Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1915-12-03

~ succeeded few BY m Ssn 'S aso W SDa
J. Bryan resigned his position
as secretary Of state in the cabinet OF President
Wilson. He was succeeded by Robert Lansing
These two statements of fact are put together
because it may be justified by the human inter
est which seems to exist in the fact that John
W. Foster Is the fatherin-law OF Robert Lansing
II Is probable that no two men more entirely
inherent In temperament and In manifestations
thereof ever existed than William j. Bryan and
MS successor In office, Robert Lansing. Mr.
bryan was more or less inclined to be hail fell
low we'll met with men. Mr. Lansing has little
OF the hail fellow we'll met in him, but never
theless 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 men who is
good listener Is more at to get results than
the man who is, we shall not say a good
out great talker. Those who know the pres
emit secretary Of state say that there is no chan
mel connecting one OF his ears with the other
This simply is their way Of expressing the fact
that nothing that goes into one OF Mr.: Lansing.s
ears nnds exit from the other He holds fast
what he hears and later he acts on his knowl
edge or refuses to act on It as seems better 70
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
thousand stories about Mr.. Bryan about Mr.
Knox, about Mr.. Root and about one or an.
other Of the predecessors in once 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 en-.
ploitation Of fun making He is q grave man a
receptive man and therefore not at all an en-.
uberant man. His sense OF humor, however IL
keen and he enjoys 9 good story we'll told and
enjoys It with an evident. II quiet showing of
appreciation
The kind Of story they tell about Mr.. Lansing
when a story IL demanded 10 IN character some
thing like that OF the man himself, grave and
dignlfed. and not possessing the qualities which
make up the more or less substantial story with
q substratum OF humor.
For instance. not long ego two ambassadors
representing foreign countries. and one high
ofncial Of the United States government az.
pressed desire for an audience with Mr. Ian.
sing on certain Thursday evening Mr.. Ian.
sing said that he would be happy to see the
| gentlemen at almost am other time, but on
Thursday evening must go to church"
I Now. Robert Lansing ID q Presbyterian ana a
| good one. It took real sincerity of purpose for
| q secretary OF state who is supposed to be ready
/ at any hours OF the day or night TO listen to
the plenipotentiaries Of foreign powers. to say
/ in effect, mo, 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
and ID > newspaper himself The zorro
| spondents however. did not get any extraoT
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 ~ back and forth, few quips Of
i humor. and there 10 the usual reticence many
| subjects. which marks diplomacy, but Mr.. Lam
sing, nevertheless. always gives up 3 story.
news item OF minor greater Importance when.
/ ever It il proper for him 70 do. and moreover
he IL pretty kesn Judge .; news values despite
the fact that he 10 . lawyer and probably does
not know q 4-em dAsh from ; linotype machine.
Some people say that Mr.. Lansing had several
month"; training az secretary OF state before he
took once actually. These are the people who
think that be did most OF Mr.. Bryan's work
This probably is unjust 70 Mr. Lansings prsds-
cesaor but It 10 known definitely that the pres.
snt secretary was conAnlted constantly and con.
aistenty upon moat Of the matters relating TO our
foreign intercourse, which recently az everybody
knows has been in q state not only delicate. but
perilous
Il u pretty definitely known nov th@t when
IF Lansing was counselor for the state depart,
nenf he aided the president materially in writins
I the note TO Germany which pennod June ..
| It vas the tone Of this note which Mr.. Bryan
thought was too militant. and It was this noes IN
way which caused the Nebraskan 70 resign bis
position as chief OF the presidents cabinst.
When II IL said that man Ia grave. roaz
listener and not oyefgiven 70 talking the II.
preston received Ia perhaps that 10 10 lacking