The Portland daily press., 1890-08-22
TILE PRESS.
FRIDAY MORNING, AUG. 90.
so ME INTERESTING MEN.
Strong and Picturesque Characters
Met at Washington.


WASHINGTON, August 21.-The Worlds
rair at Chicago is bringing to the front
some interesting men. No more attract
i've and picturesque personality can be
found anywhere than that of ex-senator
Palmer, president of the Columbian ex-
position What like about the ex-sen-
ator-and l discover that others like in
him the same thing-is his strong Amer
icanism. He is an American of the
Americans. He was in Washington a
few days ago, where he dined with the
president and renewed his youth with
all his old friends Some one asked him
how he had liked it over in Spain,
whence he returned few months ago,
after resigning his post as minister to
Madrid.
"Oh," replied this thorough American,
Europe is in a comatose condition. I
cannot imagine why an American should
want to live in Europe. 1t is country
that is asleep. When returned began
to look for land two or three days before
it was due. was SO eager to see Amer
lea again that it seemed to me 1 could
not wait. When off Sandy Hook we
first saw land was tempted to throw
myself in the water, swim ashore and
bury my body in the soil of America.
But of course resisted the temptation.
When I left this country to go to Spain
Ipromised the president would be gone
at least year. Between my departure
and my return there were just a year
and three days, and have been regret
ting those three days ever since"
Here in Washington we hear some
talk about the election of director gen.
eral for the Worlds fair. An impress
sion prevails in some quarters that that
great Office may be given to Col. George
r. Davis, of Chicago, who is another of
the interesting men often seen in Wash
ington. 1t was he who with marvellous
skill and energy so managed Chicago's
campaign for the fair that Chicago won
without much difficulty. Now that
ex-senator T. c. Platt and First Assist
ant Postmaster General Clarkson are
writing articles to show the great value
of political training in building up small
men, am tempted to cite this Col. Davis
asa type of Unsuccessful American who
makes politics his profession. For years
Mr. Davis has been in Chicago what
was known as political boss His par
ty was in the supremacy, and he was
dominant in his party. To illustrate the
notions of my friends Platt and Clark
son that a political boss may be citi-
zen of high character with great in
fluence for good government, quote a
conversation with Col. Davis. l had
asked him how he had managed SO long
to maintain himself.
st was not an easy thing to do" he
replied. 1.-THE only way in which any
trade, as in other walks of life, is to
struggle always for the best. Being a
political boss is like commanding an
army in the field. One must win bat
ties, bring results, in order to keep the
public satisfied. That is, he must give
good government. To maintain disci-
pline and harmony in the ranks one must
be tyrant. 1 often laugh as think
of the experiences / have had. For
instance, man came to me with q
proposition that he be nominated for a
certain high Office in the city. He wanted
my help. Very well,' said l. Before
making any promises l must ask you
some questions And then l catechised
him. l asked him where he was born,
what his parents were, what he did as
boy, as youth, about his education,
his love affairs, his marriage, his bust
ness experiences, his habits, his expe-
rience in politics, his religion and so on
In short, asked him to bare his whole
life's history to me. Several times his
pride revolted, and rising from his chair
declared he had not come to be cross
questioned, to have his private life in
quired into. Very we'll, 1 remarked,
then you cannot be nominated. am
only doing what the public will do when
you are a candidate. If you do not care
to be thus scrutinized, to be thus searched
with an electric light, stay out of poll
tics. And l charge you, as you value
your reputation and success, to answer
me truthfully.
ITO shorten my story" continued Col.
Davis, 1.-THE gentleman satisfied me ON
all points. / could not find flaw in
his record. He seemed impregnable.
1t was humiliating to him to be thus
questioned, and it was not pleasant for
me, but it had to be done. 1t was one
of the rules of my political work never
to permit man to be nominated for
Office, if l could prevent it, who was
lacking in any way, who was unfit, who
was likely to prove a load to carry in
stead Of a source Of strength. A civil
service examination was as nothing com
pared to the scrutiny to which my men
were subjected. All this shows you
the power, the responsibility of a DO
iltlcal leader. He must be a tyrant
IN order to be successful, and all
ms enorts, all his precaution tend
toward better government and bet
Ter cltlzensmp. Men learn that they
must have led blameless lives, that thew
must have character and canac;tv no
fore they can aspire to Office through the
help of one whom the world calls 90
boss They learn, moreover, that thev
must be true to themselves and to each
other. Bad faith, treachery, light re-,
gard for ones word quickly destroy a
man in politics. Such was the case with
INV friend Of whom l have been speak
ING. 1 had him nominated for Office
ana elected. He served term and was
good officer. We put him up second
time, and then a discovery was made.
The electric search light of public scru-
tiny developed that he had lied to me IN
that first interview. He had covered up
the weak point, and now that it was
Lag. bare defeat was the punishment"
Thia Rlinnsa Of Tho 1iRn 81 n ,noiitioaI