The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-07-07
president AT WORK.
Howthe Chief Magistrate of the Ma
ton Gets Through With the Daily

tion Gets Through With the Daily
Grind orBnsIness.
Chicago Record: How does the ruler
Of the greatest nation of earth manage
to get through the enormous amount of
work which falls upon his shoulders as
he takes the oath Of office? How Is
President Mckinley able to receive the
scores of daily callers at the white
house, talk over the affairs of govern
ment with members of the cabinet and
Congress, answer the mass of import
ant letters daily addressed to him, look
over and sign documents of state, pre-
pare hiO messages and proclamatlons,
and keep clearly IN mind and give just
decisions on questions ranging from an
appointment to country postoffice to
the conduct of a war with Spain? In
other words, what are the Presidents
methods OF doing the work OF ten men?
What are his working habits?
To obtain answers to these Interest,"
ing questions / called upon the secre-
tary to the President Mr.. Porter, ut the
white house. In answer to the ques-
ton;
what Is the programme of typical
working day Of the PRESIDENT" he
said:
He breakfasts at 0. After breakfast
he reads the papers. He reaches his
desk by 9:45 or 10 o'clock and does not
leave 1t until luncheon at 1880. The
first two or three hours of the morning
are devoted to receiving senators, cab
met officers, ambassadors of foreign
nations, congressman and all persons
entitled through official position to call
on him.
IAN hour Is then given to the recep-
tion Of the general public. Sometimes,
however, the stress of public duties is so
great that this hour Is omitted.
AFTER luncheon the President enjoys
chat with Mrs. Mckinley. Between
2:15 and $3.50 o'clock p. m. he is again in
his office and until $3.50 goes through
substantially the same process as in the
morning. Then. II the weather be
pleasant, he takes a carriage drive of
an hour, through the streets of the city,
accompanied by Mrs. Mckinley. Some
times he rides several miles on horse
back; frequently he walks. His favor
ite pedestrian resorts are Pennsylvania
avenue, Massachusetts, avenue or
circuit Of the white house lot. In his
Journeys Rfoot he usually has COM
panIon-a cabinet official or some init
mate friend.
"on his return he opens the kilograms
that may have arrived during his abb
sence and glances over the evening pa
pers. Dinner is served at o'clock.
The President follows his old-establlsh-
ed custom Of never appearing at din
ner without being attired in dress
suit. Dinner lasts about an hour. The
President then engages in social inter-
course with intimate friends, members
of the cabinet and their wives and
daughters and old Ohio acquaintance
who may call. At 8 or $3.50 he leaves
the party, comes to the office and en-
cages for two or three hours in the
hardest work Of the day. 1t Is at this
time that he writes his message, exam
Ines important bills OF Congress, passes
upon questions submitted to him for
decision, -etcl 1t is often after midnight
before he retlres.
"On Sunday the President does no
work whatever. In the morning he at
tends the Metropolitan Methodist
church. In the afternoon he frequently
takes Mrs. Mckinley out for drive,
and the evening is spent In listening to
sacred music In the parlors of the white
house. NO pubic luNcneS OF ulnneTb VI
any kind are served on sunday"
what, in your opinion, Mr.. Porter, Is
the secret OF the extraordinary amount
OF work the President gets through"
~ believe It is due to his perfect
training, acquired by n quarter Of a
century OF continuous public service.
All the great questions OF the day are as
familiar to him as the a. B. C.'s. He
knows the exact standing OF all the
men that call upon him or correspond
with him. He possesses In n remarkable
manner the faculty Of quick analysis
and decision. He renders verdict In
two minutes, where most men would
require fifteen"
When the President leaves Washing
ton for a few days, work accumulntes
with amnzlng rapidly. so that on his
return he is compelled to forego. for
some days, his social hour with friends
in the evening and his reception hour
at noon. Mr.. Mckinley is fond OF read
ing. but has little or no time for gen.
eral literature. When. however, oppor-
tunity offers on trip or otherwise he
frequently rends book at one sitting.