The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-05-05
GLIMpsEs OF HARRISON,
An Alert anu Genial Man, Who Talks Welt
and Knows What IL Going On,

"W hhoWs W nat IN Going On.
T. c crnirtorl n ne Et,u York Hsrali
3 ltalways needs moro than casual
ACQUAINTANCE with Mr.. Harrison 10 mp.
prcciate and arrive ut a knowledge Of
his true character
He is very easy talker and has a
most keen approciationo Of tho character.
ilstics ofpeople with whom he comes in
contact. He also discloses a surprising
fund OF humor :
My first experience with President
Harrison In q newspaper way was prior
10 the Chicago convention which nomi-
mated Mr.. Blaine. The Chicago Tribune
asked me to write sketch OF Mr.. Ilar.
ffson's liic, as no was ono OF tho candt-
dates then. ! called at his house,
which no then occupied on Fourteenth
street, and told him what l wanted. I
was anxious to have from his own Inns
the material necessary to write n cor.
rect biography OF his life. Tho best
evidence possible OF his simplicity Of
character and lack Of vanity was shown
IN tho way no responded to this 70.
quest. There was not tho slightest as.
sumption Of mock mokesty. Ho COM
piled with ciyility and told tho story OF
ms HE, in the privacy OF his librery,
with the same clearncss, conciseness
and lack OF personal color as II he had
been telling the story Of tho career OF
some one else. In tho presentation Of
tho salient facts of his history he
showed the clear, concise intellect OF a
lawyer who understands how to pre-.
sent the essential features whilo elimi.
mating tho details not necessary 10 the
completion Of picture.
| had after that q number OF occa.
sions to call upon Mr., Harrison when
he was senator but had no special note.
worthy experience, although L had un-
usual opportunities for forming an esti.
mate OF his character. lie is ono Of tho
most honorable and upright men have
ever known in public lie. His ability
is now. conceded by everyone. While
no has the reputation of being cold
man, he ia really one OF tile most
sympathetic and tender hearted.
He has been obliged through circum.
stances to lead q life Of toll, and has had
few OF tho relaxing advantages which
come from ease and an ability to escape
from tho grind Of daily work.
lie is excessively Independent and
has that strength OF character which
sustains him readily in going ahead
without the advice OF any one, if neces-
sary, although he is tho last man to take
any important action without iull and
free consultationSwith all his associates.
He IS a much better politician, in the
highest sense OF the word, than any man
in the cabinet.
Last winter when l was in Washing
ton | could get to see him as easily as I
could get to see any member OF Con-
gress. But it was always with the un.
dcrstanding that none OF tho conyersa.
ton was to be used as comingirom him.
Some OF the best pieces of news, come OF
the keenest observations which l used
in my letters had from Mr.. Harrison
himself. / could always obtain much
more interesting material from the
President than from Nj. Blaine, be-
cause the President seemed to have a
much better knowledge OF the general
situation of politics, and what consti.
tuted news than the brilliant secretary
OF state, whose mind was wholly ab-
sorbed in the field of diplomacy.
The President is often attacked when,
If he were permitted to reply his oppo-,
nent would DO completely knocked out.
This can be illustrated in no better way
than by giving stoyy that the Presi-
dent told in that talk OF a certain public
man who, although, n Republican, had
become practically an opponent Of the
administration.
This official sent one day to tho Pres
ident an applicant for Office with a let
ter OF the most cordial endorsement.
TWAS letter written in such terms OF
euloey that tho President felt that il
the bearerSof in was worthy OF the en-
comiums ,heaped upon him nothing
short of cabinet office would be his
due. Ie took the matter under consid-
Grafton in connection with IN import
ant appointment. The next day the
high official, who was n leading member
OF Congress, called upon him, and in
the course Of the call the President
said: do you really want this man
appointedf"
"Not at al" was the reply, "he is tho
biggest scoundrel in tho state, and
meant to have sent you letter yester-
day to pay no attention to my letter OF
Endorsement"
Several months after the member OF
Congress called upon the President for
the purpose OF asking, him to help Sc
cure his own reelection. The President
treated him with great civilitv, but gave
him no encouragement. 1t was with
difficulty that he controlled himself so
as not to hand over to the mombcr OF
Congress letter which tho applican t
mentioned above had sent to the
President that morning. Tho letter
was from the member OF Congress to
his constituent. explaining to him why
he had not received mis- appointment.
He said in his letter that Harrison was
failure as President, had no real ap-
probation OF working Republicans and
that it was impossible to obtain any,
thing from him. l think the President
must have had great self-control to have
listened calmly to the pleadings OF such
q lying hypocriteas this particular pub.
lie man in question. Tho story is val1-
able in illustrating tho point that in
most Of the stories against tho President
it is possible that il the Presidents sto-
ny Of the Same thing could be known,
quite q different impression would be
created.