Evening journal., 1913-12-06
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
How Lord Randolph Chur-
chill Gathered Information
BY Holland,

During one OF my visits To Great
britain some years ago met Iohn
henniker Heaton. who next to Roland
Hill. did more for the postal system
Of Great Britain than any other ono
man. ! had already been in CORE
spondence with Mr.. Heaton az lono'
ago as the time when was postmas,
Ter OF New York, and later when
was postmaster-general at Washing
eon. Mr- Heaton was a strong advo-
ea'e OF penny ocean postage, a policy
him"
Former Postmaster-Ge General Thomas
L. James began, with this reference
70 Mr. Heaton, an anecdoto telling Of
MS experience with Lord Randolph
Churchill shortly after the marriage
OF Lord Randolph to Jennie Jerome.
of New York.
Mr.. Heaton told me-" said Cen
eral James, that Lord Randolph
Churchill had an extraordinary gift
for collecting facts. not only by read
ing books but by keeping himself in
touch with people who would give
him Information. and Furthermore,
that he was able by unusual and
really intuitive processes of mind
thoroughly to digest and assimilate
into orderly and systematic relation a
great many facts which he obtained
by asking questions of those who
would give him accurate answers.
Il was reminded of this statement
of Mr. Heaton's by an experience OF
my own. / think it was in the sum-
mer Of 1871, although ] am not quito
certain about the date, that Leonard
Jerome, who was friend of mine
called upon me TO ask if it would be
convenient for me TO see his new SON.
in-law, Lord Randolph Churchill. at
the postofiice in New York city. OF
course, / was only too glad to meet
Lord Randolph. for 7 had been told
that In England he was looked upon
as man who had great career in
public life before him. Moreover. he
was of an illustrious family. his
brother being the Duke or Marlbor-
ough
"A time that was convenient TO both
OF us was then fixed upon. and. at
the hour set. Mr.. Jerome called. with
Lord Randolph. ] was greatly inn
pressed with the young man. OBJ
served that he was utterly without the I
sort Of phlegmatic manner sometimes |
characteristic OF youthrui members OF /
the English aristocracy. He seemed
to me more like an earnest. inouisi- I
tive Yankee Within a moment after
we had exchanged greetings he be-
gan to ask me questions about the
administration of the New York city
postofllce If he had been a cross
examiner he could not have been
more persistent or searching than he
was in his inquiries Hk wanted to
know all about our methods of col
lecting and delivering mail / should \
think that he was occupied at least I
fifteen or twenty minutes with asking (
me about the arrival of mails from /
Europe and our methods OF distribut- /
ing them, not only in New York city. |
but in the mails going. to other parts
of the country.
II soon discovered that Lord Ran
dolph was not asking me these Ques-
tions either as a matter % courtesy
or out Of idle curiosity. He was get
ting information. He was with me,
should say. about two hours, and /
am certain that in all my experience
as postmaster OF New York or as
postmaster-general ! was never sub
jected to such persistent and search |
ing inquiry. all OF 1t in the direction !
OF Information OF facts. as was by
Lord Randolph
when the time came to part he
was very cordial in his thanks. He
said that ! had given him the oppor-
tunity to become Thoroughly informed
respecting the American postal sys-
TEN and that he had obtained some
good ideas, which he was sure would
be put to use In the postofflce system
of Great Britain.
- A few days iaterI met Mr.. Jerome.
and said to him that his son-in-law
had learned pretty much all there
was 70 learn about the New York
postotiice and the American postal
service
"'That is the way lord Randolph
learns Mr.. Jerome replied He is
going to be a hest-informed man in
Great Britain. because, while he is a
careful reader, he Is a more careful
and thorough Investigator at first
sources. He never sees a man of in
telligence without asking him some
questions which will give hm In
formation. And that is equally true
In the field of politics, Of business. of
science and literature.
"My own experience" continued
General James. sufficiently explained
to me why It was that when Lord
Randolph Churchill entered the
British cabinet he was esteemed the
best-informed man on the greatest
variety of topics of his time"
.F =
(copyrght 1913. by 2. J. Edwards.