The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-04-26
THE TALK OF THE TOWN.

Andrew Carnegie was the guest OF the
National Press Club last night. when he
| delivered an informal talk on the Payne
AIdrich tariff bin and told his audience
that President Taft would go down TO
history as the first ruler" 10 promulya5o
the doctrine that differences between ma
tons should be submitted 10 courts just
IS are disputes between individuals.
The magnate walked briskly in and
seated himself I'm a rocker, beamlng upon
the audience scattered in groups all over
the clubs smoking room. before any one
was conscious Of his presence.
Someone clapped his hands in a timid
greeting. The hubbub OF voices abated at
once. and In a moment a general outburst
Of applause and landslide OF chairs in
dicated that everything was OF the minds
and Andrew Carnegie was on.
A little man with a neatly trimmed
gray beard. big, square head. set on
round but stocky shoulders. and unmls-
/ takebly Scotch eyes-smaH. sharp and
with a smile constantly lowering I'm them.
beneath thick eyebrows. While being in
troduced by the president. he sat with
his eyes closed and head lowered down on
the bosom OF his shirt When about 10
make n point In his speech he would do
the same, gesticulating with one hand
and holding the other tucked away I'm the
side OF his vest. Napo.eonic fashion. and
every now and then he would leave his
table and come close upon the front rows
OF his audience.
You would not believe Il. boys. but
It's a fact" he said. that my earliest
ambition in life, while yet IN my teens.
was TO become a newspaper man-but
fates never gave me a chance. I suppose.
n / did, I would own great chain Of
newspapers by now. eh1 Then. no doubt.
every one OF you would be Just my boys
and every one 4 millionaire. I am re-
sponsible for forty-two. as Il is. think
Wen. anyway. I never got a chance 10
satisfy my ambition"
And so ne went on. in this ofY-hand
fashion. perfectly at his ease. without any
oratorial flourish. but keeping his audi
ence spelIbound by sheer substance Of
his talk. 1t was all substance. no beating
about the bush. He spoke Of the West.
where he has just been touring, and how
that mighty free, lOose-iointed demo-
cratic West gladdened his old heart.
'No daddyism there: no, Everybody
Just himself. One wholesome, happy. IN
conventional brotherhood. And growing
well, 7 would not believe Il. but some one
had told noe that one paper in Los Ange-
les had more advertising than any other
paper in the States; moro than any New
York paper 1t Is true; 1 have seen Il
with my own eyes"
He had a very lively time on his tour.
and he laughed good-humoredIy, recount
Ing the flights" Of the bright reporters
about his perilous escapes.
They said IN tho papers that tainted
twice when being interviewed on the
Pittsburg graft scandals. Well II I did.
1t must have been a feint you know.
never tainted in earnest I'm all my life.
A friend Of mine suggested the following
epitaph for my grave: Here lies a man
who knew how TO get around him mon
ADLER than himself It Is true. perhaps.
and am proud OF il, but would sug-
gest altering Il a bit. or. rather. shifting
the emphasis, thus; Here lies a man
who knew how to get around men ADLER
than himself
Carnegie pronounced the Payne-AIdrich
tariff bill the greatest advance in tariff
legislation ever enacted in this country
at one time. The issue OF the tariff. he
said, no longer centers IN protection.
There is no more need OF tariff in the
steel industry than on wheat. This coun-
try is now the cheapest market for steel
The tariff which played such an import
ant protective part during the uphuilding
stage Of the steel industry could now be
lifted of altogether. But II Is always
wiser TO go little BIT too slow than a
little too fast. In taking one-half OF the
former schedule, the biggest reduction
was enacted OF any previous tariff meas
ure."
He advocated the imposition OF taxes on
the importations Of silk and wines and
other Injuries, and said that those who
consumed the best OF the earth should
pay double.
Next, the question Of international peace
was taken up. and the leading motive OF
his arguments was voiced In the recent
utterance Of the President: mo nation
should sit in judgment in its own cause"
''All international disputes should be
settled by arbitration" he declared, "even
upon questions of honor. 1t is not war
we have to fear now, when peace is on
the book. It Is the danger of war. Par