Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-01-30

with an official in the treasury depart,
ment, a day or two since, and the Off
cial. who has been in the treasury for
many years observed that Governor
Shaw would doubtless meet with some
rather perplexing problems, at the out.
| set.
Officials and subordinates never
look with favor upon the incoming OF
new secretary" remarked this Off
cial, "as it instantly gives rise to all
sorts of rumors concerning changes in
policy, chiefs of bureaus, and gener-
al shake-up. Of course the clerks
must remain passive as they do not
come directly in contact with the Sec
rotary, but the chiefs of many of the
bureaus will be disposed to work a
| little scheme to impress the new Sec
rotary with the Importance Of their
departments and their own indispen-
Stability. Long before this some OF
them have arranged to have some In.
tricate proposition to lay upon the sec
lretary's desk as soon as he gets warm
III his chair, or even before. 1t will
be in the nature Of a mooted question,
or hard problem in judgment coming
/
secretary yet upon which he will not
ordinarily be prepared to give an i'm
mediate reply. Later the chief will
drop in and casually allude to the mat
ter and then offer an explanation
which may be calculated to impress
the secretary with the deep acumen
of tho head of that bureau. OF course
| the motive in all this is to get solid
with the rev regime"
The official referred to is gentle
nan of reputation and veracity. His
observations are given for what they
are worth.
An Incident.
In this connection an incident &C.
Cured du,ing the late visit of Gov
ernor Shaw to Washington, that
amused the tobe secretary of the
/ treasury greatly. Secretary Gage and
! Governor Shaw and some other men
were chatting in the treasury, and the
conversation drifted upon the matter
OF first duties of new secretary, when
one of the gentlemen related story
at the expense of a new secretary,
some years ago. The new head of the
treasury Grifted into his office the day
after taking the oath, sat down to his
desk, took up the morning paper and
was ready for business. Soon a mes
senger brought in a bunch of letters
requiring the signature of the secreta-
ry and placed them upon his desk.
standing with blotter in hand ready
to absorb the surplub ink, as the sec
rotary should dash off his John Han
cock" The secretary took up the
first letter, read it carefully and sign
Al no tor no
that seemed to be all right and in ac-
cordance with his ideas. He contin-
ued to read and sign until finally he
came to letter he did not understand
ar all.
who wrote that" said the secre-
tary turning to the messenger
"Mr. So-and-So," was the reply.
Call him." said the secretary
In a few moments an elderly gentle
man appeared and asked what was
wanted.
Did you write this" asked the sec.
rotary, pointing to the letter in Ques-
ton.
Certainly" replied the elderly gen.
tleman.
well, l don't just understand it;
what does this mean" observed the
secretary calling attention to the not
understood point. The elderly gentle
man looked at the new secretary rather
severely. then brusquely remarked, at
the same time pointing to the bottom
of the letter: Sign your name right
there; sign right there" And the sec
rotary signed, and signed the balance
of the letters without further comment
of even reading That night he told
some friend he had supposed he was
the secretary of the treasury, but it
appeared he was simply clerk, to do
what he was ordered. Governor Shaw
saw the point and laughed long and
heartily over the story The chances
are he will have that same batch of
letters to sign the first morning he is
in charge. and he'll probably sign
right there" without comment or in
quiry. Frank ]. Stillman.