The Idaho Springs siftings-news. (Idaho Springs, Colo.) 1905-19??, 1915-11-26


]. Bryan resigned his position
secretary of state in the cabinet of President
Wilson. He succeeded by Robert Lansing,
These two statements of fact are put together
because 1T may be justified by the human inter
est which exist in the fact that John
W. Foster is the father.in-law OF Robert Lansing.
II is probable that no two men more entirely
dlnerent In temperament and in manifestations
thereof ever existed than William j. Bryan and
his successor In office, Robert Lansing. Mr.,
Bryan was more or less inclined to be hail fell
low well met with men. Mr. Lansing has little
OF the hail fellow well met In him, but never.
theess he Is approachable genial and almost
without question the best listener that the state
department has had for a great many years
Now 1t is said frequently that the who is
q good listener is more AIT to get results than
the man who Is. shall not say good
but great talker. Those who know the pres.
emit secretary of state say that there is no chan.
mel connecting Of his with the other
This simply is their way OF expressing the fact
that nothing that goes into one OF Mr.. Lansings
ears hnds exit from the other. He holds fast
what he hears and later he acts on his knowl.
eoge or refuses to act on 1t seems better to
his understanding OF the case.
Ordinarily speaking persons like to hear
stories about men in high positions 1t is prob.
ably no exaggeration to say that there are a
thousand stories about Mr.. Bryan, about Mr..
Knox. about Mr.. Root and about one or an.
other OF the predecessors In Office OF the present
incumbent to one about the present incumbent
himself When one says stories OF course he
means human interest and humorous stories Mr.
Lansing does not lend himself readily to the ex.
ploitation Of fun making. He Ia grave man a
receptive man and therefore not at all an ex.
uberant His sense Of humor however ia
keen and he enjoys a good story we'll told and
enjoys It with evident II quiet showing O,
appreciation,
The kind OF story they tell about Mr. Lansing
when story Is demanded Is in character some.
thing like that OF the man himself grave and
dgnihed and not possessing the qualities which
make up the more or less substantial story with
8 substratum Of humor
For instance, not long ago two Ambassadors
representing foreign countries. and one hieh
official OF the United States government, ex
pressed desire for audience with Mr. Ian.
sing on certain Thursday evening Mr. Ian
sing said that he would be happy to see the
gentlemen at almost an other time, but on
Thursday evening must go to church"
Now. Robert Lansing 10 a Presbyterian and 4
good 1t took real sincerity Of purpose for
. secretary OF state. who Is supposed to be ready
at any hours Of the day or night to listen to
the plenipotentiares Of foreign powers. to say
in effect, NO. state matters must wait until
after prayer meeting.
When Mr.. Bryan was secretary OF state he
saw the newspaper men frequently and his inter.
course with them rather Of the free and
easy sort because the Nebraska gentleman was
spondents however, did not get any extraor.
binary amount Of news out OF Mr.. Bryan despite
his anability. Mr. Lansing has regular business
meetings with the correspondents. There are
few stories to fly back and FORTH few quips of
humor, and there 10 the usual reticencs on many
subjects which marks diplomacy. but Mr.. Ian.
sing nevertheless. always gives up q story q
news item Of minor or greater importance when.
ever It 10 proper for him 20 to do. and moreover.
he II Z pretty keen Judge OF news values despite
the fact that he 10 lawyer and probably does
not know . 4-em dash from . linotype machine.
Some people say that Mr.. Lansing had several
months training a. secretary Of state before hs
took once actually These are the people who
think that he ala most Of Mr.. Bryans work.
This probably 10 unjust 70 Mr.. Lansngs prsds-
cessor but II 10 known definitely that the pres.
sat secretary was consulted constantly and con.
sstently upon most Of the matters relating to our
foreign intercourse. which recently. a. everybody
knows has been in . state not only delicate but
psrilous
It 10 pretty definitely known now that when
NJ lansing was counselor for the state depart.
nant he aided the president materially In writing
the note to Germany which was penned June Q.
Il was the tone Of this note which Mr.. Bryan
thousht was too militant, and It was this note In
. way which caused the Nebraskan to resign his
position - chief Of the presidents cabinet.
When 1t 10 said that . man 10 grave. . good
listener and not overgivsn to talking. the i'm.
preston received 10 perhaps that he II laokins