The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-16
Must Wait, But Have Be-
come Very Impatient.
Respect in Which Civil Ser
vice Rules are Held.
Advice 10 the Wife of Member Of
the Mckinley Cabinet.

WASHINGTON, March i6.-l Special J.
President Mckinley is going so slowly in
the business of making appointments that
the faithful Office seekers are beginning to
grumble good deal. A large number Of
these gentlemen are still sitting around
the hotels and haunting the White House,
intensely eager for action. They have lit
tie sympathy with the presidents policy
of deliberate and cautious action which the
country indorses SO fully. The Office seek
er Is too much interested from u personal
standpoint to take dispassionate view of
things All he knows is that he wants
his job, and wants it quickly. He cannot
understand why there should be any delay,
why the good thing for which tha politi-
clans fought in the recent campaign should
be withheld from the boys who stood In
the trenches While there is considerable
grumbling, it does not affect the president
at all He Is taking things as easy as he
can and seems in no more hurry to parcel
out the offices than he was when he first
came to Washington. The number of ap-
pointmonts made by him directly and by
the administration generally Is 81 tll far be-
low the number made by any administra-
tion of the last 30 years in the same length
of time.
Enjoyed the Joke.
President Mckinley preserves his good
nature through all the trials and pressure
incident TO his official station His bear
ing Is still fine and courtly. Hecharms all
who come in contact with him. He enjoys
joke too. One of his callers, an old man
and veteran Republican, who has hung
about here for two weeks trying TO get an
office and making no discernible progress,
made so bold as to say to the president:
"You are not going very fast, Mr.. Presi-
dent, nowadays. Last fall no one could
hustle around fast enough to suit you"
That's so, " replied President Mckinley
laughingly. 81 was doing the running
then, and now you are doing it,"
The reply pleased the veteran Office seek
or very much, but it is not recorded that
he is any nearer his goal now than he was
before
There has really been great change in
the scene at the national capital. Instead
of Turn the rascals outl' we now hear
many stories to the effect that prominent
Democrats are to be kept in office, at least
for some months; tsv5 all changes are TO be
made only after plainly of deliberation;
that tho civil service rules are to be re-
spected in spirit as well as in form, and
that merit Is to count before everything
else.
Note of Warning.
At little social reception was much
interested in the advice which the wife of
an outgoing member of the cabinet gave to
the wile OF an incoming member. What
ever else you do, )" said this lady Of expert
ence, "do not serve anything to eat or
drink at your Wednesday afternoon recep-
tions. If you do, you will regret it. We
tried 10, and we can tell you all about it,
IL you serve things to cat and drink, you
will have mob pounclng down upon you.
People who never go out IN society under
any other circumstances will flock into
your rarlors. They will eat you out Of
house and home. They will crowd out
your regular guests and not give the peo-
pie you really want to see ghost of a
chance. Where these unexpected and un-
desirable visitors come from is mystery,
but they do come, with their uncles, cous-
ins and aunts. How they get wind Of the
fact that you arc serving luncheon is an
other mystery, but they do. There seems
to be some sort of frcemasonry among
their ilk. Decide upon IA spread in your
drawing room, salads and punch and such
tulHEs, ulD III IL I'LL over IoWn III ~ tWln-
king. We have had tho horrible suspicion
that the servants spread the news, and that
some Of the guests who come are their
friends and relatives. Awful, isn't IL?
Take my advice and keep your tables bare"
Here another society woman of experience
chimed in and contributed her quota to
the general fund of information concern
ing the habits Of some residents of the ma
l.. aA Ax xrif nf
the British ambassador, was telling me the
other day that when she first came to
Washington she caused it TO be known
that she would receive her friends certain
afternoon each week. She did not send
out cards, but extended general invita-
ton through the society columns of the
newspapers. What do you suppose hap
penedg Why, her house was filled with
people whom no one had ever seen before
or heard of. The wives Of saloon keepers,
the families of tradesmen, clerks I'm the de-
partments, those estimable women who
keep boarding houses, all sorts and condi-
tions of folk poured in upon her until n
of the diplomatic corps or per-
son in high official station was as much
lest in the crush as the proverbial needle
In the haystack. From that day to this
Lady Pauncefote has never given an open
afternoon. All the guests who come to her
house do so by card invitation"
Mrs. McISipiey's Visitors.
Mrs. Mckinley, despite her invalid con-
dition, Is getting on very well as the first |
lady i'm the land She charms all who see |
her. for she Is sweet and simple woman.
she receives many friends in the library, |
which is directly over the blue room Of the |
Ia,
dent Arthur used 20 receive his business |
callers. President Harrison kept the room |
as an Office for n time, too, and Mr.. Cleve- |
land used 10 for few months. But now |
10 Is beautifully furnished and IL used by |
Nfra MIX Ia, ~ eiffipf, .uI ~o,rntt,,, |