Evening journal., 1892-07-29
MILD HAMMERED MEN.
WALTER WELLMAN'S OBSERVATIONS
ON COURTESY IN POLITICS.
Harrity and whitney Are Very Amiablo
Gentlemen in tho Opinion Of Our Cor
respondent = Harrison aud ciarisou
shed Tears.
lspeclal correspondence.l

lNleclhi Aolfteloultnrtl
WAsHrNaToN, July 2s.-Did you ever
stop to think how much manners will
do for man in this world? They make
or break him, according as they are
good or i'll. Nowhere is the Importance
Of manners more strikingly exemplihed
than in the national capital. and in pub
lie life generally. thought Of this the
other day when ] read of the unanimous
election Of w. f. Harrity, Of Pennsyl-
vania, to be chairman Of the national
Democratic committee. That is n great
honor, a great responsibility, a great OPP
portunity. Yet it has been won by
young man who until very recently was
comparatively unknown.
At the Chicago convention l met Mr..
Harrity and liked him very much.
What was my experience was also that
of hundreds Of more important persons.
He has manners-native, innate, inbred
from his gentle Irish ancestry--that will
make him friends anywhere. Scores Of
prominent men there met him for the
first time and We're charmed with him.
Flo is simple, plain, sincere. There isn't
an atom of aifectation in his compost
tion, not the smallest speck Of acting
and this issaying a good deal for an Irish
man.
You all know these handsome, cul-
tured, charming Irish gentlemen-good
friends, delightful companions, and yet
they will blarney just little Harrity
/ doesn't. Somehow he contrives to make
you feel from the first minute you meet
/ him as if you were old friends. You
want to be confidential with him, be-
cause you trust him, because you "take
TO" him; but until he knows you pretty
well he isn't confidential with you.
Harrity has genuine ability, a good
head strong character. But more
than half his success may be attributed
70 that rare gift-fine manners.
There Is another of the same SORT
W. G. Whitney, who might have been
chairman, but wouldn't, and who is
pretty near the top Of the heap in the
Democratic yard, has won his way and
is winning his way as much with his
good manners as with his good brain.
1t doesn't matter where he is or what he
is doing-in cabinet council, secretarys IS
office, society drawing room, the crisis
Of a great political battle like that at
Chicago, paying compliments to a
countess, placating a faction leader or
dealing with an angry and savage ward
worker from Tammany Hall-he is al
ways the same-coOl, suave, though firm,
quick, but not previous, smiling while he
puts the knife in, but always striking
fairly.
Some men get TO the top without fine
manners, but for every one such / car
show you dozen who might have woI
success but for this deficiency. There
is President Harrison. His manners
never helped him. He didn't win th'
presidency on account Of his manners
but in spite OF them. He says so him
self, and he also says there never woult
have been any opposition to his renomi
nation had he been fortunate enough Z,
possess the faculty Of charming mel
through personal contact. He is a no
table exception to the rule.
Garfield won the presidency with hi
fine manners, his sympathetic quail
ity, which finally, at the height of {
storm, ran through a big national con
ventiou like a wave Of light and brough
peace Garfield was much like a won
an. He was all heart, and he could CT,
al the slightest provocation.
Speaking Of this reminds me Of a re
markable incident. You wouldn't thinl
President Harrison a sympathetic man
would You? If you were to hear Of hi
shedding tears you would naturally b
incredulous. He is supposed TO be on
Of the coldest of men. He isn't. Onl,
be is so constituted it is on but rare oc
casions he shows the depth and warmth
Of his feelings.
Three weeks before the Minneapoli
convention Mr.. Clarkson called on tn
president. Their interview ran through
two hours They had been warm friend
and were about to part company polit
ically. Harrison was going for himself
Clarkson for Blaine. Both are wonder
full takers. When their feelings ar
stirred their tongues are magic o.
this occasion they We're stirred. Tn
fire of eloquence melted them both, am
| when they parted both were in tears.
3 remarkable interview between politi
clans? Yes. But if did not absolutel
! know the foregoing to be true accoun
) Of it, so far asit goes, would not writeit
! Chester Arthur had magnificent man
ners. His manners, not his importance
, made him the candidate for vice presi
dent. and ultimately president. Littl
/ Van Buren's manners made him presi
2 dent too, because they charmed the oil
) hon who had no manners himself, ez
cept those which were bad-Andfe,
s Jackson-and jackson chose his ow
e successor. Old timers say the fines
( hammered president we have had sine
b Van Buren was Pierce A few week
r ago was talking with General Stewar
\ L. Woodford, the famous orator, on thi
D very subject Having an admirabl
q Courtliness himself, General Woodfor
r naturally admires it in others, and a
a once spoke Of Pierce.
+ II shall never forget, he said, "a
t interview which / had with Frankli
o Pierce. It was in 1854, Christmas day
n was then just Of age, and my fathe
, gave me permission to run over {
I Washington for a holiday. OF course
A. KrTI.s4. H.