Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-06
CITY DISCOVERER
STUDIES A SYSTEM

One afternoon the City Discoverer was
returning homeward from long and
pleasant ramble when he saw a distin-
guished. serious-appearing frock-eoated in
divfdual sitting by the roadside.
Good evening"" said the CITY Disoov
erer. In his CHEEKY voice. beaming at the
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES stranger through his
gold-rimmed glasses. Wont you tell me
the time. pleases''
The OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES person drew
forth timepiece and consulted 1t with a
irowning brow. TT Is now" he remarked
In tone that sent chill down the Dis
coverers spine. 'seven and three-eighths
minutes after the hour OF six
Gracious. thought the Discoverer to
himsetf. what remarkable exactness! He
met last week.. Then he stopped for a
moment to mop his brow and wipe his
goid-rtmmed glasses
marked genally.
so ! have observed" replied the serious
minded person. without warming up i'm the
shghtest, consequently l do not walk
when 1t can be avoided. l am waiting for
my carriage"
Goodness" thought the City Discoverer
ne must be some one of Importance"
no, continued the Observation-Disclosures
ing stranger; Il believe in doing everything
according to method and system. | rise at
certain hour. eat my meals at certain
hours and retire at n certain hour. Ny
life is based on method and system and
try to administer the great government de
partment of which | the head on the
same plan. When you came along | was
just considering how the system could be
How fortunate I amr' said the City Dis
coverer to himself. Il knew he was some
body of great. Importance"
Yes continued the stranger, unsmil-
i1pI hat lie Fhat try 10 a pt,s to
day l have been terribly vexed. My or
ders have been dsobeyed.'
How was that inquired the Discov-
erer. sympa thetically.
well" said the stranger frowning black
1y. some time ago | gave instructions that
no employee of the department was to di-
vulge any Information concerning the serv-
ice. In other words. l was to be the sole
medium of communication with the pub
lie. And yet today learned that trusted
employe. in writing a letter to his wife.
who is out of town, deliberately told her
that his chief of division had cold In tho
head
Heavens" said the City Discoverer.
81 don't wonder that you are shocked.
said the unsmiling person. But that Is
not all Yesterday while making visit
of inspection | noticed one of the en-
ployes of the department conversing with
a man whose mother-in-law has a friend
in the newspaper business. | was alarmed,
and on inspecting the papers this morning
| discovered a paragraph stating that the
wood work In the corridors OF the second
floor of the building had been newly
painted.
Gracious cried the City Discoverer.
Yes" continued the MISUNDERSTANDING
person. gravely. but that Is only a small
part of my troubles. On continuing my IN
spect:on of the papers this morning L dis
covered m one of them an article on my
department. And this. mind you was after
my order had been issued prohibiting the
employees of the department from talking.
What was the article about!' inquired
the Discoverer. euriously.
why, 1t told how the department was
founded more than a century ago, and men
toned several men who had been at the
head of 1t at one time or another.
Goodness" said the Dscoverer. as he
stared at the MISUNDERSTANDING st:an-
ger.
1T is SO discouraging," continued the
serious minded person. with another froWn.
Only the other day / gave man jon
because he seemed TO be extremely lnteil-
gen. and susceptible of Instruction. i'm
pressed upon him that he simply must not
talk of office matters. and yet heard sew
eral days later that he had toid triena
whom he met casually on the street that
his office hours were from to 4::o.
Good iand,' cried the Discoverer. as he
gazed at the stranger In unbouhded amaze
ment.
And only last week." continued the seri-
Gus minded stranger. Il authorized In an
excess of leniency and generosity, the pup
ncation of an article describing the routine
work of one branch of my department.
And what do you suppose happened?"
II can't imagine" replied the Discoverer.
breathlessly.
"The name of the chief of that particu-
lar branch was mentioned in the article
replied the MISUNDERSTANDING stranger
sadly. And that, too after had ordered
that there were to be no personalities In the
department.
THAT is-very interesting" said the Dis
coyerer. after a pause" but don't you find
that supervising all those things inter-
feres greatly with your important duties?
"Of course replied the distinguished
looking stranger coldly. 81 seldom have
chance to attend properly to my regular
work You wouldn't believe how long 1t
employees of my department would like to
saw or to see in print. But 1 believe in
method and system. and must see that the
orders I have Issued are enforced.
II thought" suggested the City Discov-
erer timidly that the Keep commissions
most important work would be in connec-
ton with eliminating the red tape IN tho
various departments.
you are right" replied the distinguish
saw there Is none in mine, as you can see
from what l have related.
The City Discoverer gasped for breath;
Would you mind telling me your name!
he inquired in some embarrassment.
Not at ALL" replied the serious minded
person. THE prohibition against CONVEX
sation does not extend 20 me- Ny name
is George Bruce Cortelyou, and i am at
the head of the Post Office Department.
softly, as he trudged homeward. shaking
his head at every other step. who would
have thought it?''