The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1909-04-14

il II
80 to Washington to President
(&99) Taft, you will find yourself first up
against very important young
man. who will take you in hand and probe
and pry into your innermost recesses to dis
cover if you really ought to see Mr. Pres-
dent, or be gently and kindly turned away
The channels of executive business would
become clogged without his activities and
the ship of state would proceed but lamely
if he were not always on deck to keep it
trim and in proper sail, for he is the presi-
dents secretary, Fred w. Carpenter.
Once upon time asked: "What
makes a president CREATE?
Immediately spoke up and re-
plies: His secretary
That reply isn't altogether just to the
president himself, but it does give rightful
recognition to the real value of his secre-
tary. There is no question in the minds of
those who know what the secretary does
about his Importance to the machinery OF
government. President Roosevelt often safa
that he couldn't do business without Secre-
tary Loeb. President Taft, who for ten
years has had the services of Mr.. Carpenter.
first when he was governor general in the ~
Philippines and then secretary of war, -
has often declared that much of the success
of his administration of both of these offices
due to the efficiency of that young man. gas
An indispensable Person
rTHE presidents secretary is his alter ego,
his sine qua non, and various other things =
that might be said in foreign languages but
which in plain American mean that he is r.
the presidents right hand man. If his Of IT,
in front of the president, between him and
the public, the secretary might be referred
to as the man behind But as it is, he is
the man behind in front, or the in front
behind whichever way you please to put it.
A few years ago the Importance of this man
was recognized by the change in his official title
from private secretary which suggests nothing
much stenographer, which he is not to
secretary to the president which suggests some
thing like cahinet officer, which in he
is. There isn't another official in all the executive
oer ,fciln of f10a Who
is charged with such important duties and such
large responsibilities as the secretary to the pres
ident.
And who is this man who fills this important
place?
Fred W. Carpenter is of the west western. He
born in Minnesota little than 81 years
ago in an unromantic little town known Sank
Center When he was only 10 years old he moved
to California ranch with his parents, but when
he was ready to enter college he came back to
Minnesota and entered the state university in Min
neapois, where he completed law course i'll 1897.
Young. But Oh My!
Erred w. Carpenter is young and he looks young
l almost boyiSh He is small in Stature-'n
marked contrast to his big chief; he has smooth
narrow face, but good brow and very keen eyes
that bore right through the individual who stands
before him with a request that he the presi-
dent His voice is low and gentle, and as solemn
his face which smiles, of course, but rather UNI
der protest when he is on duty He is deliberate
of speech and dgnifed; he is deferentially coure.
and likewise reserved and quiet in manner
Altogether, this young man looks as though he
preferred not to meet men and deal with them
as though he might be easily embarrassed But
that is mistake. In spite of his seeming reserve
there is underneath a trmness and a sternness
that quickly to the surface when necessary
AS matter of fact, as the average APP
proaches him for the first time he is likely to be
the individual who is rattled-Carpenter never is
The man who interviews this young man also dis
covers that in spite of his quiet ways and his de
liberation, he never gives more time to any one
man or any one thing than is necessary. There is
outwardly no hurry in him, but somehow or othel
when you deal with him you feel hurried and you
state your business with every possible dispatch
AS soon as Secretary Carpenter gets what he wants
out of you he very quickly tells you what he can
and that ends it-no lingering around for another
word or two-you just move without urging tt
make way for the next man.