Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-04-16
BENJAMIN T. BUTLER.
NE Is A GOOD MAN TO INTERVIEW,
SAYS THIS WRITER.
Ho Knows Just What the Journalist
Wants of Him, and Is Ready to Give
It, but He Insists, for Accuracy's Sake,
ON Shorthand Reporting.
ESPECIAL Correspondence.1

understands SO Thoroughly what IS wanted
of him by newspaper man. He has had
vast experience in that line; so have
other public men; but Gen. Butler, unlike
most of the people worth interviewing,
has learned something by contact with
journalists. He knows exactly how to IA
cilitate your work. Like all great men,
however, Gen. Butler has certain prefer
ences, and one of these is to have short
hand writer take down his utterances
This is not at all strange, when you con-
slider the stormy experiences which he has
had in his interesting career. He naturally
feels that if he is to be put on record he
wants it to be in the words used by him
self, and not in the words some other man
however bright or conscientious, may sup
ply him.
"Can you write shorthand?" is apt to be
one of his first questions to a stranger who
seeks an interview. IL the reply is affirm
alive you are fortunate for the general
re rely refuses to freely give his views on
any and all subjects to anybody who seeks
them One of Gen. Buffers peculiarities
Is that it seems immaterial whether he
likes your paper or not. He is uniformly
courteous to newspaper men, though he
has been known to use strong expressions
when referring TO certain journals,
But if you fail to write shorthand or to
bring a stenographer along the chances
are that the general will have practically
'no use' for you. / have known him to
say many times to would-be interviewers,
''Go and bring a shorthand writer with
you. and I'll give my views on that subject
II you want me to-"
This, to be sure, is not an infexible rule
OF his. 1t is rather a preference, not a
whim. He feels, no doubt, that if he is to
be interviewed at all he wishes the matter
published to be exactly in his own words,
and not in the fowery language of the
brilliant and imaginative visitor who, de-
string to be complimentary to the inter
viewee, may, in grandly descriptive periods,
possibly forget or miss entirely the points
of the interviewer, even though he does
not absolutely misrepresent.
But if you call at the generals beautiful
offices in Ashburton place, in Boston, dur
Ing the busy hours of the day you will prob
ably find him in, if not away in New York,
Washington or some other great center at
tending to his extensive law business. Re
member, however, that he is busy man,
and do not seek to talk with him unless on
something of Importance. If not too busy
70 receive you he will greet you with that
pleasant and sunny humor of his in his
large private office, where, seated at his
large, fiat desk, amid his law books and
his choice assortment of standard poets, he
transacts tho greatest law business of any
lawyer in the United States
Then he will most likely help you out,
though possibly at the expense of the time
and labor OF his efficient secretary, Col
Thomas j. Major. Col. Major is perhaps
the ablest private secretary in the country,
and it has been my good fortune to meet
many of the great men and their private
secretaries in years gone by. Col. Major
Is himself quite well enough versed in the
workings of the generals mind and nature
TO write out any or all letters, interviews,
speeches or arguments that the general
will be likely to make during the rest of
his llfe indeed, his friends suspect that
In many of these cases such things have
been done by him. [ have heard it said
that at leas+ three-fourths of the genuine
autographs" of "B. +. Butler that have
been scattered throughout the length and
breadth of the land in the last ten years
have been the product and manufacture
not of the doughty general himself, but of
his 1idus AcLates, Col. Major. There is no
deception about the matter; it is simply
necessary eXpedient which has been adopt
ed, presumably with the knowledge and
consent of all interested parties, except the
innocent receiver Of the autographs.
But to return to the interview. That is
something that Gen. Butler will not know
ingly trust anybody to do for him. If he
gives you an interview att all you must take
1t from his own lips just as he gives it,
questions, answers, descriptions and all
that. For Gen. Butler has in his long pub
lie and private career Gf he ever had any
70
has been of SO conspicuous nature that he
has seemed almost never TO have had any
private hfe) has grown to be in many
respects splendid newspaper man himself
Not only in The way of interviewing him
self is - a first rate newspaper man, but
he has the sense to not be offended if his
''stuf is no. printed. While he is one of
the very few public men who are really
worth interviewing, he also possesses the
good sense aud good nature to know that
the printing of matter turned in by report
er or correspondent is entirely in other
hands. Most Butler interviews, however,
''go," for they say something
Il like reporters" is one of his favorite
expressions, both in private and public
''The reporters have always been my
friends, " he says; and this is pretty nearly
true, for somehow or other he has made
friends of nearly every newspaper man
who ever travelled about with him or was
In any way thrown much in his company
SIT is the editors that misrepresent and lie
about me; but suppose they have to, be-
cause the politicians that are afraid of me
get them to do 500
l have knowa Gen. Butler to spend an
hour in the best of humor debating to his
secretary an important interview for re-
nOrtGr n hn
well filled library, when the general might
have been earning goodly fees attending to
the business of some wealthy client who
was waiting to consult him. Perhaps but
Jew lines V ould appear in the press next
day. But when Gen. Butler met that re-
porter next he would be just as pleasant,
making slight, if any reference tC the blue
pencil" and "the waste basket"
The only time | ever knew Gen. Butler
TO refuse an interview in any brusQue or
seemingly GiscourtCous way was while
governor, or, as heused to delight to style
himself (Quo,ing from the state constitp-
ton the woTds), 'chief executive magis-
trate of the commonwealth of Massachu-
sets" As everybody knows, no man was
ever more fiercely assailed by political OPP
ponents than he, and never more bitter "
than while occupying the gubernatorial
chair. 1t was while thus combating that
certain managing editor sent one of his
best political writer's "a good shorthand
man, by the way to interview Governor
Butler upon public questions of the da.-.
Not content with merely assigning the re-
porter to perform the duty, the editor
doubtless thinking to smooth matters TOT
nil concerned, sent letter to the governor
by the reporter. In this letter he, after
stating exactly what was wanted, said,
"You may, with the utmost freedom. e.