The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-12-15

Stories are told of two incidents which
+ occurred recently, one illustrating the
/ presidents bitter contempt for threats.
the other his Impotence with unneces-
sary discussion of matters that are
/ practically settled.
/ LemueI Eli Quigg. regarded as one OF
Senator Platt's chief lieutenants IN
New York made himself an unhappy
/ object lesson. in the first Instance. He
called on the president 10 plead for
/ the retention of George r. Bidwell as
collector Of the port of New York and
/ was listened to with courteous atten-
/ tlon. But apparent success made him
rash, and he began to insinuate that
the president, by removing Mr. Bid
wei, might incur reprisals from the
organization" He began" and that
was all. For. as the story is related,
President Roosevelt fairly jumped from
ms chair and told the astonished Quigg
/ That he was not conducting the public
business in the interests of any cabal
and cared naught for threats.
q 8 o
And if you came here to threaten. &"
he is said to have added. Il will ask
you to withdraw Immediately and let
me continue my work"
Mr.. Quigg's attempted apologies We're
cut short, and he withdrew as re-
quested
A few hours after the Quigg Incl
dent was closed the president was Wis
tied by a delegation of Chicago bust
ness men, who had come to Washing
ton to ask him to recommend in his
message to congress the establishment
of new executive department of the
government, to be presided over by
secretary of commerce. As it is well
known that the president heartily
favOrs this proposition, and has deter
mined to urge it upon congress, those
who know him best realize that he
does not want his time taken I'D in
further consideration of it.
But the Chicago men had selected a
spokesman, who had prepared a per-
suasive grafton, and when they were
admitted to the presidents room he as
sumed a grave OratoTical pose and
proceeded to discharge his fine speech.
- o 9
Mr.. President, we have come to you.
sir, all the way from the magnificent
city Of Chicago. not as politicians. not
as Office seekers. out as" began the
patnstahng orator from the Windy
City, whose flow of elOQuence was alb
ruptly cut short by the president, say
ing:
Yes, yes; / know you. / know you
are all from Chicago, and
At this moment the orator, deter
mined to fire off his speech, began
again: Mr. President. we have come
to you, sir. all the way from
Yes. yes; L know, know" snapped
the president.
The magnificent city of Chica"-the
somewhat embarrassed but still IN
daunted orator persisted.
"Oh, yes; ali, yes" exclaimed the
president, again interrupting But
pray let's get down to business"
As L was saying bravely the Chi
cago orator reared this time with his
face the color Of a tropical sunset at
sea. Mr.. President, We have come
To see about the establishment of
a department of commerce" whispered
one of the delegates into the presidents
ear.
Well, WELL" fairly screamed the
president. half petulantly and half
good naturally. 7 am glad to learn
that Chicago favors that proposition.
l do. too, so there's nothing for US to
talk about on that score. Delighted to
meet you. Come again.
And with this the president gave his
visitors plainly to understand that the
interview was at an end
The orator. however, stood his ground
eourageously, for when the president
snapped out his final word ne started
again at the beginning OF his speech,
and was restrained from delivering the
whole grafton only by his companions
bearing him along in their movement
out of the door,
But the Grafton wasn't wasted. Just
the same, for it was telegraphed out
to the Chicago paperS that niPht for
home consumption as though il had
actually been delivered, word for word,
in the White House.