New-York tribune., 1911-09-17

nm IN his private room we saw through
"'e cPen door into the Cabinet chamber
tWo mon enter
DO YOU know these men?"
No"
They are men in whom America is
just now much interested: REYNOLDS and
MS colleague. whom | sent to Chicago to
inquire intothe stockyards and slaughter
houses Part of their report, enough for
my purpose, mas been sent to Congress.
ana no doubt YOU have read IL. The rest
is TOO awful to publish. You would like
to see IT. wouldn't you?"
Yes"
You never will"
Often enough the surprise in which he
delighted came in a different way. Dur
Ing a crisis which affected England as
well ai the United States he sent for me.
and hegan:
i am going to talk to YOU in conf
dence; not word for print. | think it
desirable you should know privately
what the view of the Government is and
what, in certain contingencies. I intend
to do"
His statement lasted for twenty min
utes. He talked with that lucidity and
force which came to him when he dealt
with great affairs. Now and then |
asked a question. which he answered
without reserve. When he had finished
sail:
II, Of course. understand that what
you have told me is not to be repeated
But may | say that from talk I have
had with high official authority draw
such and such conclusions?"
The lips parted over the white to !,
the eyes cleaned behind the glasses, and
the President answered:
THAT is why sent for you
| was to take the responsibility and
not he. II was my business to take it,
and l did If my conclusions had been
challenged. had all the evidence to sup
port them and could have used none of
IT, But that is one OF the risks which a
journalist has to accept. In fact there
was Nv 'bhbVllb' i'pii "i'N f''' W.
worth noticing, and The Times dis
patch had. think, the effect the Presi-
dent meant it to have.
One other detached and hope Illus
trative anecdote.
When / came back from ottawa with
Sir Wilfrid Laurier's authority to re-
peat TO Mr.. Hay and the President what
he had said 10 me about Alaska, |
brought with me a long memorandum
which both the Secretary Of State and
the President read. 1t contained the
substance of several conversations and
a statement OF what I'believed Sir Will
frid ready to do. have always thought
that If the President had then had
to avail himself of this knowledge Of
what was in sir wilfrid's mind, as a
basis for negotiations But there stood
the sepate. IN its most implacable mood,
and neither Mr.. Hay nor the President
thought the moment propitious for ap-
preaching that august body with any
fresh proposals. I was given to under
stand that. much as the Canadian Prime
Minister'S desire 10 close the contro-
versy was appreciated, no step could
then be taken During long audience
pressed II as much as I thought per
missible. and finally said to the Presi-
cent was still unwilling 70 take No
for an answer I felt that he was as
to give 1t as l was to take it,.
Finally he said:
We'll. YOU arc coming here this even
ing and I will consider the whole ques-
ton meantime. Stay on after tho others
are gone end We will have final talk"
Mrs. Roosevelt had reception "fter
the dinner and it was past midnight
before her guests departed. Then we
tramped up and down the long passage
between the East Room and the Con-
servatory till half-past one. At the
end the President said
81 am very sorry. hut it must he No
"Then I can only say good night. /
oughtnt to have kept you so late
Late? You think / am going to bed?
! have 100 pension bills to read before
/ turn in"
why not veto them all unread?
That's easy for you TO say, but dld
YOU ever hear of the Grand Army Of
the Republic?"
Upon which we parted. Politics had
to come In They often had. They
were never very far from the Presidents
mind. An old and loyal friend of his
said to me:
mo mans sense Of public duty Is
higher than the Presidents, but he Is
the 'slickest' politician of them all. lie
can give points 10 Platt or anybody
else. And yet he somehow manages to
nut duty first and politics afterward.'
An appreciation which / hope Mr..
Roosevelt will himself appreciate.
G.. w. s.
zyrcC nOIITn TNTERTAINS 400