The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-09-24
JOHN sHERMAN,s INTERVIEW
He Thought He Had Not Talked
Much to the Reporter, but the
Printed Report Undeceived Him.
PiXley, in the Times-Herald.


Senator Sherman is not an easy prey
for the newspaper boys. Throughout
Ohio he has long been called "the Mans
field icicle" because of his personal
frigdity; and yet he is at all times
kindly, courteous and to those who en-
joy his confidence even affable. But
when he quietly says that he has moth
ing to say for publication" the inter-
viewer may as well retire at once.
"The newspaper reporter" he once
remarked to me, sis the greatest en-
igma of the nineteenth century. 1 am
interested in him always, respect him
generally and fear him sometimes.
But l never cease to wonder at his re-
sourcefulness in searching for news.
Shortly after ] was appointed Sec
retary of the treasury in President
Hayes cabinet had occasion to go to
New York on business of an official
nature which l wanted to keep strict
ly quiet. I took especial pains to
guard against newspaper men and
hattered myself that l had succeeded
pretty we'll
II transacted my business without
| reportoial interruption and fancied
L
| nifty. AS l entered the elevator at the
| hotel to go to my room, however, l
| found that the car contained one
other passenger who, instinctively, l
| felt was a member of the bohemian
| tribe.
1.-THE car started upward, but be-
| tween the second and third floors it
| got stuck and came to a dead stop.
Apparently the elevator boy had lost
| control of it and was unable to start
| it in either direction.
| / instantly OWNED that the cause of
| the stoppage was a half dollar given
| to the boy by the reporter for making
me captive. The shrewdness of the plan
| amused me greatly and l suppose such
| enterprises really deserved to be re-
warded, but kept as mum as an oys-
ter and refused to answer a single
| question of the volley fired at me at
| point blank range.
| "The reporter gave up the interview
| as a bad job, and the car again start
ed upward. AS l left it couldn't for
! bear the pleasure of saying with
| malicious earnestness: Young man,
you will confer a gret favor on me if
] you will not print what / have just
said to you.
| "Id like to oblige you SENATOR he
| replied, with much seriousness, but
| business is business, and the story will
| have to 60.
| Somehow, / recalled that episode a
dozen times on my trip back to Wash
| ington When | arrived l picked up a
| New York paper, and there on the first
| page, staring at me under great
| black headlines, was a two-column in
terview touching upon nearly all the
| leading questions of the day and Civ
ing my views upon the very financial
matters which had taken me to the
metropolis.
"At first / was boiling mad. Then
I sat down to read the article through.
1t was a work of art-well written
and carefully edited. 1t gave my
views precisely, did not misrepresent
me in the slightest particular and in
fact, voiced my ideas in better shape
than / probably could have done the
work myself l was more than pleased;
/ was delighted and really felt quite re-
lieved that the vexed question of pub
licity had been settled so well. My
first work after finishing the article
/
York paper thanking its representa-
| tive for the care he had shown in re-
| porting me correctly. Pretty soon q
| telegram was handed to me- IT was
| dated New York and merely said:
| To Senator Sherman: Thank you.
| The elevator is running all right to-
day.
"It bore the name of the reporter
a name 1 had never heard before and
have never heard SINCE"