Evening star., 1899-04-29
Self-Constituted Counselors of the
Administration.
TELL HOW 10 RUN THE GOVERNMENT
Each Member of the Cabinet Has
Guardian.
SPECIAL DELIVERY LETTERS

Mr- EDWARD Atkinson Is not Jilt tUiy uil-
official statesman in The country. There are
lrts Of other people who think that they
know better how TO run the government
than do those who have been commissioned
10y the people to do that particular work.
Mr. Atkinson ought TO see the pile of let
ters received by the President and each
member of his cabinet which are placed
in a separate file marked crank" Some
Of them are both learned and wise and
they are denorninatcd crank because they
are inOppOrtune and not warranted by any
relation the writer bears to the govern
ment
A crank is one who aggrcssively tries to
force upon others an opinion contrary to
common judgment which has been formed
without d knowledge Of all the important
facts in the case.
Many Letters show Intelligence.
Many of the crank letters received by
public officials are well written, showing
intelligence. broad reading and lofty the
oretic philosophy, but a lack of information
as to current affairs and failure to ap-
preciate that the responsible officials have
all the information they would impart but
perhaps also further information winch
modifeS the view and generally changes
the aspect Of the case.
As rule, these crank letter writers are
not universal cranks- They seldom try 10
run the whole government. but devote
themselves to some particular branch.
collection of their letters would be a valu-
able con ributiOn to American literature,
and doubtless, frequent publication would
give to some of the writers reputation OF
great political economists and philosophers.
To thousands Of persons no better in
formed than themselves their essays would
appear the embodiment of wisdom.
1t is impossible for "A man in the hurly-
burly of active public life to be great
philosopher and theOriSt-
The theoretic statesman and philosopher
is not the birth Of an hour, but is the
growth of confined study and solitary med
ftatbOn. The men who are engaged In the
affairs Of government have not the time
for this.
The President. as well as each member
Of his cabinet has some one particular
Watchfuf Euar7ian over him, who stands
out conspicuous among all the rest of the
letter writer's No greater testimony of the
penetrating and discriminating mind could
be desired than the skill with which each
Of these sages selects his man.
The State Department Guardian.
For instance a State Department crank
might BE- expected to remain true to that
department through all administrations,
but this expectation would be disappointed.
Secretary Sherman inspired one writer
above all the rest who was his steady cor
respondent. When Mr. Sherman went out
this man ceased to write. and a man of
very different character took up with Mr..
Day and was true 70 him throughout his
term. Then when Mr.. Hay came in Mr..
Day ! adviser modeStIy WlthdrrE and gave
place To another. MIR. Hays particular pa
tron is a lady. She is satisfied that the
career Of the new Secretary Of State IS de-
pendent upon her advice all of which Is
given by mail She watches international
affairs with great care, and whenever she
feels that her advice is necessary size
writes. Her letters come several times
week. and SO urgent are they that a special
delivery stamp is attached to each. Conse-
quently, Mr. Hay does not have 20 wait an
hour for the letters. As soon as they reach
Washington they are posted % him in
hot haste can be got out If boy
bicycle. Sometimes they ATE delivered to
him when he is at dinner somewhere;
sometimes he is called out 0f bed to receive
them
Secretary Longs Mentor.
Secretary Long. who is a scholar and
profound student. has been adopted by
man worthy Of his character. Two or three
times a week. or as often as events war
rant it. he receives a letter from an old
man who has evidently been a student of
history and the classics during long life.
The popularity about these letters is that
they are such as a man of even Longs liter
airy taste can read with pleasure and the
writer IS so evidently man of more than
ordinary ability and character that the Sec
retary invariab Acknowledges them. They
discuss with learning and intelligence pub
lie events dS they tranSpire. Hundreds OF
other letters Of advice and suggestion are
received by the Secretary, but this is
steady thing
Each other cabinet officer has an habitual
correspondent, who has selected him by
the laws Of affinity. and the number re-
ceived by the President during the course
OF month Is astounding. The assistance
which the government derives from ms
source can hardly be appreciated by auy
one except the letter writers or the public
political essayists