The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1907-10-26
PIE AND PRESIDENCY
SECRETARY coRTELYou FOND
OF THE PASTRY.
New England Press Comments on
Psychological and Political Cues
tons Involved in Connection
With Appetite.

Presidential candidates on the Re-
publican side cannot fail to note the
earnestness with which the Boston
Transcript and other New England
journals sieze upon the fact that the
Hon. George B. Cortelyou is regular
and discriminating consumer of pie
at luncheon. Since the publication
OF details concerning the leading fac
tors in Mr.. Cortelyous midday re-
past, the press of New England has
been teeming with comment upon the
psychological and political questions
involved. Some of the Yankee papers
insinuate that the publication of the
Cortelyou luncheon menu meant the
launching of the Cortelyou presiden-
tial boom, while others think the rev.
elation of Mr.. Cortelyou's pie eating
proclivities makes him ipso facto and
par excellence, the New England can
Idate. From either point Of view the
pie discovery assumes political i'm
portance. There may be much in
this apparently simple fact" observes
the Boston Transcript, with typical
conservatism. Much? Decidedly
much, when the truth is grasped that
it is mince pie that attracts the Sec
rotary of the treasury From an zap
parently simply fact" the discovery as
sumes aspects extremely complicated,
obscure, and potential The Boston
paper does not fail to note that Mr..
Cortelyou was New Highlander in
the most plastic period of his life,
where he absorbed not only pie itself,
but the history and influence of pie
IN character molding and nation build
ing. The clam pie of Marb1ehead, that
great breakfast food that has made it's
survivors indestructible in war and
obstreperous in peace, is no stranger
to George B. Cortelyou. Nor is he
unacquainted with the pumpkin pie
that sustained the Green mountain
boys in many scrimmage. He knows
and admires Sthe voluptuous custard
and the cranberry that coquettes un-
der its crisscross mask. He has prose-
cuted many an investigation Of the
fair seeming but explosive buckle
berry, and the apple, cherry, peach
and prune have not prevailed against
him. But with the access of wider ex-
perience and augmented confidence,
Mr.. Cortelyou finds his chief delight
in the pie of pies. the protean, subtle,
and mysterious nince. In it he finds
food for thought, intimations vague
but inspiring, manifold memories and
mysteries which battle while they slim
ulate his keen and analytical assault.
Mince pie is the food of mature man.
1t is the cosmopolis of pie yielding
treasures to the true lover Of re-
search, but completely bewildering the
untutored. George B. Cortelyou's de-
votion to mince pie may make him
the choice Of New England for presi-
dent but it is unjust to insinuate that
be is trying to reach the white house
by the mince pie route. Mince pie
has helped to make him what he is.
He is not the man to turn his back
upon his friends nor to use them as
his ladders. If the discovery of his
long association with mince pie brings
him political honor, it will be merely
another piece of good fortune in a
singularly fortunate career. He has
not advertised his intimacy with
mince pie, but, on the other hand, now
that the truth is known, he will not
desert the friend of his youth and the
prop of his maturity. If he goes to
the white house, mince pie will be
honored there.