Evening journal., 1910-09-15
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Real Secret Of a PreSi-
deutlaI Friendship
BY "BOllaad."

During the short period-a little
more than a month-that Chester A.
Arthur, as president, actually
presided over the Senate of the United
States, he only met Senator George
G.. Vest casually. But during the fol-
lowing winter, when Arthur had sue
ceeded to the presidency and taken
up his residence IN the White House,
| Washington gradually awakened 10
the fact that there seemed to be a
growing intimacy between the head
OF the nation and the physically
( small, but Intellectually large Demu-
cratic toga wearer from Missouri. At
last, the capital made up its mind
that the two men had become close
/ personal friends. thereafter the coun-
try was notified of the fact, and There
was considerable comment here and
there THAT the president, a Republican
of the stalwart sort: should find Il
dyed-in-the-wool Democrat so con-
genial personal companion. Indeed.
the most intimate personal friend
that the president made among public
men in Washington was Senator Vest,
who almost daily was a visitor at the
executive mansion.
Two winters before General Arthur
left the White House to become a
! private citizen I ventured to ask of
Senator Vest the secret of the
friendship that existed between him
and the president, adding that the re-
lationship they sustained one to the
other had always seemed more or less
puzzling 10 many persons.
Yes" said Senator Vest smilingly
Il know that great many have been
wondering about our friendship. hut
the original cpuse OF II Is very simple
and not at all mysterious. You see,
shortly after General Arthur moved
into the White House il became in-
cumbent on me to call upon him in
yegard to an official matter. At that
meeting we discovered that we wee
each extremely fond Of fishing and
especially of that brand of fishing
that requires patience and some ex-
peTtness to land a fish after Il has
made a game fight. We at once had
common interest. opposed though we
are politically; from the soil OF this
common interest our present day
friendship has sprung, and many a
tire wien. ! SUPPOSE. we are sus-
rected Of talFirg official husiress. the
president and I ave merely engaged
In telling each othe~ our choicest fish
stories and describing our experiences
at fishing in different parts of the
country.
'DO you recalI-of course you do
that the president took a long trim
THROUGH the northwest last July and |
that I was his sole cOmnanion on that }
triD-at least. for the erti~e distance? J
tH.t - 1
was taking a pleasure excursion to |
see Yellowstone. Park and 10 get ac- !
ouainted with na~ts OF the country he
had never visited; and there was
good deal OF wonder whv a De~,o-
cratic senator went with him. Well,
the real reason for that triu was Just
FISH. aud I was largely responsible
for its being made.
1T came about in this way In
April. 1888 Just aster CONGRESS- had
adjourned. the president visited Flo~i-
/ da. Shortly after his return to the
White House I ca1Tef u~ou him ara
we talked until 3 O'clock IN the morn
! ing about his evre-ie~ces IN the South
esHecial1y his fshirg e~re-ierces. He
| told me. among othe- thinPs. how he
went off one day with guide in a
| rowhoat IN some Of the myste. ious
portions of Kissimree 7 aie. evrect-
ing to have day Of black bass fish
ing and he had it-a most glorious
day of sport And he told me how he
brought back his fish TO the steam
boat upon which he was making that
part of the excursion and the cook
prena ared them for sumner.
"Till long after Midnight the p~esi-
dent entertained RE thus. Then. in a
moment Of enthusiasm. I suggested to
him that II he wanted to have a rev
evrerience I'm fishing he should make
trip In the summer to the far north
west described the fascination, the
sport. Of mountain trout fishing, and
the president grew move and more en-
thusiastic as I proceeded to my per-
oration Finally. he cried: II you
viii go with me I will make the trip
some time IN July or August re-
piled that I thought ! could arrange
my affairs so as to accompany him.
and he answered that if he could be
sure of me. he would begin to ar
range for the trip the very next day
That day I was able to let the presi-
dent know that could make the TIN,
be at once got busy with the arrange
ments, in due course we started for
the northwest, and there we had
abundant experience and glorious
time.
"I don't like the presidents roli-
tics. Senator Vest Smiled wrily-
but tell you as a personal COM
panion, and. II I may saw 1t, as a
fishing companion especially-he is
the most agreeable and lovable man
Rave ever met"
Copyright. 1910. by z ]. Edwards
(All rights reserved.)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards wiz tell