The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-11-24
An interview with MelIen.


As an infmitesimal plus quantity
in the statistical passenger miles of
the New Haven System, on the | o.
clock limited train out of Boston, UNI
der gray silk cap. sat the most bit
terlv debated railroad man of his
time and generation. Few but the
conductor knew him. Scores Of fel.
rcnductor knew him. Scores of fel
low travellers passed him twice. once
going and once returning, between
tie forward coaches and dining ca:
at the rear. with curiosity unawaker
ed. He rested his elbows upon tho
arms cr his Pullman chair. tappel
the ends of his ten fingers meditativo
Y together. and stared steadily out
ward through the window.
There was one who passed and re
passed trying 20 catch his eye, and
who. falling IN that, leaned down
yer The chair and said:
"Wc have not me-. Mr.. Mcllon
incc an article appeared as The re
ut OF q conversation wa had Il
your Office last January. Our sub
Get. il yor recall. WIS the Presiden
u he New Haven Railroad as 8
lYmen pergoU
The man under the gray cap slow
y extended his hand. saying
Wen. vcu found hlm Iar, human
aid yen nc,?"
"Ycs, hut have wondered since
Shat YOU thought Of IT,"
"'rhc pari % Il did no, Ike" said
VIZ Mclleu "was THAT part which
aad my lips trclnbicd with emotion
am not an emotional man. You
1rerdid that
Il did nor exagserate my impress
on Of IT, II was the emotional side
II yen tina seemed mpst interesting
erhaps because i, had not been dis
covered before
Ten me- he asked, why have the
&, wspap"rt SO delighted TO Witty
re- Why have they made me ont a
ronstcr? That is something do
not yet understand.
Perhaps. for one reason, because
50 few people knew YOU personally.
ana that SO many had, therefore, the
less conjunction about visiting upon
YOU personally the disirust they tclt
OF your work. Also, there is a
momienwn TO such things. They
got started and run their course
You had always nadc Yourself iuae'
ccssiblc. Nobody knew Cherries $.
Mclcn as humaa bclng. He rc9rc-
scented monopoly"
"nu men OF your profession have
S. d 10 mc iti they would like TO
write something friendly and
couldn't. as 1t would cost them their
Jobs."
That must have been said very
2Wkwarlly
"Ncwspapcr men cannot write
whal they bclicyc" Nj Mcllcn in
sisted can thcy?"
"lf they write whal they do not
believe they disgrace their work"
"Dun'i incy write as the policy Of
their papers is?" he askcd. Don't
they write things this way or that
% they are told TO do?
when YOU have become an issue,
Mr. Mcllcn. and the newspapers
have adopted What you call policies.
a reporter would be under the in
nuoucc Of his papers policy. no
doubt hut. even SO policies OF that
sort are not invented wanionly.
They represent tho convictions OF
he men who are above the report |
IRIS Nevertheless. n reporter who !
Tells YOU that hc cannot write what |
he believes TO be true is not worth |
ssur consideration"
= have had q sharp tongue" said |
Nv. McIlcu. evidently thinking OF
omc OF iis work. for lac smiled |
,riinly II hsvc lambastcd somc |
,copic~
'Thcy know it,
Z don't mind rough handling, lW
AID. = raturf enjoy ~. Ut Tvs give
,ui take. Now. there was prouiy. |
Everybody who was al The Interstate
commerce Commissions hearing |
sst SUMMER in Boston. where prou.
y presided. fcit thai he was biased.
didn't mind that bit. n was com
nr io mc. had given BE- 20 prouiy /
looked un his record cnce. found /
where he had been procuring people
o make complaints against the New
Iavcn iong ago. and had then him
eli tried the complaints. put al
v that IN a speech 7 delivered az The
.rt Museum in Boston. made
'routy hOi. believe he said that
.e would get even with So. That
gas his chance in Boston last sum-
n.a mae Hs. .sar.. .-a...a.ra..I Il