The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-04
WASHINGTON INCIDENTS
STORIES AND GOSSIP ABOUT PERSONS
AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
when Ben Perley Poore Was Young
p~Iicants for Census Bureau Jobs.

newsgatherers on the Row the other nights:
Ben: Perley Poore, who used to rustic
around these corners hunting up news AMI
who was not i~nfrequently seen down on
Twelfth street at the place where the old
timers say the best fluid could be found.
and which was called by the Bohemians the
Broken Shutter. did his first newspaper
work in my State. Well, 1t is a fact. His
father sent him from Massachusetts, to
Georgia to grow UP with the country. Young
Poore settled in Athens, the aTistocratic and
wealthy little city where the State Univer-
sity is located. At first the young man was
admitted to the most exclusive society, and.
being a man OF education and refinement.
he soon became popular. He was getting
along swimmingly until he began to exhibit
his abolition ideas both in his everyday
conversation and in the columns of the
Southern Wing, which he had bought soon
after his arrival. Worst Of all, he mixed
and mingled with negroes, even going SO
far as to entertain them at his home. This
was too much, and / speak the truth when
1 say that Poore came near playing the star
part in a tar and feather entertainment. To
be brief. Poore decided that the climate was
getting too warm for him. and he dr:ftes
back In this direction. He was a peculiar
OHCc ne OlC q ND III a. Nutct-
barrow from Newburyport to Boston in
payment OF a wager he had lost on Fill
more's election. He made a good librarian
of congress. and did some clever work in
this city as a newspaper correspondent. I
am satisfied Poore realized the grave mis-
take he had made while in Georgia, for I
understand he never permitted himself to
talk about his brief stay there"
Senator Quay must have faith in pre-
monitions. A short time after Harrison's
election, and when the senator was talked
of for a Cabinet position. he said TO a news
paper man: such an honor Is not for me.
Within a few years there will be nothing
too vile for leaders OF the party TO say
about me-nothing too Infamous TO charge
me with. 1t has been the history of the
Republican party that the men who assist
in success receive In the end only abuse and
contumely. and that, 1 feel. will be my lot.
too"
A guardian at the White House, who is
pretty well UP on affairs Of all kinds, made
the following remarks: There are some
people densely ignorant, and you can't
imagine how often We are jumped on by
some one who thinks he knows it all and
that we are a lot of blockheads standing
around as ornaments and simply to draw a
salary. i have people to want to know OF
me why We do not lower at half-mast the
when public nfen die. That flag represents
the Presiden- OF the United States and no.
body else, and should not be lowered except
in the event OF his death. When Chief JUS
tice Miller died Mr.. Cleveland had the flag
lowered; and people who knew the true use
Of the flag thought the President was dead.
One Of our men attempted TO enlighten Mr..
Cleveland on the subject when the order
was issued. but he came near getting fired
by the President, who gave ii out straight
from the shoulder that he knew all about
what the flag was there for. Mr.. Cleve-
land was never open to conviction, but ex-
ercised his authority as boss of the ranch
regardless of usuages. and laws"
There is a portion of the inner history Of
the Hampton Roads conference which. L do
net think, has ever been published" said a
Southern man who figured prominently in
the civil war. las is known. jefferson Da-
Wis opposed a conference with the Federals,
and believed to the lest moment that the
Confederate States would be recognized by
European powers. Our army had been re-
duced to a mere shell. with neither de-
lenses. refuge, nor supplies to fall back
upon, and the peace commission was ap-
pointed by the Confederate Senate to act
under instruction from Mr.. Davis, the Pres
ident. The conference convened and. after
Oil pIciilillIldIAtS were arranged, ffeSlQenL
Lincoln said that, so anxious was he for
peace, that he was willing TO offer terms
entirely broad and liberal. i am willing,>s
said Mr.. Lincoln, to write but one word
on a sheet Of paper and will leave every
other condition and requirement TO your
judgment. All other terms may be of your
own dictation.' Taking the paper Mr.. Lin
coin wrote the word union and handed the
paper TO Alex. Stephens Acting under in
struction from President Davis. who wanted
recognition OF the Confederate States, this
magnanimous offer could not be accepted.
though IL would have given to Us peace. pre-
served our fortunes, gained recompense for
our slaves and property, and all the fearful
consequences which followed defeat would
have been averted. When President Lin
coins offer was rejected his disappointment
was great, and Mr.. stephens often told me
he showed IL plainly, but he only said, L
am sorry, gentlemen Mr.. Davis wanted
humiliation, and you know what he got.
the greatest mistake ever made for the
South" "
Chief Clerk Childs, of the Census Office,
In an interview. says of applicants for posi-
tons in that department.: II see no
reason why we should turn the Gen.
sus Office into a private banking con-
Germ TO furnish pocket money for people
who do not need IL, when 1t might go TO
some family supporter who needs II for the
necessities Of life. A large number OF female
applicants want the position for pocket
money" 1t is a truth beyond dispute that
there are thousands of women in govern
ment service In Washington who are not en-
titled TO the places nor neither are they In
need Of them. Daughters of wealthy men
can re found In each ard every one OF the
several departments, and the money paid
them Is used, in most cases, in dressing nne
and having a high time. How many OF them
get these positions can only be satisfactorily
explained by some of the impressionable
senators and representatives. a poor. but
deserving widow or orphan girl, has little
chance for q government position unless
she Is above the average in the looks and
below the average In chastity. That Is plain
talk, but IL is true. OF course there are ex-
ceptions. IL is against the law for both hus-
band and wife to mold departmental posi-
tons at the same time, but this law IS
openly violated in every department., and
cases are not i~nfreQuent where husband.
wife. daughters and ons-the entire FAM
ly-are on the pay rolls OF the government.
while others more deserving are forced TO
live on hope-the aroma from the owe In
Uncle Sans parks and the notes from the
Marine Band at the evening concerts at the
White House lot. There should be an en-
forcement OF the law which would give a
just and equal apportionment OF the of1ces-
Washington has more than three hundred
publlc parks and spaces and they cover
an area e more than four hundred acres.
The last Congress appropriated SO. 900 for
the care, maintenance and Improvement OF
these public reservations. and many OF them
are already in full spring dress. adding
their beauty 10 the splendid buildings. ave-
nues and streets. which make Washington
the most beautiful city I'm America More
than 10000 plants are now ready In the
propagating gardens for planting in the