The Irish standard., 1905-04-01

their journeys to Washington have
been made by request of the President
and not upon their own initiative,
These independent customers are the
ones who have picked out the thing
they want and who stubbornly but
consistently refuse anything else.
President Roosevelt had to deal
with one of them a prominent New
Yorker, about a fortnight ago.
The New Yorker had had his mind
upon certain German Consulship,
one Of the choice billets, for some
time. Certain tactful inquiries which
he caused to be made before March 4
elected the unofficial response that
the German Consulship would prob
ably be his for the asking. He made
very sure Of his ground before he
asked for the berth, and then he came
to Washington.
When he met the President, Mr..
Roosevelt cordially offered him an i'm
portant and lucrative Consulship in
one OF the South American countries.
Nobody intimates that the President
was endeavOring to hold out the
German Consulship for some other
man of nearer intimacy, but it hap
pened in the way it is being told,
anyhow.
The New Yorker smiled a quiet
candid smile OF derogation at the
South American offer.
IT'S a fine post" the President 10
described as saying. You'll like It,"
The New York man promptly re-
piled, in tone OF flrmness but the
greatest imaginable respect, that he
was sure he wouldn't like it, for the
simple reason that he was never going
to see the South American place.
THE German place is the only one
| have thought of, Mr. President" he
said. Il know that you fully under
stand that am not seeking the work
i am rather over busy, If anything,
with the work that is now engaging
me. l would not be viewed as offer.
ing you but one alternative-indeed,
would instantly surrender all thought
Of the matter rather than do such
thing. At the same time, l ought to
tell you that with me it is the German
post or none."
The President promptly replied that
hn hat fo1
freshing to listen to; and the New
Yorker got the German post without
further ado. ....
Never before since the Government
began has there been such a rush of
applicants for Consular posts as has
been witnessed at the White House
since the day after the Inauguration.
A week ago the President found that
the men who wanted Consulships and
their Congressional advocates were
taking up all OF his time, and he
caused announcement to be made that
he would consider no more applicants
for Consular posts until after his re-
turn from his hunting trip in April.
Even this announcement did not
lessen the stream OF callers who
looked upon themselves as the MAX
ing of valuable units in the Consular
service, although those who called at
the White House after the announce
ment was made received bat scant
consideration.
Some of the men applying for Con-
|sular billets present remarkable rea-
sons for their desire to TAX office
under this Government in foreign
countries.
One Of them, on his way to the
White House to see the President,
stopped at the State Department and
filed formal application for post
in Spain which he had been informed
was soon to be vacant.
do you speak Spanish? the young
man, a citizen of central Illinois, was
asked at the State Department.
"Nope-don't know word of the
lingo" was the applicants reply.
That's one of the main reasons why