for il blew
up In angry gusts which now and then
threatened TO take the words out of a mans
mouth. But the president got along beau
fiuliy. knowing just how to do IL. from
experience, he started out low and easily
AS soon as he had pitched his voice he
warmed up. Then his words rang ont
clear and distinct above tho xv,,;stt,.,.. - |