St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-02-03
SUAVE AND polite
Are the Nations BPainy Hen
tothe interviewing Re-
porter.
ONLY MEN OF IGNORANCE
Enveloped in Their Own Self
Esteem Resort to the
Snub.
PRESIDENTS ARE C0URTLY
And Cheap Offieeholders I'm
ruly as the Average
Mule.
PRESIDENTS ARE C0URTLY

Twelve years in the newspaper
business has demonstrated to my
entire satisfaction that it is only the
ignorant man who snubs the re-
porter Brainy men snub no one.
They are the last to turn lmpa-
tiently away from the interviewer
Having brains themselves, they
naturally respect others who pos
sess them. And without brains no
man is long identified as a reporter.
In twelve years 1 have interviewed
hundreds of men of all classes. The
only ones who ever Snubbed me-lt
snub is the wOrd-Were cheap pol
iticians, ignoramuses elected sud
denly to office by some strange freak
of fate, or the man from the country
who believes that newspaper is
secret agent of the devil-deriving
his ideas from bad novels or the pro-
auctions of poor writer's. Never
have l been snubbed by a brainy
man. An ignorant legislator who
came here recently with his pants
stuck in his boots, replied impa-
tiently to my questions:
"Oh, 1 can't afford to talk to re-
porters." His fussy air of self-im-
portance brought the bald ignorance
of the fellow in full view-in Jumps.
Contrast this with the reception I
enjoyed in Ohio from President
Cleveland. My card sent to his
room secured audience at once. AS
I entered the room President Cleve-
land came forward and, with a
smile, extended his hand.
81 am glad to meet YOU" he said
politely. 81 am always glad to meet
reporters for the daily papers" He
did not ask me the object of my
visit. He was too polished for that.
He awaited my questions and an
swered them as any intelligent gen
tleman would.
Contrast the actions of the jay
legislator with the polished manner
of Chauncey M. Depew, whom L in
terviewed in Minneapolis on the oc-
casiOn of the national convention.
His quiet dignity was not drowned
in the flood of smiles that suffused
his face, and yet 1 was sensible Of
his manly dignity while being made
to feel that I was welcome. A great
stack of kilograms lay before him.
He laid them aside as he stepped
forward to shake hands. The tele-
grams were possibly of vital i'm
portance. | never would have
known it from the manner of the
great railway magnate and polished
poSt-prandial orator. If [ felt any
trepidatiOn on entering the room,
1t vanished in the face of the polite
and apparently cordial welcome
from one of Americas great men. A
few moments conversation with Mr.
DepeW revealed to me the reason
WHY a New York reporter smiles
with satisfaction on being assigned
to interview "Chaunce," as the re-
porters Familiarity speak Of him
entre nous.
Not q great While ago I went to
Interview one Of our own aldermen.
when I put the first question, he
cooked his hat Oil the side of his
head, assumed a great air of wis
dom, and sarcastically observed;
"I0u smart newspaper men think
you know a whole lot, don't you?
We'll, you don't git nothin' out of
ME. see? I'm too wise
Keep the picture Of that alderman
IN your mind while you accompany