Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-09
PATTIsoN,s PLAN
How the Governor Disposed OF
Office 5ores.--Judse suIzberaers
Famous Address Before the
Senate at the Extra
Session
Nv GEORGE NOx MCCAIN
A PROMINENT city official, who

BY GEORGE NOX MCCAIN
A PROMINENT city official, whose
n Office is Mecca for all sorts Of
people who want all sorts Of things Is
greatly annoyed by the unnecessary
length of some of these visits.
After one or two experiences In press
ing button on his desk and summon
ing his private secretary as hint to
his caller to vamoose, he has aban-
doned that method. The pushbutton
is in full view Of his visitors, and his
action. as he discovered, has been taken
as an insult. One visitor got very much
peeved.
Bores are the bane Of city officials; ;
in fact, of all men in public life.
They are the thieves of time. Most
of them belong to the glad hand and
merry -ha -ha class. The worst is they
do not know that they are bores. They
labor under the impression that they
are doing their victim favor.
Yet every one of them has some ap-
parently good excuse for calling.
Usually his first visit is his last-un-
less he is a political factor of note.
Governor ROBERT f. PATTI
" son was. so far as I am aware,
the first public official who was able
TO dismiss nuisance of this kind with
gratitude exuding from the bore for. the
courteous treatment he had received.
Governor Pattison ordinarily received
his visitors. il they were unknown,
standing beside his desk. If the bust
ness deserved particular attention the
caller was invited to seat.
The executives desk was Of the fiat,
broad top style. as l recall. At one
side and beneath the opening in front
of his desk chair (the inner side, and
therefore concealed from view), was q
pushbutton at the height Of his knee.
With not the slightest movement visi-
bic he could at any point in the con-
versation simply move his knee an inch
or 80 and press the button.
OF course the rest was easy, for his
private secretary or messenger, who
was in the secret, instantly responded
with the announcement that Mr.. So
and so was desirous of catching train
and was waiting in the reception room.
Then the Governor rose, with this
polite excuse, shook hands cordially and
bowed the bore from the room.
GOVERNOR JAMES A. BEAVER
" was the most outspoken, brusque
and. at times, almost rude occupant
that ever graced the gubernatorial chair.
Hastings and Stone were suave, jovial
and diplomatic. They could rub the
fur the right way without the slightest
effort.
Beaver and Pattison were both men
Of strong religious convictions. The
singing of gospel hymns by the entire
family on Sunday nights. and in hearty
voice, was the usual thing for some
time after the gentleman from Center
county took possession of the mansion
on Front street.
One irreligious individual Su"v">+"l
that as an addendum to Quay's famous
message, Dear Beaver. don't ia.A,
he should send another, Dear Beaver,
don't sing"
THE outstanding feature of Patti
l. sons second term was the calling Of
the extra session of the Senate in Octo-
bcr. 1891, to take action in the case of
Auditor General McCamant and State
Treasurer Boyer in connection with the
lcfalcation of more than 81 900 900 by
Honest" John Bardslcy, city treas
lrer of Philadelphia.
Party feeling ran high at the time,
md the charge was repeatedly made
that Pattison called the extra session
for the purpose of making political cap
tal out of the Bardsley case.
1t was an ugly mess all through
W. L. Hensel, then attorney general
IN Pattisons $ cabinet, tried to get out
Of figuring in the matter.
Attorney Mayer Sulzberger. after
ward Judge Sulzberger. appeared as
counsel for the Philadelphia magistrates
whose fees were involved in the trans
action.
He made brilliant argument against
the right of the Governor to call the
extra session. He was the first of the
lawyers appearing before the Senate to
direct its attention to the fact that the
two articles of the constitution (Scc-
ton II of Article " and Section 4 of
Article vi must be considered sepa-
rately.
One provided for an extra session for
'the transaction Of executive busi-
ness the other related to "thc re-
moval of state officials by the Cover
nor on the address of two. thirds of
the Senate.
A TTORNEY MAYER SULZBER-
n GER year before had appeared
as counsel for the Governor in case
Of criminal libel which he brought
against the Philadelphia Inquirer and