The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1897-07-14
Secretary Sherman is SpriuhtIy az
Men Of Half His Years.
He TAKES LIFE AS IT COMES
Many PecuIiaritles Of the Dlstln-
guished Statesman Happy
In His Work.
HEwsy WASHINGTON GOSSIP

Sherman IL stil secretary OF state. A great
deal has been printed TO the effect that Mr..
Sherman has broken down completely and
that he Is secretary Of state only in name.
There Is, Of course, some truth In the lat
tor part Of this statement. Mr. Sherman
Is not the real head of the department.
The hnrd work, the knotty questions, the
difficult problems, fall to the hands Of AS
sistant Secretary Day and the other assist
ant secretaries. Judge Day, so far as 40
tual work is concerned, is more nearly
secretary of state than Mr.. Sherman. But
1t should be remembered that this Is just
what Mr.. Sherman wanted. He accepted
the Office with full consciousness of the
fact that he was not strong enough to cope
with all Of its duties. He stipulated that
he should have strong first assistant Sec
Rotary who could and would relieve him of
great part Of the burden.
Happy In His Work.
Secretary Sherman goes TO his Office ev-
cry day about 0 o'clock In the morning.
He leaves promptly at in the afternoon.
While at his desk he looks over all the cor
respondence, signs the department mail,
receives ambassadors and ministers, sends
for the assistant secretaries and other en-
ployees, and goes through all the forms
and motions Of managing the department.
He Is perfectly happy In his work. He Is
not jealous because oil the important cases
nre prepared by Judge Day or other assist
ant secretaries at the presidents direction
and brought to him for his approval. He
signs his name, after little conversation
Us to what is going on, and Is content.
Most men would ohafe under such sys-
tenn. Ten or 30 years ago this method
would not have been tolerated five minutes
by Mr.. Sherman himself While secretary
Of the treasury, for instance, Mr.. Sherman
was actually secretary. His will was su-
preme. No one pretended to question 1t.
But Mr.. Sherman is sensible enough to
know that his days for arduous toll for
alert attention to delicate and difficult
diplomatic questions has passed. He Is
content to permit others to do the hard
work. He realizes that there is more to
be done In the state department than any
ono man could possibly do, and he is not
worrying because there are other and
younger men at hand to do 1t. Mr.. Sher-
man Is q good deal Of philosopher.
Mr.. Sherman attends cabinet meetings,
and the affairs of the state department are
talked over at the council board His fell
low members of the cabinet do not notice
teHectuals, aside from "a forgetfulness
which is common to most men Of advanced
age. Mr.. Sherman has just passed his
seventy fourth birthday, and while that Is
not great age 1t must be remembered
that the secretary of state has performed
prodigies Of mental toll during his long
and most distinguished career. AS con-
gresham, senator, cabinet officer and can
didate for the presidency he has passed
through an ordeal well calculated to break
down the retentive powers Of the strongest
mind. Mr.. Sherman forgets names and
faces, dates, incidents, occurrences. But
when he concentrates his mind upon prin-
oiples he Is still wise and strong ooun-
selor. He has all his life had the habit Of
thinking In the abstract. Logic always
came easier and more natural to hin, than
a marshaling of facts. As he grows older
this bent Of his mind intensifes. Some
amusing stories, part Of them true and
a part OF them imaginary, are told Of Mr..
Sherman's forgetfulness.
A Lapse OF Memory.
/ am assured that when the recent pub
locations concerning the seal correspond
ence with Great Britain came out In the
newspapers MIR. Sherman sent for state
department official and wanted to know
what all this was about. Had there been
any such correspondence with Great Brit
ainf We're the newspapers correct in their
characterization Of it9 The official stood
aghast, for he had himself talked that
matter all over with the secretary only a
few months before. The secretary had
read tho correspondence In question and
had signed his name to It. AS soon as he
had been delicately reminded Of these facts
Mr.. Sherman recalled the whole affair,
and when he had recalled 1t he talked Of 1t
in most Interesting and comprehensive
way. His mind easily brought to view all
the principles involved.
The foreign ambassadors and ministers
well understand the nature of the case.
They make their formal calls upon Mr..
Sherman. All their minor matters they
call to his attention, but they do not trust
TO oral communications. They talk 1T
tie about the matter In hand and then sub
nit written memoranda. 1t Is only In
this way that they are able to be sure OF
action. The memoranda are turned over
20 the regular bureau OF the department,
and results are obtained. II the matters
were left TO Secretary Sherman, they would
probably DO forgotten the next minute.
The Virtual Secretary of State.
Whenever the foreign ministers have
matters Of real Importance to deal with at
the state department., and conferences are
necessary In addition 10 the submission OF
writton communications, they call on
Judge Day. In such cases the slight, slen-
der Ohio Judge who has for SO many years
been the Intimate friend and confidant OF
President Mckinley Is virtually secretary
OF state. When the president wishes On
important oase taken up at the state de-
partment, he sends for Judge Day.
Mr.. Sherman Is we'll aware that work
which would ordinarily fall TO his hand ID
being attended 10 by others, but he Is not
captions or irritable about ID at all He
Is. In fact remarkably cheerful and con-
tented. He knows, as every one knows
that win take fair view Of the ease, that
Secretary Sherman Is filling post In which
be Is Of great service TO the country In his
own way, and that thore Is plenty OF room
for others and the work and ambitions Of
Others In that grent department, which 10
every year becoming moro and more impor-
tant At any rate, every one honors Mr..
Sherman for his high character, his great
public services In the past, his record Of
devotion 10 the country, and Il "a ghouiish
% makes sport of the innrnities which baye
descended upon him IA his old age. Mr.
6horman's physical health 4 soilI good.
He y lively and active old man and the
he@of d Anefican public iiie
NAtfHh NkllA<D.