The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-06
Praise for Vice President
Stevenson.
Interesting Bit of Political
ManOeuvering.
Great Opportunity for the New Sec
retary of the Treasury.

/
ment. A vice president never is IL Is one
of the traditions of our capital that vice
| president is u sort of fifth wheel TO the
wagon and that he must not try to be nc.
tive or influential. But General Stevenson
has done better than this He has made
himself In many respects the first gentle.
man of the Capital City. It is safe TO say
| that during the last four years none Other
has been as popular as he with all sorts
and conditions of public men, and with
| tl;e women too. He has been an expo.
nent of fine manners and gracious conduct
| In this capital. He has given the lie &c
the old idea that American public men,
especially western public men, are wont
to be rough and uncouth. Mr.. Stevenson
has won his way into all hearts by his tact
and affability.
Dignity and Graciousness.
Among senators Mr. Stevenson Il
known as one of the best presiding officers
that body has had in recent years. II Is
not an easy post TO fill. The rules of the
senate are simple enough, but there are sc
many traditions which must be observed
so many unwritten laws which are as val
I'd as the written ones, so many fine points
OF detail and etiquette for which the sen
ate, as whole, Is great stckler. that the
presiding officer who is new at the bust.
ness never quite knows when he is right
and when he Is wrong. But General Ste
venson took most kindly TO the duties of
his office. He has had rare dignity, firm.
ness and self control. He will be long re.
membered as presiding officer who won
the commendation Of every senator, with.
out respect 20 party.
The employees of the senate and house
are certainly In hard luck Some months
ago the senate shut down upon smoking
In the north wing of the capitol. IL was
permitted I'm committee rooms and In the
senator's cloak rooms, of course but not
In any OF the passageways or corridors
Inc doorkeerers and other employees who
nave no committee rooms TO retire TO used
10 go over TO the house end and scrape ac
quaintancc with their colleagues there
while enjoying their after luncheon cigars.
Now Speaker Reed issues an order cutting
OH all smoking at that end of the big state.
mouse, and the poor employees have TO step
outdoors or go without their smoke. Nc
one seems to know just why these orders
were issued. Certainly the amount of
smoking that warsas7dulged in never both.
cred any one at either end of the capitol.
But when wave of reform gets started Il
Is like any other epidemic in that there Is
no telling where IL is going to stop
Bit of Politics.
Senator Sherman told me the other day
he would not resign his place in the senate
Till after his nomination as secretary Of
state had been officially sent in by Presi.
dent Mckinley. This means that the sen
ator will send his resignation TO the Cover.
nor OF his state, Mr. Bushnell, March g.
Right here comes in very interesting bit
OF political maneuvering. Although Sen
ator sherman has informed Governor
Bushnell by letter of his intention to re
sign on that day, Governor Bushnell. for
reasons of his own, concludes TO await de
yelopments. He says he does not know
but what Mr.. Sherman will change his
mind meanwhile and conclude TO remain
In the senate Therefore he, the governor.
does not think IL necessary for him 90 dis. |
turb himself very much about filling a
vancancy which has not yet been created,
and which may never be. OF course all |
this fine maneuvering has to do with Mr.. |
Hanna s candidacy for the senate and Gov. |
ernor Bushnell's unwillingness TO appoint |
him. Some of the governors friends think |
Mr.. sherman will, after all, conclude 10 |
remain in the senate when no sees that |
MIR. Hanna Is not TO be his successor. But |
the senator himself says he has decided tc
go into the cabinet, has accepted the score
.aryship of state, and that he will take il |
no matter what happens. As matter of
'act, Governor Bushenell and his friends
want Mr., sherman TO go into the cabinet,
md therefore are keeping very quiet as 70
heir intentions concerning the vacancy.
As Good, IL Not Better.
Miss Stahlnaker, who passed a civil
ervice examination for translator in the
var department. and was refused the ap.
,ointment by the officials because she was
woman, has suddenly become famous
'crsonago. She now gets one of tho lar.
Iest individual mails received i'm Washing.
on. Thousands of men and women all
ver the country are writing to her OK.
ressing their sympathy and their indigna
ION as well that q woman who can pass |
N examination in the translation Of fom
r five modern languages should be turned
own by some brute of n man Just because |
he Is woman. Miss Stahlnalscr is in. |
tied to deliver lectures Co write address
$, to send her photograph. 20 give her au.
Dgraph, and so ON. she Is paying the
enalty of sudden fame la having so Elany
stters 10 answer that shc does not know |
hat Co do with them. But the incident
hows how deep is the feeling In this coun.
Y that in these modern times n woman
just MS good as n man for anything, II
ot little better.
An old senator told me the other day
lat Lyman y. Gage who is To- be Prcsi
mt Mckinley's secretary Of the treasury,
id one of tho greatest opportunities to
I'm fame for himself n cabinet officer has
ld in many years. "It is notorious To cv.
y one, said this senator, that during
Io coming four years the finances Of the
,vernmcnt nrc To be rcorganizcd. We
ust build upon n different basis. We
ust take UP the currency. and the bank
x system, and the gold reserve, and all
csc things and rcorgnnize them COM
ctcly Mr.. Gage will be right In the
ick Of all this Hc will bc the leading
an II the drama II hc has thc right stuff
him And, n he have force ana gcnu I
o ability, he will bc able to make such
putation in the treasury as that which
rs made by Alexander Hamilton, who
yisod our financial system; hy Mr (
iasc who carried us 80 far through the 9