The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-24
the reader to wonder Just how far the

International disturbance went and
how 1t was concluded. In the urs
OF a business trip to England the au-
thor met the British publishers Bonn,
John Murray the third. George Bell.
Sampson Low and others. who pass
en~tertainingly through these pages.
Mr.. Putnam tells n good story "on"
himself. As a worker against machine
politics In this town, he had not a
fiattering view of Chester A.. Arthur
when that gentleman became Presi-
dent through the death of Garfield;
though he admits, magnanimously.
"Arthur's character and capacity for
good service developed under respon-
sibility. He freed himself largely. II
not entirely. from his old time smaller
political associates. and de-
serves to he commemorated with
honor" Mrs. Putnam was visiting in
Washington at the house Of Mrs. Lo-
ring, wife of the Commissioner Of Ag-
riculture. President Arthur was glad
to receive at the White House any
friend OF the Lorings. But: What
did you say a the name of the
lady" asked the President. And on
being old he said: George Haven
Putnam IL one of those irresponsible
reformers who have no regard for the
reputation OF other people'-with an
epithet which the reminiscent does,
hut we shall not, reproduce. Then.
after a moments pause, he added:
But. after all, that Is not the fault Of
h wife or OF the little girl. Let the
LADY come. by all means; and we will
say nothing about her husband" And
opportunity:
We were at that time living on Washing.
ton Heights, In a neishborhood that. while
a part Of the city. was then a very rural
community. We had been somewhat both
cred by the condition OF a big sunken lot
Immediately to the south OF our cottage.
In which there had been permitted to
gather stagnant water. disagreeablc and
possibly dangerous. The wife had found
that this lot was the property Of Presl-
dent Arthur and when he asked as a mat
ter OF form whether there was any way
In which he could serve her she responded
frankly enough: "Mr. President. 7 do wish
that you would give orders FOR the drain
ing of your lot on li0th street" He asked
for particulars and II was evident that he
'"'' ~ pi't s'als loFk'kAth tpNu' In'N
particular property; II must be placed to
the credit Of a busy President that the
remedy which he promised should he given
20 the difficulties complained OF was. a
few weeks later. duly pu; into effect This
lot was drained and the mosquito breed
ing and the risk Of malaria were brough.
to a close.
Two Presidents. Jefferson Davis and
Grover Cleveland. swan into the
publishers ken in his earlier years in
the publishing business. and both
were unsatisfactory in their business
relations with the firm. Davis thought
his book should sell as well as Grants.
and was inclined to accuse his pub
fishers of bad management. If nothing
worse. Cleveland. invited TO conyey a
message to the people of What the
Democratic party ought to stand for.
h matter To he used as Introduction
To a set of Jefferson's works. was
found "a difficult and an u|ngracious
man to work with and to work for"
Henry Willard. Judge Roger A..
Pryor. John Bigelow and Mr.. Choatc
are remembered. Andrew Carnegie,
on shipboard. talks with a college pro-
fessor who upholds the Greek and
Latin classics as agencies of inteilec-
tual development and Inspiration:
Not "A bit Of It. that Is all an absurditv.
People work over the Lain and Greek
ana because they have had the labor %,
anding out through the diHculiie. OF Tho
language what tho writer was saying. they
convince themselves that there was value
In what he said. J have looked Into the
classics. ] gave some weeks to them last.
winter. mo- in the originals to be sure. but
in TRANSACTIONS which gave me a good
enough idea OF their purpose and char
a'tcr | have heard so much talk about
:he beauty OF the classics that J thought
I ought to inform myself IN regard 20
them. There is nothing IN them a. al.
II Is a clear waste Of time even 20 ,ako
them in English. and, OF course. a much
'arger waste TO give the additional 'ahor
required 10 master the Latin or the Greek
II ! could have my way, tho college stu
dents would be obliged to Civ 70 -. book.
90 the past half century and to tic books
~ their own language nil tho time that
could he spared In theI. lives FOR literature.
But the main thing after all for the
youngsters IL, OF course. 20 learn how 20
make their living and to do their duty az
citizens.
In 1854 there came 10 the Putnam
office n young man who announced
that he had some literary ambitions
and would like 10 try the experiment
Of being a publisher" The young man
had left college to live on n Western
ranch for his health: had returned.
finished his course at Harvard and
decided TO enter business in New
York. George Haven Putnam found
himself Eat once Interested in the OK
uherant vitality and wide suggestive
ness of the young man, who waS full
% opinions strongly held and emphati-
cally uttered" a special partner was.
as 1t happened, just at that time
leaving the house. and as the appli-
cant was able TO maie a larger invest
ment he was put in the empty place.
His name was Theodore Roosevelt,
II Major Putnam has a good deal
to say about him. Would 1t be rude
TO say that possibly the first impress
sions produced by Mr.. Roosevelt are
just slightly colored by influence Of
the history Of the later years? The
Major says:
He promptly developed a full measure o.
original theories for the running OF a pub
fishing business. theories which were al.
ways Interesting but which IN mos. cases
did not appear TO be practicable or prom
icing OF good results under the existing
conditions. However emphatic Theodore
might he In presenting a plan or a piece
OF counsel he accepted always gool