The Portland daily press., 1892-04-02

politics with the correspondents. He is
great admirer of newspapers and news
paper men. He is the greatest newspa-
per reader in the senate. At home
evenings he spends many hours listening
to his wife reading from the daily pa
pers. Senator Palmer isn't frank about
the presidency, as Hill is. He doesn't
admit that he is a candidate. He merely
thinks it possible things might come his
way, but isn't worrying much whether
they do or not. Senator Palmer's col
league, Mr.. Cullom, is, on the other
hand, quite as frank as Senator Hill.
He simply says he wants to be nomi-
mated for president, and in decent,
dignifed way is doing what he can to
that end. Cullom is as plain and sim
pie as pair Of old boots, anyway.
A possible president who is now much
talked about is Senator German, of
Maryland. He is as secretive as Hill is
frank. German is master Of the art
of silence. Yet even he sometimes
makes mistakes, as i'll a recent news
paper interview, when he was reported
as making statements about men and
affairs which raised the very deuce IN
his state. VIII the art of newspaper
interviewing ever be SO perfected as to
satisfy both the man who is interviewed
and the man who does the listening and
writing? l fear not.
German is so much addicted to 81
lence, and does so much without MAX
ing any more expression about 1t than
is contained in smile, that people drop
into the habit of attributing to him the
methods of Machiavelli.
His reputation for skill and tact in
politics and legislation is as wide as the
land, and by many he is looked upon as
master Of fncsse; yet those who know
him well know that a large share OF his
adroitness and his SO called adaptability
to intrigue is, after all, nothing but SIN
cerity and politeness. The truth is SEN
ator German is a natural leader Of men,
and to be that he must be honest, he
must keep faith, he must consider the
rights of others, he must be unselfish.
Else he could not be leader.
Mr.. German was recently asked by a
friend for the secret of his success
how it was that he always managed to
come out at the top of the heap. cit is
a very simple matter" replied the sena-
tor. 81 keep my promises; treat every
man with whom come in contact with
fairness and consideration; / try to
make my enemies my friends instead of
changing friends into enemies by fail
ing to keep faith with them; | do not
try to drive people my way, but help
them go their way"
Senator German has all his life been
a leader. To go to the front without
making any fuss about it, to influence
men without seeming to try to do SO, to
direct them while apparently deferring
to them, is as natural to him as breath
ing. He is now the recognized leader of
his party in congress. In both senate
and house his voice is potent. Within
his party he has today greater influence
and power, i think, than any other man.
Yet his touch is velvety; the reins
which he holds are invisible; he is
almost demure in his unobtrusiveness.
He is a true genius, born leader, who
can do this. AS to the presidency, no
one can accuse him of self seeking. He
is not even candidate Sin the hands of
his friends" He is doing nothing. The
delegation from his state in the Chicago
convention will at the outset probably
vote for another. Yet Mr.. Germans
friends hope and believe he will be the
nominee.
Senator German is such modest and
unobtr1sive man that one does not
suspect how much there is in him till
acquaintance has ripened into friend
ship. Though always polite and alta
BILE, he is not communicative except to
those he has learned to trust. His friends
love him, and every one who is t 1
in contact with him is insensibl
by a power more easily felt than e1-
planned. He is strong and effective
though infretrnent speaker in the senate
His home life is charming. With his
wife, son and five daughters he is COM
panion and playmate. Here his reserve
is thrown off and he laughs, romps, plays
cards and tells stories till the young folks
are in ecstasies of delight.
Senator German is rich, having made
fortune by lucky investments with his
cousin, ex-senator Davis, in West Vir-
ginia coal lands and railroads, but no
breath of public or private scandal ever
touched him. He rents house in
Washington, but has beautiful farm
and country seat at Laurel, between
Washington and Baltimore.
WALTER WELLMAN.
England's Japanese Fad.