The San Francisco call., 1896-04-12

The newspaper interview, by the grace
OF perfectly natural desire on the part
OF most people to be interviewed and the
wish of all to read interviews, has become
marked feature of the Gaily news. On
this account there is much interest in the
phase of the subject presented by Cor
nelius Vanderbilt in his persistent refusal
to be interviewed. Noquestion of etiquette
is involved in his case. No reporter would
think of seeking an interview with the
President of the United States or crowned
parsonage of Europe. Even the Prince Of
Wales may not be interviewed, although
he is one of the most democratic and genial
of gentlemen and could grant an interview
without any fear of disagreeable conse-
| quences on the score Of Misrepresentation.
But etiquette forbids his being interviewed.
Mr.. Vanderbilt's assigned reason for
refusing to be interviewed is that his
father was once incorrectly made to damn
the public IN that hearty way that became
him so well. 1t is bitterly and persistently
denied that he ever gave vent to that OBJ
| jurgation. These denials do little credit
to the old gentlemans independence of
character. He may never have said it, but
every body will think he did, for every
intelligent person of any character and
| force feels like saying it at times. Not to
say it, is merely to have some tact. It
behooves millionaires in business to be
tactful. Moreover, those who think that
| the elder Vanderbilt's remark was so
dreadful thing to say overlook the fact
that it never could have done the old
gentleman the least harm, and that, on the
contrary, it raised him in the estimation
of the thousands of brainy world-builders
who want to say it and are afraid, and who
acquire az added respect for the man who,
in moment of petulance, blurts it out.
vicarious praying.
Cornelius Vanderbilt avoids interviewers
professedly Tor the reason that they may
misrepresent him as they did his father,
and that hence his ability for making
money out of the masses may be curtailed
by the operation Of q resentfuI feeling.
No other reason has been given, and we
must take that as all. 1t would be far
more agreeable to assume that as a man
"worth" 100000. coo (note the significant
meaning which this decent word has come
to acquire in recent times) is hundred
million times as worthy as man worth"
81, it would not be becoming to his supe-
rior position to place himself on a level
with men of smaller worth who are will
ing to be interviewed. That need not be
regarded as superciliousness; we may call
it self-appreciation. This in its proper
aspects is an admirable thing, for if it is
not vanity it is pride, and that is one of
the best things in the world. 1t is differ
ent from msef-consciousness, which belongs
to girls of the adolescent age and to peo-
pie who remain adolescent all their lives,
never maturing.
We are not even permitted to believe
that Mr.. Vanderbilt has lack of conf
dence in his own intelligence and tact
which. makes him avoid the dread inquisi.
tor of the press. For ability to meet an
interviewer with perfect self-com mand, a
fine wit and shrewd tongue is posses sed
only by persons of uncommon intelligence.
The man who can lie glibly in burst of
confidence is an artist. The impressive
person with large and imposing manner
who overwhelms reporter with his mag
nlfcent weight is genius. The ability
to be interviewed is fortune to its pos
SCISSOR. It comprises brains. tact, a wise
assumption of becoming modesty and
certain kindness of heart. 1t is as easy to
refuse an interview as it is to insult q
beggar or strike a woman. We are not
permitted to believe even that Mr.. Van
derbilt's refusal to be interviewed is a
modest and gentlemanly confession of
inability to talk intelligently without in
juring his money-earning power.
On the contrary we are forced to accept
the bald and naked explanation that, as
his father had once been misrepresented,
he also might be, and that his large inter-
ests do not permit him to take risks with
misrepresentation which may affect his
revenues. That is the explanation given
by Chauncey M. Depew, who in giving it
seems to furnish evidence of a spirit
strangely out of harmony with his usual
aspect of kindliness. 1t means simply to
say that Mr.. Vanderbilt, being of necessity
sordid, prefers fearful to tactful sordid-
ness. In other words, as men OF brains,
culture and kindliness regard the inter-
viewer as an exceedingly useful imple-
ment for advancing their worldly inter-
ests, Mr.. Vanderbilt must forego that adj
vantage by reason apparently of fear
that in spite OF the fact that the benefits
dangers, Mr.. Vanderbilt cannot turn that
circumstance to account in his pursuit of
money. If 1 were his nearest friend I
should be ashamed to make that confes.
sion concerning him.
Many persons coming into conspicuous
positions bIunder under the interview out
of sheer ignorance of the world and its
ways. They are unable at first to realize
that eminence, whether temporary and
adventitious or worthy and lasting. is de-
structive of perfect privacy, and that the
newspaper is the commonly accepted
bureau of publicity and promotion. 1t
helps infinitely more than it hurts, and he
who is not aware of that fact has his first
useful lesson of the world to learn. The
tyro in the experience Of being inter-
viewed may resent newspaper inquiry as
an impertinent intrusion upon an exclu-
siveness which no one has right to pene-
trate, or ruinous interference with pri-
vate matters with which the world can
have no concern. Resentment Of the in