Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-05-04
Washington Letter.
(FRoM OUR REGUL CORRESPONDENT.
Saturday, April 90, 1905.


affected or more unassuming man thar
William F. Taft ever occupied one O.
the highest positions in the gift Of the
President. At present Mr.. Taft is act
ing President, acting Secretary Of State
and Secretary of War In his own right
Yet with all the responsibility which
the President has placed on him hi
never looses his temper and never gives
the slightest evidence Of being "bornt
down with affairs Of State as do sc
many lesser lights in the federal estab'
lishment
An instance of the Secretary's SIM
plicity recently passed under the OBJ
servation Of your correspondent. Every
day at the close of business the Secre-
tary receives the large delegation Of
newspaper correspondents who haunt
the State, War and Navy building,
when Congress is not III session, look
ing for news. After relating all that
seemed to him news, on a recent after
noon, the Secretary was about to dis
miss his callers when one of them, a
young looking although experienced
man, asked us there any military
news?" 81 think not" replied the
Secretary, slowly, then added, 1.-The
most important military incident |
know of is the question whether or not
General Blank shall be allowed to have
his son on his staff" "But that is I'M
portant," was the reply and then the
newspaperman proceeded to relate to
the Secretary the details OF contro.
versy over similar case which had oc.
Cured in the Navy, etc., and conclu.
ded by asking "have you acted on the
case yet. Mr.. Secretary "Well, had, =
replied the Secretary, II had acted ia
vorably, but in view of what you tell
me shall withdraw my decision, in
fact, I guess, as there has been some
question over similar cases / will let
the military authorities settle the case
themselves" Most men in the Gov
eminent service would haye looked
wise, hemmed and cleared their threats
and then replied, 81 have taken the
matter under adyisement, but have
reached no definite conclusion" and the
newspapermen would never have been
permitted to know that they had re-
versed their decision.
An instance Of the amiability of the
Secretary occurred on a similar occasion.
Mr.. Taft, who weighs upward of three
hundred pounds, appeared dressed for
riding. with Khaki leggins. 81 haven't
line of news, boys" he said. Then,
noting the disappointment on some of
their faces, he leaned down, patted the
calf of his leg and said laughingly,
chow is that for pair of legs?" "Mr.
Secretary, they would do credit to a
piano" replied witty Irishman, whose
sense of humor sometimes oYercomes
his sense of the properties. Everyone
watched to see him severely snubbed
tor his impertnence, but the Secretary
went his way and as be went the haw-
haw of his hearty laugh rang through
the long corridors.
Every previous Secretary of War has
been more or less seriously annoyed by
the petty little jealousies of his depart.
ment and the innumerable complaints
of even general officers because this
that, or the other officer has not treat
ed him with proper respect. Washing
ton department life seems to be con-
ductive to that sort Of thing and the
War Department especially. But these
tempests in tea pots meyer seriously
disturb Secretary Taft. He invariably
summons to his Office the complainant
and the person complained of and then
subjects them to a course of gentle rid.
lcule which effectually cures them Of
pickering and they not only invariably
60 away friends, but swearing to each
other never again to afford the Secre-
tary another opportunity to poke fur
at them in his genial way. Moreover
they are ever after the most loyal ad
mirers of the Secretary himself and
none is ever heard to sing bis praises
louder than some man who has beer
SUB ected to this sort Of an ordeal.
Only this week the Secretary founc
himself confronted with what threaten
ed to grow into serious friction if il
was not nipped 10 the bud. Under the
new organization of the Panama Canal
Commission three of Its members have
been constituted an executive commit
tee and these three, Shonts, Wallace
and Magoon, will perform practically
all of the administrative work connect
ed with the construction Of the Canal