The National tribune., 1897-04-22
cu.r OF THE CORRIDORS,

The Postofice Department is waxing rich on
the sale of stamps for the letters of people who
write to President Mckinley. His mail aver
| ages 1000 letters day, not to mention several
| large sacks OF newspapers Some days his let
ter mail runs mp to 1900 or 300 letters. The
old employees at the White House say that there
has never been any such mail received in the
history OF the Presidential Mansion.
They are written by persons in every estate
| in life from that of Senator and Cabinet officer
| to that OF the humble colored citizen who
names new baby after the President Every
| subject known to the mind of man is discussed
1 10y him in these letters
! Not only on the general and solemn subject
of appointments to Office is Mr.. Mckinley the
/ object of avalanche of missives; the man
who has ideas on financial and religious and
moral and ethical AMI supernatural questions
wishes to bring them directly to the eye of the
! Nation by reaching the President first. The
inventor who has ideas to patent on perpetual
motion or flying machines seeks the President,
and the husband and wife who have family
differences wish to make him the arbiter of
! their affairs.
! 1nnumerable letters come to the President
relating TO local State Government affairs, with
| which he has no possible connection. lnhab-
itants OF foreign countries ask him to look up
| lost relations and money that they believe 10
be due them from estates in this country.
Inuumerabe appeals for charity come every
day. Contributions to the great conscience
fund that the Treasury is running are sent by
remorseful gentlemen. And last, but not least,
4
dent their plaintive and gay chirpings.
Il
The handling Of this great mail is as inter.
esting as the letters themselves. A good many
people are employed in reading it and sorting
it and answering it, for every letter that goes
to the White House receives an answer on the
day it arrives The President is particularly
conscientious about his mail, and has made it
a rule that no correspondent shall be sighted.
When received at the Executive Mansion ali
the letters are first placed upon the desk of
Mr.. Cortelyou, the Presidents Executive Clerk.
| He sorts it carefully, and sends such as is in.
tended for the personal perusal of the Presi-
dent TO Secretary Porter. Such matters as
require Secretary Porter's personal attention
are at once taken to him, and at some time
x,
at night, he dictates the answers or indicates
briefly the wishes of the President concerning
them.
After six weeks in power the Administra-
ton is yet unable to satisfy the appetites of the
officeseekers, aud no matter how fast appoint
ments may be made, the next morning will ind
almost as many people ready to apply for Office
for themselves or to suggest someone else. 1t
is the " small fry" now that gives the Presi-
dent the most trouble. Three weeks ago il was
the big delegations and the leading men, who.
fearful that some important mission wonld
escape them, came to sing the praises of good
men for foreign Office. but now that the more
important missions have been filled, the little
fellows who want to be Consuls and some big
ones who want the fat pests at Paris, Calcutta.
Manchester and the delightful French Con-
sulates, are getting in their work with the skill
of the older politicians.
4
1t lie rumored that Commissioner Evans has
selected G. G. Knitfin, of Kentucky, and l.. NJ.
Kelley, Of Illinois, to be appointed First and
Second Deputy Commissioners of the Pension
Office. Mr. Knifiin is clerk in the Pension
Office and enjoys an excellent reputation 70,
efficiency and administrative ability. MIR
Kelley was in the Pension Office when Gen
Green b. Raum was Commits sioner.
X
For tie first time in % years the great State
of Ohio is represented in the United States
Senate by two Republicans. On the only pre-
vious occasion of this sort Senator Benjamin F.
Wade who was the senior Senator had for hi;
, colleague from 1861 to 1869 the senior Senator
from Ohio who has retired from the Senate Il
accept the Premiership of the Mckinley Ad
! mipistration.
1t is quite the thing for the wives of the
Senators to go to the Capitol on the afternoons
when their husbands are to make orations and
from commanding seats in the reserved gallery
, thrill with pride under the eloquence which
fills the chamber.