Evening journal., 1912-04-22
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The President Who Refused
to Speak In his Own Behalf
By Holland

was asked by Mr.. James N. Matthews,
at that time a prominent Republican
politician Of Buffalo, n Y, Colonel
George Bliss, who had been United
States District attorney for the south
ern district of New York, and two or
three other intimate political and per-
sonal friends Of President Arthur to
meet them for the purpose Of receiv-
ing proposition which they wished
to make to me- In the interview which
followed the meeting | was told that
the friends of President Arthur felt
that the puflic did not clearly under
stand what his policies had been while
President, what some of the difficult
ties he was compelled to surmount
really were, or what he had done to
put an end to the factional disturb
ances which beset the Republican
party at the time he succeeded Cen
eral Garfield in the Presidency.
I'VE want you to spend an opening
with the President; he will tell you in
great detail the story of what he has
done since he has been President
said Mr. Matthews "He will describe
/
Blaine resigned as Secretary Of State.
He will tell you why he vetoed the
river and harbor bill. He will show
you how he has been able to smooth
out the factional differences in the
Republican party. The public does not
know of these things and we are con-
fdent that If there is a general un-
derstanding of them, the popular de-
mand for the nomination of General
Arthur at the convention which is to
be held in June will be Irresistible
asked General Arthur's friends If
my chat with the President was to be
in the form Of an interview, and was
assured by them that that was Cen
! eral Arthur's understanding. ] said an
interview with the President would be
Of great value. but an impersonal re-
port Of what he had done would make
no impression.
"That Is our own view" said Mr..
Matthews. "and the President under
stands IT,"
At the appointed time l called upon
President Arthur. He received me in
the cabinet room. In front of him was
o little pad upon which he had iotted
down some things he wanted to say to
me-
In private conversation General Ar
thur was. one Of the most interesting,
at times fascinating. of men. He was
skillful in the use of the English lam
guage, and he was able to say with
great terseness and simplicity and yet
with clearness whatever he had in
mind to say.
was amazed at the frankness with
which he told me of the friction he
had with Mr. Blaine / was greatly
impressed with his description of the
study which he gave to the river and
harbor bill upon which he based his
reasons for the veto OF that bill, which
at the time was a very unpopular
thing for him TO do. He described in
great detail the difficulties he had
met with when trying to put an end to
the factional trouble in the Republi-
can party He encouraged me to ask
him questions.
/ was with the President about two
hours. When we parted he asked me
TO bring him a copy of my report OF
the conversation so that he could over.
look II before it was given to the
press
The article was long-about 10000
words. Il had been prepared in inter.
view form, with questions and an.
swers ] showed the article to the
Presidents friends and they were de
Lighted. They believed it's publication
would go far toward insuring his nom.
ination by the convention. But Pres
ident Arthur had not read one page
of the manuscript before he stopped
and began to speak with great earn
estness, saying.
"No. no; this must not be published
in this way ! had no idea that yoI
would write II In the form Of an in
terview. I shall not permit It to 3,
out in this form You must rewrite II
impersopally."
"But, Mr. President" 7 said. II sure
ly understood your friends to say tina
the article was 10 be I'm the form o.
an interview And if you viii ALLOW
me a suggestion, I would say that as
an interview IL will do you a grea
deal of good; but II Il appears i'm
personally il will attract very little
attention.
Il would rather lose the nomina
tion,' said President Arthur, earnest
ly. than TO appear before the coun
try in the form of an interview I havi
so great respect for the Presidential
office that J will not permit anything
TO be done which would impair in an,
way its dignity. If I cannot be nomi
mated without resorting TO an inter
view. then 7 won't be nominated. Tn
interview is for politicians. not 70
the President of the United Staes."
Having said this, President Arthu
spoke further to me with great cour
tesy and kindness, realizing that ther
had been a misunderstanding Fur
thermore, he said that had most &C
curately reported what he said And
then, with a smile as he bade m
goodbye. he added. I will see Geore
Bliss and Matthews and explain Z
them why I would not permit thi
method TO be adoDted Of bringin
about the nomination for the pres
dency."
AS for General Arthur's friends wh
had arranged the Interview. the
were always Of the opinion that. in re
fusing to permit the publication Of tn
Interview, President Arthur greatl
aided his enemies to defeat his ambl
tion to secure the Presidential nomi
nation
Copyright 1912. BY r. J. Edwards. Al
rights reserved)
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