Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-31
PRESIDENT M'KINLEY
He Shows the Effect of the Strain
He Has Been Under.
PLANS LOOKING TO 4 VACATION
More Mail Than Ever Received bv
Any Previous Executive.
P L E N TY OF ADV ICE

President Mckinley shows the effect of
the strain that has been upon him during
the war He is naturally of a buoyant dis
but during the war care has been con-
stantly with him and he has had no oppor-
tun1ty for recuperation Nor his cares
over yet. Loss of color and drawn lines in
his face testify to the wear on his consti-
tuition. He has not been sick, however
and has come out of the many trials that
have beser him batter than might have
been anticipated.
Public attention has been so absorbed
with the war that it has hardly occurred
to any one that the President, while hav-
ing all these cares, was also being troubled
by office seekers. 1t is a fact, however
that some OF the most troublesome Ques-
tions of civil patronage have pressed them
selves upon his attention and are now
bothering him. A number of persons who
feel and whose friends feel that they are
entitled to some recognition which it has
as yet been impossible to give them are
becoming importunate and the considera-
ton of their demands have been and still
are troubling the President. The perplex-
ing gu aStlon is how to find means to graft
fly the demands. Political questions have
not been entirely obscured by the war.
Plans for u Vacation.
The President is now considering plans
for a vacation. He feels the need of it,
and expects all the debility he suffers now
fIom overwork to disappear as soon as he
can enjoy a few hours of freedom 1t is
remarkable how quickly he recuperates
after a protractad period of fatigue when
he gets a few days of liberty" When he
started on his vacation last year after
struggle of many months with patronage
hunters he looked if he were on the
verge of breakdown, but those who
companied him say that twenty-four hours
after he had settled down for a rest, dis
missing all cares, he became Sprightly ard
appeared as if he never had been worried.
In this respect he has great confidence in
himself and suffers none of those alarms
about his health which were so common to
President Cleveland. Though he does not
make the same claim to enjoyment Of
sport. such as fishing, that Cleveland did,
he enjoys an out-of-door life and shows
great buoyancy under its influence. He
gets more of the poetic enjoyment out of
nature than Cleveland did.
After his visit to Montauk, the President
expects to take possibly ten days vacation.
and the first part of October expects to go
to the Omaha exposition. The plans for
this trip are under consideration, and there
is an interesting question to what the
character of the trip shall be. Feeling the
need of rest the President is inclined to
take his ease on the trip as far as possible,
anu "Uulu IKE 10 couple with II a sail
along the lakes. There is demand. how
ever, that he make a tour of the country
between Washington and Omaha, and pos
sibly extended beyond that, stopping st a
number of places along the line. 1t is re-
garded as likely that this program will be
carried out, and that the President will
spend thee or four weeks, beginning carly
In October in Il tour of the west and mid
die west, to see and be seen by the people
and, of course, making speeches
along the route The matter is now under
advisemert but is not settled.
An Astounding Mail.
President Mckinley has a most astound-
Ing mail 1t is a matter of Office record
that he receives more letters than has any
of his predecessors in the White House.
There are frequently as many as twelve
hundred letters received in day and the
average daily mail does not fall far short
of thousand. The force of executive
clerks has been increased from one imin-
lstration to another until now there is a
considerable number, and they are kent
busy from early in the morning until gem
trally, l! o'clock at night. Every letter re-
ceiVed is answered within twenty-four
hours after it reaches the White House
1hls habit of prompt response encourages
correspondence, the writers feeling that
thelr letters are appreciated and probably
welcome, but the President insists that
every communication, of whatever CHARGE
ter, and from however humble a citizen
snail receive respectful considera ton and a
polite, response. Therefore even letters
that are from obvious cranks are noIiteIv
acknowledged. Mckinley has probably as
VIDE al acquaintance in this conn
Try as was ever enjoyed by man who has
heid high position in the government This
leads to the receipt of q great many r.
Iers, and they have to be read with a great
deal of care. Matters which would ordi
narhy De TO the departments are called to
his attention by thousands of mon Who
count on their personal acouaintanca p,;tS
the PRESIDENT serving them if they address
him direct. iesS
Tenders of Advice
PROBABLY no man in the White House
ever before got as much "assistanceu In
the way of advice from people outside as
dces President Mckinley The existence of
the war and the discussion of a new for
eign policy has apparently excited de-
sire on the part of large percentage of
the American citizens t. in some way aid
py suggestion in the settlement of all diff
cut sa problems which confront the admin
iSuation. Th1s giving of advice by mail
IS not confined to that class of citizens who
win Tor themselves the title of crank by
tnelr superserviceableness in the Way of
auVlce 10 ali people on all occasions. The
newspapers have on several occasions said
that the President was trying to sound
puphc sentiment so as to be able to take
INTO consideration the wishes of the people
Az INC matter OF a natOnal policy. These
publications have been fruitful of many
letters Not an inconsiderable number of
letters of advice have come from men who
have figured at some time or are now
figuring in public affairs They have been
received from ex-cabinet officers, diplomats
some of foreign countries-senators and
ex-senators and men of local prominence
of various pursuits and from various parts
of the country. Many of those that have
been received from men who have not
Inquired in official life inclose a clipping from
some newspaper reciting the desire of the
President to know how the people are
thinking, as excuse for writing Some
of the communications are learned and the
product of capable mind OF course there
are thousands from unknown persons and
from those who are obviously cranks or
theorists with a hobby.
1t is Boiled Down.
Obviously it is impossible for the Presi-
dent himself to read all the letters re-
ceived. The mail is boiled down as much
as possible, and most of the letters pre-
scented for his perusal are triefed. Not
more than one-thard actually come to his
attention but that number is enoupb 70
take up much of his time and to involve
a great deal of labor. No letter, however,
goes unanswered, and it not infreouenfIv
happens that the recipient Of letter In
reply TO communication to the President