The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-14
BOTHARE HARD WORKERS
MESSRS. SHAW AND PAYNE RISE
EARLY AND LABOR LONG.
characteristics of the New Members
of the Cabinet-BOth Are
Good Politicians.
speclal to the Indianapolis journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Feb 13-Regularly at a
few minutes after every morning Secre-
tary Of the Treasury Shaw leaves the Ar
lington Hotel and walks to the treasury
building AMI begins his days work He
takes a half-hour for luncheon with the
three assistant secretaries of the treasury
and remains at his office until o'clock
Like most successful men, he is a steady
and tireless worker. He transacts business
easily and it is readily to be he is a
master workman. Many visitors come and
he receives most Of them. There is an easy
familiarity in his dealings with men, but
after watching him for a time one sees
that he permits his callers to waste
but little time. The friendly greet
ings are warm but brief and
the point must be reached quickly
His early and late hours have attracted
attention because he is a newcomer, the
comment being that it is one of the ways
he has brought from the West. AS mat
ter of fact, most of the Cabinet ministers
are at their desks early and remain late
Attorney General Knox is at his office be-
fore S o'clock frequently and never much
later. Before the callers begin to arrive
business. With the exactness of the sue
cessful corporation lawyer who works un-
der high pressure he wastes not a single
stroke. driving steadily ahead through the
piled-up papers needing his attention. He
takes advantage of all kinds of labor-sav-
ing devices in the way of expert help, ac-
complished secretaries. etc, and performs
an amazing amount Of work in day
Secretary Hay may be seen walking leis-
urely to the State Department before 8
o'clock each morning. He believes in get
ting his work out of the way early He
goes home between and o'clock, but
works in his study in the evening.
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson is not
such an early riser, walking to his office
after o'clock. He lives a long distance
from his office, and has his carriage ac-
company him on the walk. If he gets tired
or is late he jumps in and rides the re-
Postmaster General Payne is another of
the early ones. He works for hour and
a half before going TO the big postoffice
building, and Is there a little after 9. Mr.
Payne is one of these listening transacters
of business. All day long he sits at his
desk. idly tapping the blotting pad with
his pencil, listening to what the callers
have to say. Woe to the man who n dis
posed to misrepresent facts He will be
startled by hearing Mr.. Payne ask some
particularly pointed question which reveals
TO the astOnishej visitor that Mr.. Payne
has a working familiarity with the sub
ject being discussed. He has one of
those wonderfully tenacious memories,
remembering with accurate detail
all about matter which came TO his po-
litical attention years and years ago. After
this searching question has been asked the
tslker is apt to proceed little more eau
tious The assertion that Mr.. Payne is a
great politician is no idle one-in fact il
would be hard to make one unders tand how
much he really knows about the great
game in all its intricate detail. Secretary
Shaw is also fine politician. In this re-
spect he takes the place Of Postmaster
General Wilson in the Cabinet.
Former Postmaster General Smith al
ways maintained a close political sympathy
with the whole people His nevvsrar ~, y
training aided him in this He was rarely
mistaken in his political Impressions. and
the President had the greatest confidence
In them. He was also particularly useful
in giving a message to the people Often
times it is necessary for one who sits
around the Cabinet board to speak i'm a pub
lie address. explaining what has taken
place or foreshadowing the events of the
future smith was n master at this. He
knew his people, was certain i'm lust how
much TO say and what to withhold Here
again the newspaper training of discreetly
keeping condolences and using such infor-
nation as was ready for publication came
TO his aid.
Mr. Shaw will supply this vacancy. He
is not the masterful manager OF politicians
and political matters. which one sees so
completely developed in Mr.. Payne but his
instincts are unerring and his sympathies
absolutely true. He instantly sees the pol
itics in every matter which comes to his
attention. An old treasury emplova COM
menting on the easy and firm grasp which
Mr.. Shaw attained said his method
shows a lifelong habit of thinking of and
working with political matters. In this re-
spect ne has what Gage lacked. Mr.. Gage
never thought of politics