Evening journal., 1911-12-27
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
BIaine'S Formula for Keep
ing a Secret
By Holland

General Grant was widely known as
the Silent Man." although he was,
in fact, when. with company of
friends one Of the most loquacious of
men. John Sherman. when Secretary
Of the Treasury under President
Hayes. was often spoken Of as the
"taciturn Sherman" although he,
when a member Of the Senate. was
thought sometimes to be almost reck-
less in the freedom with which he
discussed public matters, and especial
ly auctions. pending before the SEN
ate. Mr.. Sherman, however, explained
to me why. after he became Secretary
of the Treasury, he became a silent
man. He padlocked his lips. he said, SO
that he could not even by intimation
or hint reveal his purposes respect
ing the resumption of specie payment,
which was to be undertaken by him
on January /, 1879.
But It was the opinion of many of
those who were associated closely with
James G. Blaine, specially when he
was Secretary of State in Garfeld's S
ing political campaigns in the State Of
Maine, that he was the most skillful
man of his time so far as taciturnity
was concerned He was able to conceal
his thoughts or his knowledge not by
silence, but by sustained and highly
interesting conversation which turned
the attention of any one with whom he
was chatting away from a subject of
Importance of which Il was known Mr.
Blaine had knowledge.
At one time in the early weeks OF
President Garfields administration
there leaked from the White House to
the public, or from some one in close
touch with the White House, many
things, the publication Of which seri-
ously annoyed the President and Mr.
Blaine. The latter did not believe that
any one who could give information
had knowingly or purposely impaired
ii, but he was persuaded that some
member Of the cabinet had unconsci.
ously leaked. said a word or two
which justified an acute listener seek
ing news in presuming that he had OBJ
tained the information he wanted.
Early in May, 1881, there was an i'm.
portant cabinet meeting. The Secreta 5
OF the Treasury. Mr.. Window, had
worked out a plan, as he thought, BY
means of which he could retire at his
discretion an issue of Government
bonds bearing FIVE per cent. interest
in such manner that the extended
bonds would only pay three per cent
10 was a matter in which almost all
the banks and many Of the great finan.
ciers Of the United States were great.
ly interested. They had protested
against refunding this issue of bond:
at three and one-half per cent and hat
been able to prevent legislation which
would have accomplished this. It was
Of vital importance that not the slight
| est inkling of what Secretary Windon
proposed to do should reach the pub
lie. The cabinet fully supported Tho
! Secretary Of the Treasury in his plan
and he was also asked to go ahead anC
make preparations for extending thl
five per cent bonds upon a three pc
cent basis. E
After the session was ended ant
the cabinet wa about TO depart MI
Blaine said:
81 have now just one word of caution
10 give, and that is that every mem
ber Of the cabinet preserve absolute
secrecy upon this matter not cvel
telling any one what the object Of thi
cabinet meeting was.
Now, | have learned Mr. Blain
continued, "a perfectly easy way o
keeping a secret When | have a mat
ter in hand which | believe should b
kept absolutely secret until the tim
comes to open my mouth about 1t,
bear in mind this single formula" A
this point Mr. Blaine rose and locke
from one to another Of his fellow cab
snot members. When he had the eye
of all Of them, he held up the fore
finger OF his right hand and then con
tinued:
IF you tell a secret to one person j
perfect confidence. that one person
indicated by my forefnger. If he tell
that secret in perfect confidence to an
other, that other one is indicated b
my second finger Up shot the finge
You would say that means no NOR
than two But two figure ones whe
side by side are really the arithmetici
symbol for eleven; and it is, therefor
10 eleven that you are In danger {
/ telunb YOUR secret II you lch IT,
even one. OF course, with eleven pei
sons II Is no secret at all. So, when
want especially to impress upon m
mind the necessity Of keeping the ma
ter abolutely secret, I hold up m
forehnger and say That is one an
then I hold up my second finger, an
say, That means eleven Aud | kee
the matter to myself"
Copyright, 1911, by r. J. Edward
All rights reserved)