Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-04-17
The PROMOTION OF FUNSTON.
President Mckinley Thought the People De-
manded Il.

motion of Funston is from the New
York World:
1t Is a favorite saying with people
close to President Mckinley that when
he has a question of public policy to
decide the president has his ear to
the ground" BY that they mean Mr..
Mckinley is waiting to see how the
public, as reflected in the newspapers,
feels on the proposition before him.
The president is an omnivorous read
er of newspapers. He goes through
hundreds every week. About the only
irritation he ever displays Is when the
newsman who supplies him with pa
pers, is late. If the train bringing the
New York papers is behind time the
president is one Of the first in Wash
ington to know about 1t. He insists
that his morning newspapers shall be
at the White House on time. II they
are not, 1t is quite likely there will be
some lively telephoning between the
executive mansion and the newsman.
Mr. Mckinley does not confine his
newspaper reading to the papers Of his
own party. He reads all kinds Of opin-
ion and averages 1t up to suit himself.
He does not patronize the press-clip-
ping bureaus to any extent. He wants
his news first hand. He not only de-
sires to see what the editors are say
ing about the policies he has in mind,
but he looks to see how the news Is
handled. He knows all about headlines
and news position. He remarks If a
certain piece Of news in which he Is
interested is run on the inside pages.
He does not read his papers for news.
He knows the news he wants to read
before he begins. What he is after Is
public sentiment.
His course after Funston captured
Aguinaldo illustrates his methods. For
two or three days after that exploit all
the president read was Funston mat
ter Great piles Of papers were taken
into him with the Funston matter
marked around with black pencil. He
took up each paper, read what the edt-
tor and people thought should be done
for Funston, and passed on to the
next. He saw then that there was an
almost unanimous opinion that Fun
ston should be generously rewarded.
Secretary Root and officers Of the war
department were opposed to doing
much for Funston. Last Saturday
Mr.. Root and General Corbin said
when the department closed that moth
ing would be done for sometime. That
evening the president asked Mr.. Root
and General Corbin to come to the
White House.
II shall appoint General Funston to
a brigadier generalship," he said to the
astonished secretary of war and ad-
jutant general. 1.-THE people demand
that he shall be rewarded"
There was nothing for it but to as
sent. Then the president asked the
two visitors to take dinner with him,
and they talked Of other things. The
appointment was made at 10 o'clock.
It was the same with Aguinaldo.
The president still has "his ear to the
ground" He is reading what the great
newspapers of the country say on the
subject Of the Filipino leaders treat
ment.
While he goes through the larger
newspapers every day, his field day Is
Sunday. At the beginning Of each
week he gives to Secretary Cor
telyou a list Of the subjects In
which he is interested. The newspa-
pers are given to clerks, who 80
through them and mark the comments
and news of each paper on the subjects
selected. They use heavy crayon pen
ellis, and draw big, black lines, so that
the president can pick out the articles
he wants to see at a glance. On Sun
day morning the great pile of marked
papers is brought into the presidents
office. Then, in his velvet house coat,
and smoking one Of the three cigars he
allows himself each day, he goes
through paper after paper, throwing
those he has finished in a heap on the
floor Sometimes he makes note or
two, but generally he carries all he
wants to retain in his memory. He
spends from one to three hours at this
task. When he has finished he knows
the newspaper sentiment Of the coun-
try thoroughly.
A close friend Of Mr.. Mckinley, who
has little time to read the newspapers,
said that he got about all Of his news
paper gossip from the president. He
said that when they were together the
president would frequently tell Of this