Evening journal., 1910-10-31
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Time John Sherman
Simulated Anger
BY "Holland."

crafty a politician as the next one;
and / know of no better anecdote IL
Illustrating this point than the hither-
to unpublished one OF the manner in
which Sherman simulated anger for
the edfcation Of a protesting group
Of constituents.
During the entire period that he
had a seat in the lower House OF
Congress. which stretched from 1879
to 1887, Benjamin LeFevre Of Sidney,
Ohio, was one OF the most popular
men IN that body. He had as many
friends oil the Republican side as he
had among the De1nocrats, and by
reason Of his personal popularity he
was one OF the conspicuous members
of the House
On a very hot day in April, 1881,
Ben LeFeyre went to President Cav
field with the request that the latter
| appoint a new postmaster in a cer-
tain town I'm LeFevres district
why, Ben" said the president, you
know ! cannot appoint a Democrat
postmaster, even TO oblige you
81 don't want you to appoint a
Democrat, General replied LeFevre,
also a veteran of the Civil War. Il
ask you to appoint a good Republican,
a man who left a leg on the battle
field, and staunch suppo ter of you
what is the matter with the pres
cnt postmaster, Benz? the president
asked.
ITS personal matter; the man
has gone out OF his way TO insult me,
and | don't propose to stand IT. The
man | ask you to appoint is as good
a Republican, and he was a brave sol
dier. besides
"Yes, / know him." the President re-
/ piled "He is a good Republican, and
he was a brave soldier. Now, Ben,
you and ! served together a good
many years in Cong ress. You were
on one side of the aisle. and ! on the
other. But remember that there was
nothing | ever asked you to do. out
side of Democratic politics, which you
/ didn't cheeriully do; and several
times. rather than vote against me,
you went out into the cloak room. il
seems TO me that | ought TO do some
thing for you
The President hesitated a moment
LiAf Ht MtilA Nlf II NOu - W. NAtAA
! tell you. think you can get your
postmaster appointed and confirmed.
John sherman is out of town to-day.
You go right to the Capitol, call out
Senator Pendleton, tell him I am go
ing TO send the name of the man you
want appointed postmaster TO the Sen
ate Immediately, and ask him to get
the confirmation through at once.
Then, if that is done. hurry back here
with the commission, and I'll sign it."
As soon as a driver could urge a
sweating horse up 10 the Capitol, Ben
/ LeFevre was at the Senate Chamber
and in consultation with Senator
George II. PendletOn, Democrat. The
senatoe agreed to expedite conhrma-
ton. A few moments later the ap-
pointmont was received by he Senate
and Senator Pendleton moved that the
Senate go into executive session. In
that session he made personal plea
saying that the appointee was a good
Republication better I'm the dis
trict--and he would take it as a per-
sonal favor if there was immediate
confirmation His appeal was needed
and an hour later the commission OF
the new postmaster was signed.
On the following morning, Senator
Sherman, having returned to Wash
ington, saw I'm his newspaper the an
nounccment of tie new postmaster in
\ LaFevre's district. The senator made
haste TO visit the PostofIice Depart
! mcnt. When he was clOseted with the
postmaster general he asked: what
is this see about the appointment OF
postmaster In Ben LaFeyres dis-
trict? Il was done over my head;
wasn't consulted"
The postmaster general thought tho
better way to tell Senator Sherman
the whole story When he finished
Sherman exclaimed: Il want TO ex-
press my indignation at this unusual
discourtesy to me- Then in a lower
tone of voice, he asked: Have you
observed my Indignation? If you have
his voice rose again-"then ! strike
this table with my hand while de-
nouncing this action"
Sotto voice: Did you observe me
strike the table with my hand? Now
his voice pitched high again-"ir
my anger I pace up and down the
room while ] protest vehemently
against this deliberate discOurtesy tC
me-" Aside: do you hear me pro
test indignantly? DO you behold my
angry stride?
VERY well'-and Shermans vote,
sank to a whisper-"aud yet I wan
to tell you confdentially, that In
glad the one-legged soldiers got th'
Job. But there will be a rumpu
among the Republicans of LeFevrei
district, and they will come to you
and when they do | want you to sa.
TO them that Senator Sherman wa
so vehement i'm denOuncing the dis
courtesy shown to him in the matte
Of this appointment that he actual
struck this table with his hand an
paced up and down this room in hi
anger"
The postmaster general promised {
report the scene faithfully. A FEY
days later when a group Of protest
ing Republicans from Ben LeFevre'
district called on him he fulfilled hi
promise to the best of his ability. An
with his description OF Senator Shei
mans conduct in that very room :
regard to the Objectionable appoint
ment the protestants were obliged {
be content.
Copyright. 1910. by p. J. Edward
All rights reseryed.)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell
- Hitherto Profound Secret of Ne
York State Politics"