The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-22

With somewhat OF . downward inclination
towards the nose, and dark gray in color.
They reminded me of the eyes Of grizzly
bear. l record this observation for whatever
IL may be worth. Those who are better ac-
ouainted with Mr.. Harrison han ! can ever
be will be able to estimate Its worth.
asked him whether there was any par
ticular kind Of work, appcrtaininQ to hla
duties, which he found especial satisfaction
in performing. He replied that generally
speaking, he best liked to be occupied with
matters Of large national or "internntional
importance; 'sbut," said he. II am continue
ally called upon to bestow attention upon
insignificant and absurd subjects. I made
1 list, bv the way, Of a number of %niatters
upon which I was requested to give a de-
cision one day lately. I'll read II to YOU"
He turned over some papers, and selected q
bit Of paper, from which he proceeded to
read a series Of sufficiently extraordinary
propositions. Somebody asked him to .ad-
Indicate upon an obscure land claim in the
northwest. Another requested him to award
Judgment upon a matter utterly trifiing IN
itself and concerning whichethere were no
wanted this, and a fourth that. each in sue.
csssion seeming, il possible, more f%arcical
than the other. And last, and most re-
markable of ALL" continued Mr.. Harrison,
turning over the paper, lis this man. who
asked me to take measures to introduce the
NlOHEO6 AOGGl1uO AktS I = p0AN w SAAAA
that the essence Of the Monroe doctrine
would preclude mo from interfering with
Africa; but he thought if / were to estab-
lish the doctrine in Africa, and give my
name to it, it would be a great thing for
the administration. That will show you,"
some people expect me to do. In that way
a mans time may be frittered away until
there seems to be non left for affairs OF
real moment. l remember there was an oak
tree growing on my place, which l valued
highly-a handsome tree, with widespread
ing branches: n day as 1 was walking
that way, I found a mana stranger, cut
ting off one OF the branches with 4 jack
knife. I told him hat the tree was mine
and that I valued il, and that l wished he
wouldn't mutilato il in any way. He said
oh, I was only taking a small piece of it as
a Notwithstanding that would be missed
I told him that there were probably many
hundred pefsans who might come by there,
and If each of them wsre to do as he was
doing the tree would be stripped of twig
and branch and trunk. and even the roots
might be dug up and cut to pieces. And
that's the way it is in my Office" said Mi.
Harrison, pointing the moral of his apo
logue. 'Ihe request or the application that
each man has to prefer, seems important to
him, and he asks only a few minutes for il.
But when each of several hundred persons
wants q few minutes there is not much left
of the day"
asked him whether the magnitude and
dignity of his Office did not carry with it a
sort OF inspiration, enabling him to endure
these annoyances.
piled the president, ''when the matters
with which I have to deal are great. But
there is no inspiration if petty things. The
American people are kind-they are very
kind-charitable and good natured-;, but
they do not always consider the difficult
- H M - HI ~ h4 l~r~ Z. k~ y,,nhk I
them ~ best one can. When l was going
through the campaign two years ago, and
came in after a hard days work, tired and
heated and sweating; and took a bath
put on a fresh shirt, and sat down to rest
after it ALL would be told that there was
some Did fellow, kind and simple and
hearty, who didn't want to take up my time,
or to annoy mo, or to ask for anything, but
Just to thank me and wish me G~od-speed
and happiness. And then l would think.
whatever comes of it, I must meet these
people and receive what they bring in the
it!'
As Mr.. Harrison spoke the last words he
flung out his arm, and an emphasis almost
fierce came into his voice. The question
and the tone revealed the depth of passion
and quiet exterior. He was the chosen
leader of the republican party ana the chief
magistrate of the greatest of nations;
and though a "plain man" in speech, and
fspect, and merely in casual chat with q
stronger, the dimensions of his character
and the force of his nature were indicated;
just as. in a night attack, the chance flash
of q cannon reveals the extent and position
of the engaging army. There is, I imagine,
no stronger man than he among his follow
ers, and none who. upon the whole, is so
we'll fitted to do the work.
re np1- khn lid oho-;%nI1a -1~n~sJo~nAo |
American people would give him a chance
to work on uninterruptedly! l recollect,
when a child, pulling up the newly planted
beans in my garden to see how they were
growing. | saw; but the beans did not
grow so we'll as they would have lone other
out their public men to see how they are
getting along. The public men realize
what the people do not-that they were ap-
to their Offices for better things
than to sustain the inspection of even the
most amiable curiosity. On the other
themselves as an aggregate of sixty
millions, but as individual persons,
each of whom desires, once in a lifetime or
SO, to catch a glimpse of their representa-
tive. or their president, at his work in
Washington.
since, after all, it is their votes and their
money which have placed the representa-
tives and the president where they are.
Probably, as Mr.. Harrison intimated, it
would prove impossible to frame a law to
their indulgence in this amuse-
ment. Nevertheless, that indulgence is not
only hampering the servants of the nation
in the discharge of their duties, but. by the
token, is deprlving the nation itself
of whatever benefit the work in question
might have brought about.
Mr.. Harrison 10, l believe, at present en-
Roged in framing his message. l don't sup
pose he will allude in it to this matter; SO
will do what | can to compensate him for
the half hour l spent with him, by publish
ing this little narrative. Possibly it NAV
come under the eye of some honest elector
in some part of the country who had been
a visit to Washington to see
the capital and the monument, and to take
the president by the hand If the reading
of what is here written shall induce him to
reconsider the last part at least of his pro-
gramme it will be SO much the better for all
concerned. The president cannot
hide anywhere; but it is in our power to
from going in search of him.
JULIAN HAWTHORNE.
Copyright