Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-01-19
NEW YORK NOTES.
THURBER AND HIS ANTI-MO-
NOPOLY BOOM.

movement. The politicians have sneered at
II and heaped abuse upon it, vet it lives
There Is bar'l somewhere that supplies this
astonishing vitality. The bar'l is kept full bv
+. b. Thurber, more than likely, for there is
no man connected with the movement that /
know of that takes so much interest i'm il as
he, and that has so much money. The anti
monopollsts nave pretty big machine-that
Is TO say, they have great facilities for print
ing papers and documents for circulation
Their principal document is a paper devoted
TO antl-monopoly interests. The paper is
cles directed against monOpOlists The
language in some of them is most
acrimonious and pointed. You read of the
corruption of legislators, of the bribery of
Judges, OF gambling in merchandise, and i'm
aglnary conversations in which Cyrus w
Field, Vanderbilt and other bloated nabobs
hgure. Bold assertions are made that the
national policy is dictated by five unscrupu-
lous men-GOuld, Vanderbilt, Huntington.
Stanford, Sage and Field. There is talk about
corporate aggression; how to make money t:
how TO get 1t; how to prevent the rich men
from getting that which does not belong to
them; how to enable the poor to become rich
er; and endless discussions on political and eco
nomic questions. f. B. ThuFber has his little
counting room stuffed full of these documents,
ana gives some of his personal attention to
their distribution. If he has a moment to
spare he will take you by the coat collar or put
his arm around your neck in his confidential
way anu tdlk 10 gOudDOuI anu monopoly. 1t Is
rather odd, is it not, to see man worth so
many millions so bitter a foe of the monopo-
llstsf l saw him, the other day, sitting in a
restaurant with man who had a round head
closely cropped gray hairs and gray beard
They were eating lunch and engaged in con-
versation over a bottle of champagne The
man with the gray hair and beard was one of
the most radical advocates of Socialism in New
York. What could f. B. I. be wanting with
him9
An interesting book might be written about
the characteristics of public men which are
developed during their stay at the hotels in
this city. Most persons of distinction, espe-
cially those who have acquired greatness in
the political world, stay while here at the
point of view taken by New York journalists,
who fall upon them at the moment of their
arrival and beset them at various times during
their stay in the city, they are somewhat diff
ferent creatures from what they are as they
are usually regarded. There are few public
men who do not seek to evade the newspaper
man and his note bOOk-I should not say note
book, for the New York journalist well knows
an interview to sudden termination.
Therefore, he keeps his note book
in his pocket and depends on
his memory until he can get in a quiet corner
and jOt down notes on what has been said.
But as | was saying. great men as q rule pre-
fer not to talk on topics of public interest out
of fear that they may say something which
they will afterwards regret when they see it
in print,
One of the most inaccessible men is Don
Cameron. He Is regarded by journalists as
brutal in his department, and he vents his ILL
humOr upon the pOrters and servants of the
hotel, in much the same manner, | am told
The moment he is addressed he puts himself
on the defensive. His tactics seem to be to
repel those who seek to obtain Informal
tion from him by being surly and disagree
able. 1t need not be said that he meets with
very great degree of success. As anxious as
Journalists are to obtain the views of public
men-especially when they are sent on a COM
missiOn-they do not enjoy being insulted
A. b. Cornell, | have been told, is very much
the same IN his demeanor, except that he is
much less like bear. He is as cold as an ice
berg. Schuyler COlfaX in person with him
may be compared 20 pan of hot Goals. He
Is warm, lmpulsive, and will take hold of a
Journalist who has called to see him with both
hands. He does not wait to be questioned,
but says that he knows what is wanted, and
rattles along in most unctuOus manner
taking up one topic after the other, seemingly
never coming to an end, With the same gUsh-
ing manner he remarks when he does come to
the end at last, that nothing that he has said
must on any account be set down for publica-
ton. Yet there are little signs which
may be interpreted as decided wish
that every word of it may be put
in print. Although General Grant
is settled down into domestic life in his own
house, has his fast horses and carriage like
any man about town. use this term because
he looks quite giddy when he drives out be-
hind his fleet nags-he frequently Wanders
Hotel.
