Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-11-24
Once upon a time

] Once upon a time
| This Is not fairy story, and 1t has
nothing to do with princes, tho it con-
| Germs a man who has dealt, first hand
with kings.
| tried once to put before Theodore
/ Roosevelt the situation in the north
west as it would be affected by Cana
! dian reciprocity. That was early
! last March. In a letter to him ex-
planned the difference between gem
eral tariff reduction. and free trade
on farm products. set forth Gas
well as was able). the northwest
farmers reasons for opposing the
:, treaty. and appealed to him. as one
who had lived in the northwest, to
come to the aid of, the farmers with
his quick appreciation of their needs
and perils, and to give them the
backing of his powerful influence.
by return mail received letter
from Mr.. Roosevelt expressing aston
| iasment at what had stated.
"Why, 1 understand that the north
west wanted tariff reduction" he wrote.
Il am interested in what you say and
would like to talk with you about the
matter"
Then wrote:f IF you will grant me
an authorized interview. (Which will
be read to you before it is published.
and receive your sanction as to ac-
curacy), will come to New York for
the purpose, or meet you anywhere else
| in America"
Mr.. Roosevelt did not give consent;
| in fact, his private secretary wrote that
L an IN
tterview. And so, whenever we read that
Ex-President Roosevelt. being inter-
viewed by the reporter of -, de-
clared that he was dee-lighted. and
yet had dee-cided to support Senator
| LaFollette or Eugene Debs for the
presidency, remember. always, that that
reporters real true name is "Ananias.'
and the the paper aforesaid is so yell
low that it is jaundiced.
Whatever material statement you
read in Roosevelt interview is a 'lie,'
for Roosevelt interviews for publication
are like hens hind legs-"there amt
no sech things"
| But Mr.. Roosevelt gave me an In
vitation to meet him on the train as he
was approaching the Twin Cities last
spring, CATER his western trip, and. as
l felt the need of backing my own state
ments with the testimony Of farmers, /
arranged, thru Editor Bacon, Of the
Grand Forks Times. to secure the at
tendance also of some five or six prom
| inent North Dakota farmers. and, to-
gether. we spent two or three hours
with Mr.. Roosevelt. on the train be-
! tween Fargo and Minneapolis.
Were we interviewing the ex-
president?
What! Only six Of US, against MT.
Roosevelt-and Interviewing him?
No, dear children, he was interview
ing U.S. Yes, that is the way it was, all
thru those three hours.
whew! What reporter he would
make! He can ask more questions
right to the point-than women's
sewing bee or a cross-examining law
yer.
And he asks his questions as tho
he was going to take you at your word.
He is so earnest, so intense, so direct,
that his piercing eyes bore right thru
all crust and go straight to the heart.
I have interviewed many celebrity,
but when it came to tackling Theodore
Roosevelt. it was just like a mosquitoes
bends the mosquitoes teeth before 1t
even hicks the man-of-war. Just so.
Roosevelt does the interviewing to suit
himself, and I know one mosquito
whose teeth are slightly dislocated.
And then, as we six, Northwestern
farmers rose to go into the next car
to rest, how earnestly he cautioned us
to remember that he had not committed
himself at ALL but that he was In
tensely interested" and he requested
two North Dakota farmers (who were
not journalists nor last governors. but
Just real farmers), to write out their
arguments for publication In The Out
look.
And the reciprocity war went on
without any Roosevelttan Hague ana
next came the organization Of The
Farmers League Of Minnesota and
The FArmers' League OF South Da-
kota And 30, again wrote to Mr..
Roosevelt and sent him copies OF the
newspaper accounts Of tho leagues. and
asked him to send US q line Of endorse
ment which we gould reproduce fac
smile. It would encourage the boys.
It did not come. He had mo advice
to give" but said he would like to have
me call on him the next time was in
New York.
That 10 how I came to have my Sec
ond interview with Past President
Roosevelt" and I'll tell you about IT.
Shall I report the interview YER
batim?
Then It would be Teddy at the bat"
with the accent on the hat. ~
But It was . mighty interesting In
terview and who knows but that It
may affect the fate of empires and
principltities?