Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-31
XXI.
A Glance Behind the Mask. Of Gran
deur

| Not until late in the spring of his second
| year did Burbank find trace of gall In his
| wine.
From the night OF his election parasites
| and plunderers and agents of punderers
| had imprisoned him ip the usual presiden-
| tial FOOLS paradise. The organs of the in
| terests and their congressional henchmen
| praised everything he did; and my group
| of congressman and my newspapers. as
| loyal partsans. bent first Of all upon regu-
| larity, were silent where we did not praise
also. But the second year of President
first term is the beginning of frank. If
| guarded. criticism of him from hts own
| side. For II is practically his last year of
| venturng TO exercise any real official pow
| er. The selection of delegates to the party 3
national convention. to which President
| must submit himself for leave to resubmit
| himself to the people. is well under way
| before the end of his third year: and direct
and active preparations for 1t must begin
| long in advance.
| Late in that second spring Burbank made
| tour of the country, to give the people
| the pleasure of seeing their great man. to
| give himself the pleasure of their admira-
| ton. and to help on the congressional cam
! paign, the result of which would be the pre-
| liminary popular verdict upon his admins
| tration. The thinness of the crowds the
| feebleness of the enthusiasm. the news
paper sneers and filings at that oratory once
| hailed az a model of dignity and eloquence-
| even he could not accept the smooth eN-
plantations of his fatterers. And In No
| vember came the party's memorable over
| whelming defeat-reducing our majority In
the Senate from twenty to six. and substi-
| tuting for our majority of ninety-three in
| the House an opposition majority of sixty
| seven.
| I talked with him early in January and
was amazed that. while he appreciated the
! public anger against the party. he still be-
| iieved himself personally popular. There
is hull in prosperity" said he. and the
people are peevish." Soon. however. by a
E.,l,
| vanity is somewhat subject the truth be-
| gan to seep through and to penetrate into
| him.
He became friendlier to me. solicitous to-
| ward spring-but he chung none the less
| tightly to Goodrich. The full awakening
| came in his third summer, when the press
and the politicians of the party began open
| ly to discuss the next years nominate
| and to speak of him as If he were out OF
| the running. He spending the hot
| months on the Jersey coast, the natterers
SIN swarming about him and still assidu-
Gus, but their batteries falling upon ever
| deafer his mind riveted upon the
hair-suspended sword. In early September
| he invited me to visit him-my first Invita-
| ton of that kind in two years and half.
We had three interviews before he could
nerve himself to brush aside the barriers
| between him and me.
Il am about to get together my friends
with view TO next year" said he through
| an uneasy smile. What do you think OF
! the prospects,"
| What do your friends say?" l asked
nation He paused. and his look at me
made the confident affirmation dubious
question.
| Yes said l.
"And-dont you think my record has
made me strong?" he went on. nervously.
"Srong-with whom" said I.
| He was silent Finally he laid his hand
/ on my knee-we We're taking the air on the
ocean drive. Harvey" he said, Il can
| count on you"
! shook my head u shall take no part
| In the next campaign, l said. Il shall re-
| sign the craftsmanship"
But l have selected you my chairman.
! l have insisted on you. I can't trust any
one else. 1 need others. 1 use others, but
! / trust only YOU
| / shook my head II shall resign re-
peated. What's the matter-won't Good
rich take the place."
| He looked away. Il have not seriously
! thought of any one but you,' he said, re-
| proachfully.
! | happened to know that the place had
| been offered to Goodrich and that he had
| declined It. protesting that !, western
| man, must not be disturbed when the west
| was vital to the partys success. My reso-
| luton is fixed" said /.
| A long silence. then: "Sayler. have you
| heard anything of attempt TO defeat me
| for the nomination.
Goodrich has decided to nominate Gov
! ernor Rdgeway of Illinois," said l.
| He blanched and had to moisten his dry.
| speak. "A report of that nature reached
| me last Thursday" he went on. For some
| time / have been perplexed by the Ridge
way talk in many of our organs. | have
questioned Goodrich about it--and-I must
| say-his explanations are not-not wholly
satisfactory"
l glanced at him and had instantly to
glance away, so plainly was / showing my
pity. He was not hiding himself from me
| now. He looked old and tired and sick
not mere sickness of body but that mortal
sickness of the mind and heart which kills
a man often years before his body dies.
Il have come TO the conclusion that you
were right about Goodrich Sayler. l
glad that l took your advice and never
trusted him. l think you and l together
| will be too strong for him
You are going to seek a renomination?"
/ asked.
He looked at me in genuine establishment
1T is impossible that the party should re-
fuse me- he said.
l was silent.
BE frank with me. Sayler." he exclaimed
at last. BE frank. Be my friend, your
own old self"
LAS frank and as friendly as you have
BEEN? said |. rather to remind myself than
TO reproach him. For l afraid Of the
| reviving feeling Of former years-the Xix
ing for his personal charms and virtues, the
forbearance toward that weakness which
he could no more change than he could
change the color of his eyes. His moral de-
scent had put no clear markings upon his
pose. On the contrary. he had grown In
dignity through the custom of Difference.
The people passing us looked admiration at
him, had a new sense OF the elevation OF
the presidential office. Often it takes the
trained and searching eye to detect in the
ma jestic facade the evidences that the pal
ace has degenerated into a rookery for
pariahs.
Il have done what thought for the best"
he answered, never more direct and manly
in manner Il have always been afraid,
been on guard, lest my personal fondness
for you should betray me into yielding to
you when / ought not. Perhaps 1 have
erred at times. have leaned backward IN
my anxiety to be fair. But l had and have
no fear of your not understanding. Our
friendship is too long established, too we'll
founded" And do not doubt that he be-
lieved himself; the capacity for self-decep-
ton Is rarely short of the demands upon it.
Its unfortunate" l began. l was
going to say 1t was unfortunate that no
such anXieties had ever restrained him from
yielding to Goodrich. But l hadn't the
heart. Instead. finished my sentence with:
However, its idle to hold post-mortem
on this case. The cause of death is unim-
portant The fact of it Is sufficient. No
doubt you did the best you could. Mr.. Presi-
dent"