The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-03-30
How He Charmed Mckinley.

II have introduced thousand men
to President Mckinley" said Senator
Elkins, "and l never before got as
much satisfaction out of one of these
presentations as l did when l took in
John T. Crisp, of Missouri"
81 want to say something to the
President" said Crisp, turning to Ell
kins with an inquiring look. The
Senator nodded, and Crisp began. 81
have never in all of my experience
Elkins, in recalling the scene." The
President leaned back in his chair and
listened. The color came into his face.
His features lost the look of strain and
assumed that of interest. The fire came
into his eyes. Once he raised his
hand, stayed the flow of Crisp's speech,
and turning to Senator Elkins, said:
81 want to thank you for bringing Col.
Crisp here. This is doing me more
good than you know" Then, turning
back to Crisp, he said: $50 on,
Colonel; excuse me for interrupting."
The visit lasted an hour, and when
Crisp retired it was with hearty grip
of the Presidents hand such as no
other visitor received that day. Of
what did the Missourian talk? Of what
didn't he talk? He told the President
what the people at home were saying
and thinking. He told him that he
must not think the men who came to
him, who surrounded him, who wanted
this and that, and who tried to make
it appear that they were the medium of
communication between people and
President were really that. He liken-
ed the would-be dispensers of the pat
ronage to the tape-wOrm of politics,
devouring substance and doing the
body no good. 81 want to say to you,
Mr.. President, that the people believe
in you. Outside of all political differ
ences and considerations, they feel that
you are sincere man, an American
and gentleman. They feel that you
and they are of the same mind"
And then he told story of how, two
or three years ago, he came from po-
litical meeting and found his son Just
back from another meeting. The young
man had been to hear Mckinley. ''Was
it great meetiug?" the father asked.
"There were 80 many people you
couldn't see across Them" the son re-
piled. "What impressed you mostp"
asked the father. Father" said the
son, "when Mr.. Mckinley was speak
ing / felt here is man who is one of
the same people that am. If he is
nominated for President believe he
will be elected. / never felt about any
Of the Presidents as do about this
man." "Mr. President" said Colonel
Crisp, when he told the story, "that is
the impression you made upon young
man born and reared Democrat.
81 want to say to you that am a
Democrat, but in the recognition of
your sincerity and of your character as
an honest and honorable American gen.
tleman, l am Republican; and all of
the people, mean the people who are
at home, who do not come here and
talk to you about the offices, whose
hearts are filed with love of their coun-
try, whose patriotism is not tainted
with selfishness-just feel that way,
and they want you to know it. You
are to them what no other President
since Lincoln has been. They are
with you in whatever may come, and
they want you to know it, They hope
you may feel it, and may not judge of
their sentiment by what you may hear
from some who claim TO represent
them, but whose motives are I'M
worthy"
And 80 the talk went on, pathos, sar-
casm, philosophy, in quick succession,
quantity spoken. John Crisp talked
for one hour in the White House Ii
brary. A private citizen never had
such an audience-the President of the
United States and United States SEN
ate, silent and interested.