Evening star., 1922-11-15


more than party wide. and that 1t is
| sufficiently strong to overcome the
trend toward democratic success. III
| were asked l would say that l think
| both of these conditions are present
that the desire to have you again is
| much broader than any party. and 80
large that it would insure your vic
tory: but no man is as wise a judge
of these things as the man himself
| whose fortunes are at stake.
"Thanking you again for the pleas
ure of a luncheon, believe NE, as al
ways, faithfully yours,
FRANKLIN X. LANE"
Roosevelt in a letter marked pri-
vate and confidential replied.
" That is a really kind and
| friendly letter from you and appre-
ctate 1t. Now, l agree absolutely with
you that have no business under any
circumstances to accept any such call
even in the greatly improbable event
of its coming, unless l am conv'nceh
| that the need is national, need or
the people and not merely need of
! he party. But as for considering my
wn chances in any such event, my
ear fellow. simply would not know
~ow to go about it. l am always
-edited with far more political
'agacity than I really possess. l act
| purely on public grounds. and then
! his proves often to be good policy
1 all
| sincerity that have not thought and
I'M not thinking Of the nomination
! nd that under no circumstances
| would I in the remotest degree plan
| bring about my nomination. ! do
| -ot want to be President again. l am
| ,ot a candidate, have not the slight
! ST idea of becoming candidate and
do not for one moment believe that
| nv such condition of affairs viii
rise that would make it necessary to
| onsider me accepting the nomina-
| Eon. But as for the effect upon nv
wn personal fortunes, I would not
| now how to consider it, because
| vould not have the vaguest idea what
| he effect would be. except that ae-
F! orGiue to my own view il could not
| mt be bad and unpleasant for ME per
| -onaily From the personal stand
| 1oint ! should view the nomination To
.he presidency as real and serious
| misfortune. Nothing would persuah"
| ne to take it, unless it appeared thaf
he people really wished me to DO
| -iven job which 1 could not honor
| 7bly shirk.
| The shifting scenes on the political
stage always interested Mr.. Lane
| md he watched the play always with
| -een understanding Shortly before
! the inauguration of Taft he wrote to
his brother. George W. Lane:
"The Hartman crowd seems to
think that they will all be on good
terms with Taft. but unless I'm mis-
.aken in the man they will be great
" fooled.
Have you noticed that nice point
Of constitutional law. dug up by
newspaper reporter. which renders
Knox ineligible as Secretary of State?
He voted for an increase in the sal
ary of the Secretary of State three
wears ago They will try to avoid
the effect of the constitutional inhi-
hilton by repeating the act increasing
the salary. Technically his won't
do Knox any good. although it will
probably be upheld by the courts. if
the matter Is ever taken into the
courts.
"Rooseyelt is very nervous these
daya hut as he said to me the other
day. .They know that 1 am Presi-
dent right up to March A."
In the latter part of March. 1909.
following the Taft inauguration, Mr..
Lane wrote to Charles X. McClatchy
Of Sacramento:
"No one yet knows from Mr.. Tafts
line of policy what kind of Presi-
dent he will make. Everybody is
giving him the benefit of the doubt.
The thing. 1 find. that hangs over all
Presidents and other public men here
to terrify them Is the fear of bad
times. The greatness of Roosevelt
Law, in a sense, in his recklessness.
These people undoubtedly have the
power to bring on panics whenever
they want to and to depress busl-
ness, and they will exercise that pow
er as against any administration that
does not play their game, and the
money power as we used to call it.
allows the President and Congress
a certain scope-a field within which
it may move. but If 1t goes outside
that field and follows policies or de-
mands measures which interfere with
the game as played by the high
financiers, they do not hesitate 10 use
their big stick, which Is the threat