Gen. Grant is, as he always has been, most
unasSumng man. When he walks into the
hotel he shunles along with his head and
shoulders inclined in the careless way that
hackdriver might go. When Intercepted he
will answer questions in a quiet, courteous
way, that is, if he has anything to say on the
subject broached. If he does not wish to say
anything, ne simply says so, and makes an end
of it. Unlike Blaine, Butler and other public
men, he is not fluent speaker under any cir
cumstances. John A. Logan is one of the
most most Pompous men who ever visits the
the hotel holding his head aloft.
and surveying those whom he may
chance to meet with stately
indifference. He is plainly quite proud of the
long black mustachios which droop down the
sides of his mouth from his finely cut nose
When newspaper men attack him he usually
evades them altogether or gets rid of them
with few curt remarks. One of the most
popular men with New York journalists is
Secretary Lincoln. He always admits visitors
to his apartments and answers questions with
the courtesy OF Count D'Orsay. In this re-
spect he is very much like EX-POstmaster
James, who is one of the most affable men
whom have ever met. Roscoe COnkling has
not been accessible for years. When, how
ever, he has any communication which he
wishes to make he sends for a member of the
staff of the New York HerdId, to whom he
took great fancy at the time of the Chicago
convention. Lord Roscoe, whatever else may
be said of him, is a bold man. He ALWAYS
goes in at the front door and makes no effort
to remain in seelusion while in the
hotel. This cannot he said Of Senator Blaine.
On the contrary, he, almost invariably
goes in at q side door, and becomes almost in
stantly invisible. In short, he Is a dodger. As
| have said, he lodges in at the side door and
remains closely in his apartments. When he
goes to the dining room, he lodges in bv
circuitous route through the buffers pantry
and when cards are sent to him by members
OF the press, he sends back word that he is not
In. why he should take all these precautions
a mVGfnrU Hnaratr Of -
can talk hours and hours without committing
himself on single point. Marshall Jewell is
also dOdger and exceedingly hard to catch
He is also plausible when a journalist sue
ceeds in intercepting him, but very little can
be made out of his talk. Secor RObeson will
sometimes talk, and sometimes he will NOT.
when he mas reason to be quoted in the papers
he stays at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. and is
extremely accessible. II he has any scheme
on hand, he goes quietly to the BreyOort
House, where he does not enter his name
on the registry book, Here he usually meets
John Roach, the well-knOwn shipbulider, with
whom he is closeted for hours. Senator Thur
man, OF Ohio, usually stays at the Hoffman
House. He seldom refuses an interview. He is
very careful about what he says, and simply
makesibrief answers to questions. If he is not
smoking he is taking snuff. Before President
Arthur came into his high office, ho was one
of the most apprOachable politicians in the
country. No one could OutdO him in affabiI-
ity. But of late he has become so much afraid
of being misrepresented that he is exceeding
is necessary to get him in a very close corner n
even then he will not say much
Vanderbilt Is the most Conspicuous man in
the country to-day. Tilden In his paImiest
days, or when he was in most imminent
danger of disappearing from mortal sight nv
some process as mysterious as spontaneous
combustion, compared to him was an obscure
man. There is no number of pictorial naner
that does not have some caricature of him or
some illustration in which he fgUras Tho
carcaturlstl IN faet, seems TO take delight
IN u making iun Oh tne great railroad mil
notice by the social life Of the members of his |
family. The stranger in the city takes a stroll |
up Fifth avenue to see the fine houses in |
rides out in his carriage or sleigh behind ono
of his fleet footed teams all ewes are turned
towards him: The great money king, II of a |
VAN dlSR0sltl0n; would become very proud |
man. what | have seen of him has led me |
to a contrary opinion. He is selfish in the |
extreme Gas anybody will know who catches a |
sight OF his face and knows aught of rI.ysior I
nomy), grasplng and fond of certain forms IF I
pleasure. The latest bit of Yanderbiltania
about which the gossips are talking l. that he
is contemplating the erection Of a great ART |
gallery, costing - several milliens ef dollars,
not sound like a credible story. Why nofS |
Because ne Is the last person ~ he a nhiisn.
IhIpPist, 50 one would reason at lTst - -
or' or gan rest e e EIgF as j. goes is bo9 fbe
his residence now s"-' upon ground opposite
DUildihss occupied by long, rambling
- =, which is the property of the Catholic
! Ghurches OF TINS city. In this we are able to
discover motive. The rambling building Is
lnsightly; it is far from a pleasant outiook
from his gilded palaces. To get sometime
signify to look at he would be willing TO make
sacI1nce OF Anew millions from his money.a
at the same time. gain the little glory that |
night come with it. He is very ohnoxious ST. To
me lower classes, and he knows it. If miobt
De that he regards this as one way of conrfine |
heir good will. Hail n tVSrs w sins
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