New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-21
CTUTCS or THE INTERVIEWED

Some clever but ii is to he feared, worldly
minded man has defined lie as false state
lnout made To- Il person who has right ~
know the truth That will hardly meet with
the favor of literal minded people or of those
folks who are 50 impressed with the aScctic
side Of virtue that they regard social convcn-
tons a. a compromise with evil. and insist that
one should never tell an acquaintance he is glad
10 see him unless he has sounded the depth Of
his soul and knows that that Is his feeling.
But n study of the reports made by the news
papprs from the sources Of political knowledge
suggests that the unpnritanical philosopher has
sounded the keynote of the ethical code Cf the
interviewed
4 few weeks ago Mr.. William e. Whitney
gave a dinner 10 lot of Democratic politicians,
and after il was over Mr.. Roswell u. Flower
announced that the guests had discussed not
politics but the Egyptian question" meaning
by that the recently found codeX OF the Say
ngS of Jesus Another dinner was given the
other night which the suspicious thought had
political significance. Mr. Elihu Root dincd
with Mr.. Qulgg after as il is reported. having
had a conference with Mr.. Low but Mr.. Quigg
saws that politics had no more TO do with fhc
dinner conversation than did the affairs of the
moon. Mr. Reynolds. of the Citizens Union,
was yesterday quoted officially denying in
the face of many positive statements 10 the
contrary that Mr.. Low had reached any conclu-
sion concerning his candidacy. though he added
the new and startling information that Mr..
Low was greatly interested in the progress
of the movement for his nomination. Mr..
Walter Il. Atterbury. who, next 10 the lresi-
dent and Mr.. Wilson himself. ought 10 know
if Francis H. Wilson IS 10 be Postmaster 0f
BROOKLYN, has inst been charactcriZing STATE
ments that such an appoint ent was 10 be Inalc
as rubbish" UcIe are four explicit dcnals of
what except for them the public would regard
as facts OF course, everybody believes theS"
gentlemen No doubt Mr.. Wilson is not going
10 he Postmaster. Mr.. Low has not determined
to become candidate, Mr.. Qugg did not talk
politics and Mr.. Whtncys political guests los.
themselves in tho maZcs of patrstc learning,
And yet If before long commission should be
forwarded 10 Francis H. Wilson. and Mr. Root
should Ice useful in promoting anti-Tanmany
union. and Mr.. Low should come out with
letter showing signs of determination reached
long before and Mr. Whitney's friends should
he found working Al common political pUr-
pose, there are persons and they are not cynics,
cithor-who would accept those Incidents as a
matter OF course without in the least diScrcdit-
ing the intelligence Of tie gentlemen who have
foStered the contrary beliefs.
We would not for = moment say that all
these statements referred to were not abso-
lutcly correct. Their curious contrast with
what others say is true Just leads us to spccti-
late Il little on the philosophy Of being inter
viewed. |, is complained that diplomacy is not
n trained profession in this land of straight
forward business methods. But that can only
be meant in n technical sense. Being states
man now means to develop policies under the
eve Of the ubiquitous interviewer. What won
der. then. if our stock of casustry Is expended
in new directions: Far hc ii from us 10 en-
courage any man 10 think he must not turn
himself inside out whenever a new spaper asks
II. Perish the thought that the interviewer is
not entitled to the freedom Of every ones mind