South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-02-25
STATESMEN
REAL AND NEAR
BY FRED C. KELLY.

uncOntirmed report OF a remark made
by William Sulzer, the depOsed gov
ernOr OF New York, at the time OF ms
Impeachment trial.
.5ulzer was in conference with a
man and took occasion-sO the story
has ito observe To him:
Yes. and when history is written,
some years hence, il will say: The
four great men of the United States
have been George Washington, Thorn
as Jefferson. Abraham Lincoln, and
William Sulzer.
Now, mind you, the story is not en-
tirely confirmed. Maybe Sulzer never
said IT, Let US hope he did not, even
though he was modest enough TO put
himself last. But at any rate, the
conversation ras reported and was
told a little while ago TO group of
New York congressman, including
Sen. O'GOrman.
Well" smilingly commented
O'GOrman, who is reasonably tOler-
ant of the views of others, IF Sulzer
did say it. he wasn't far wrong. at
that. He picked three out of four
Candor is one of the prevailing
characteristics of Rep. Herman A.
Metz Of Brooklyn. Metz always says
precisely what he thinks. II you were
TO walk up TO him and ask his Opin-
ion about a highly priced new neck
tie, and Metz thought il looked like
Welsh-rabbity dream, he would frank
ly tell you so. Similarly if a beauti-
full woman should ask him for frank
opinion about the fit of a gown, she
would get the whole truth. He might
regret having to hurt her feelings. but
nothing could induce him to tell a
lie for the sole purpose of being
agreeable.
Metz is equally opposed TO needless
formality. and he declines to do those
t.rngs which are done for no other
/ reason than to follow custom.
Some time ago. Metz was one OF
committee of American manufactur-
ers appointed TO arrange about ex-
hibits at a big Berlin exposition. One
of those chiefly interested in the Ber-
lin exposition was the Princess Char
lotte, elder sister of Kaiser wilhelm,
and Metz had occasion to enter into
some correspondence with her. He
received a letter or two from the
princess written in her own handwrit-
ing. Now the princess. while a de-
lightful woman personally, and well
connected, writes just a fair hand.
When you get letter from woman
who writes only moderately well to
/ start with, and does it all in German
characters, you have bumped into a
! serious proposition.
Metz devoted about a week to try
/ ing TO decipher the woman's writing
and by the time he was ready to
make reply, he was utterly disguised
/ with letters written in pen and ink.
+ So he called a stenographer and ask
ed her to take a letter TO the Prin-
/ cess Charlotte"
The whole office force went right
up into the air.
Goodness gracious sakes alive!'
they told him: Don't you know it
would be the height of discourtesy TO
write to "a princess of the royal blood
on a typewriter She probably never
got typewriter letter in her life.
Then" said Metz, she's about 10
have a new thrill, for I'm going TO
write her one"
At the close OF his note TO the prin-
cess. he added this postscript:
You will kindly pardon my breach
Of custom in addressing you on the
typewriter. but I write a villianous
hand and / desire to save you the an
noyance in making out my handwrit-
ing that | suffered trying to read
yours"
That admirable candor made a
great hit with the princess and she
Immediately wrote Metz an invitation
to visit her at her palace.
Metz did So a little later on. and
the princess made a great fuss over
him He attended a banquet at the
palace one night in honor of a num-
Der of distinguished guests, and oc-
\ cupied a seat near the princess her
self. Everybody else at the table in
/ variably addressed the princess as
Your royal highness," but that seem
ed needlessly long to Metz, and he
spoke to her simply as you" All
the other guests were Mortified at
this, but the princess leaned over and
patted Metz on the shoulder, saying
You're all right"
They got as thick as thieves and the
princess confided to him how amused
she had been when she attended the
coronation of her cousin George as
king of Britain. The thing that anus
ed her was the way the queen took
out a little pocket mirror and consult
ed it 10 see if her crown was on
straight.
In the course of the evening the
princess asked Metz how he liked the
. palace where she dwelt
We'll, to tell you the truth re-
piled the candid Metz. lit is a nice
place to visit for couple of days and
/ am highly honOred TO be here. but
shouldn't care for il at all as a
steady diet"
Sen. Thomas J. Walsh of Montana
has devoted a great deal Of energy
for a number of years to fighting the
Amalgamated Copper interests in his
state. He has fought them across
trial tables and politically. one day
notwithstanding their disrelish for him
personally. the Amalgamated came To
Lawyer Walsh and wanted TO know
IL he would sell then, a legal opinion
on a certain matter.
Certainly. That Iiy business. -
replied Walsh. "BL III probably
charge you a pretty steep fee"
We'll pay il" they told him
He prepared an opinion that cover
ed only IL typewriter pages. but the
story is that il cost his rich clients
al il