Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 71, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 May 1901 — RUTH CLEVELAND SAVED HIM. [ARTICLE]

RUTH CLEVELAND SAVED HIM.

Mark Twain’* Letter to the Preaident’* Daughter Bared One Consul. Early In the administration of President Cleveland, writes Wm. E. Curtis to the Chicago Record. Consul General Mason at Frankfort, who is generally considered the best man in the service, was notified that his resignation was accepted, and that a Mr. Rapp, of Illinois, was to be his successor. He was packing up his goods when Mark Twain happened around that way and visited the consulate. Being informed of the situation the latter wrote a letter to Ruth Cleveland, the baby daugliter of the President, telling her that he could not interfere in matters of patronage because he was a mugwump, but he considered it a shame that a man of experience and ability like Consul General Mason should be turirt ed out of office simply because sbme Democrat who knew nothing about its duties wanted the place. He said that he was acquainted with a great many consuls, and that Captain Mason was the best he had ever known, and if her father ever consulted her about the consular service he suggested that she advise him not to disturb good men merely to give places to politicians. About a month later Mr. Clemens received a little note in President Cleveland’s handwriting, in which Miss Ruth Cleveland presented her compliments to Mark Twain, thanking him for calling attention to the threatened removal of Consul Mason, and said that if he knew of any similar cases the Presdent would be glad to hear from him. Consul General Mason is still in the service, and has since been promoted to Berlin.