The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-03
FROM MADISON TO WILSON.
Reflections by One who Has Had the Fc.
licity OF Gazing Upon the Latter.

From the North american RerieW at the
beginning Of 10 hsndredth year.
Physically Mr.. Madison was the smallest
President these United States have ever
had, but Intellectually. possibly because
he was the first we knew, we still con-
slider him our greatest, present company.
of course, excepted. Indeed. we do not
hesitate to admit that the two Chief
Magistrates who have held for us the
most particular interest arc he who re.
tired from office on March 3. 1917, and
no whose term his FIRST OF course, We
hasten to interject since we would imply
no disagrecable misgiving with respect
to the future) will expire exactly one
hundred years later, on March 3. 1917.
The coincidence Is rendered doubly
striking TO our somewhat far reaching
vision by certain points OF similarity be-
tween Mr.. Madison .and Mr.. Wilson. not
In appearance, of course, because our
present President, we are told by our
editor, who recently had tho felicity OF
gazing upon him, Is anything but "a
solemn. sad eyed man nor especially in
conversation, even though Mr.. Gaillard
Hunt does record that after dinner II
the men who sat around tho table drink
ing their wine were his friends, the ladies
in the adjoining room might hear loud
roars Of laughter from the Presidents
guests. who were enjoying the Presidents
Irresistible Jokes"-quite az Assistant
President House IL privileged TO do now
adays.
Other minor phases of resemblance are
plentiful We are told, for example, by
Mr. Gailard Hunt that Mr.. Madison was
armed with all the culture of his CEN
tury," derived primarily from his study
and associations at Princeton; that he
was a man OF versatile scholarship and
kept up his knowledge OF the classical
languages; that he was learned In
theology. having at one time studied with
the thought Of becoming a clergyman. and
had read the French and English philoso-
pliers and sceptics' that he Studied
law, but this science. political economy,
and social science all belonged to his
erudtion in political science i'm which 1t
is not an eNaggcration 10 say thai no
had exhausted the record Of human ex-
perlence and reasoning" that his rec
ord in public life was guarantee that
he would preserve the balance Of power
in tho GOV rnment"; that he employed
his learning with sobriety, and his politi-
cal principles were practical; that nc
was well aware that in political prac-
tice the statesman must deal with human
nature. human weaknesses and human
passions, and that his function In to di-
rect or follow, not to force, public incli-
nations that he would have insisted
upon the validity of general principles in
politics. and would have denied that II
was not an object of government to pre-
serve political Institutions II those ins'i-
tutions wero In his view essential to the
preservation Of principles; that in con-
structive statesmanship no other Ameri-
can had record equal to his" that he
"hatod war that tho people held him
In respect. but nc was hardly more than
a name to them; that mis- character
was assailed less than that OF any OF his
contemporaries and was, In fact, unas-
satlable": and, finally that he had his
-ncinies. but he himself hated 20 one
n simple but comprehensive declaration
vividly paraleed by President Wilson
when, on December Is. 1914, no said to
the University Commission
There IL charming story told about
Charles Lamb, The conversation In his
little CIRCLE turned upon somo men who
were not present and Lamb, who YOU
know. suffered. said, Il hate that fellow
His friend said. Charles, dldn't know you
knew him" Lamb said, II don't; I can't
hate fellow l know"
think that is very profound human
fact You cannot hate a man you know,
OF the accuracy of this diagnosis OF
human proclivties we, being inanimate,
are unqualified to speak With authority;
but as n thought, whether really
human fact or not, assuredly II is both
happy and reassuring