The Detroit times., 1913-03-15
LAIE|'|
TOUSE SILE
AS A FORTH
New Secretary q STATE G.
EIudes All Reqsssts HI
~ Information fE
CORRESPONDENTS CHOW
DESPERATE OVER RUIIlgG
Silver-Tongued Orator Weekiov
Hard, but With 5
Brain Only

WASHINGTON, March -1k-v1on
William Jennings Bryan became 4e4GH
tary Of state. little did m enthmo1QGlGe
populace ween that the job woul1 I'd.
velop another quality IN the yogon
Nebraskan
1t has, however. And today. whoo
Bryan isn't barricading himoeeg
against callers. paying their -
spects." with an application Tor -
OF some kind In their pockees), IT,
secretary Is giving freefor.au Oxnfbt.
ton Of silence. To which the speech.
lessness OF the clam Is q mighty yooG.
About the only chance any newepoe3
per correspondent has had 20 fnr -.
finding out what Bryan thinks Of N
tional policies has been to purchase ~
photograph and some records Of
Bryan's speeches.
Everybody knew that Philander c.
Knox, Bryan's predecessor, was -
silent person. He exuded It. Ever
time he decided to break his luu4
speechlessness he put on . pair g
ear-muffs so the ~ unusual sound
woaldn b. jar him. But when Bryan
was named az his successor everybody
in the newspaper world perked up.
There would sure be some news with
the Nebraskan on the job. "
Mr. Bryan has been sunve: WHY:
charming: pleasant: and smiling. But
he hasn't said anything nor publeoar
ton. and. furthermore. has candldly
announced he doesn't intend to.
The second or third day after he
had been sworn in, troop Of enth1l-
siastic correspondents were admitted
To his presence.
Gentlemen" the new secretary b.
gan before anybody had . chaneo to
say anything I'm afraid you are
going to be the most unfortunate news
paper man in Washington 20 far -
news Is concerned. I shall make II =
rule not to talk about anything at MI
until 1t has been done"
But. Mr.. Secretary" one CORE
spondent expostulated, I'VE have here.
tofore been in the confidence of the
department and in that way have ~
sisted number OF times"
so" retorted Bryan. We'll. when
want to put out 'feeler' (May use
that as diplomatic termD I'll use
you
He hasn't yet FUSED" the newspaper
man.
/ The next interview went like this:
! "Mr. Secretary, how about Mexico ?"
"Ah" Bryan replied earnestly, You
have heard of the Mudfog papers,
where the correspondent wired In IT
is 1890 o'clock, and nothing has hap
pened since wrote you last"
Thereupon he turned and greeted
Senator Tillman with much eclat.
Finally. after q week OF It, the cor
respondents got desperate. One OF
them asked Bryan how much he
weighed. With the diplomatic stroak
strong in him. the secretary answer.
ed:
Tom Reed said, No man over 300
pounds is gentleman-I am % or
"a pounds over being gentleman"
Then he SAID, when he got new
house. had his riding horse shipped.
bought q new hat, OF something Ike
that. he would bulletin" the fact 20
the press. On such little things ~
the Mexican question. Cuban amnesty,
or something. he had recourse to the
Mudfog papers. and announced thar ft
was now O'Clock and the same condi-
ton OF affairs existed. 1t has been
successfully two. three. four and Avo
o'clock, and the same report, since
then.
But nevertheless and notwithstAnd-
ing the fact that the sllver-tonguod
Wrator won't talk, Mr.. Bryan n Ger
tainly on the job at the state depart
ment. He is there early and late. He
has an enormous number of Callers.
He works like a truck horse.
But, oh, how silent he II.
--------------------