The New York herald., 1922-10-22


the position of the Washington
correspondent of an influential newspaper
or group of newspapers must needs enjoy
exceptional opportunities for observing and
recording the activities of the public men
who make the history of the country. as
one Presidential administration succeeds
another. The author of these volumes is
such a journalist. Born in Minnesota, he
began newspaper work on the Grand Forks
Plaindealer in North Dakota in 1888; four
years later he became city editor of the
we'll known st. Paul Pioneer-Press, and in
1889 he went to Washington as the cor
respondent of that journal and the Port
land Ore0OHidn. From 1898 to 1906 he had
charge of the Congressional report of the
Associated Press and since 1898 he has
contributed daily letters from Washing
ton to the American Press Association. To
be first rate Washington correspondent
a man must possess sense of humor and
have access to the most exclusive society
in the national capital That Mr.. Dunn is
qualified for his position in both of these
respects may be inferred from the fact
that he has been president of the famous
Gridiron Club, whose distinguishing func-
ton it is to make fun OF the great men
of the country at its annual banquets, and
from his membership in the Chevy Chase
Club. the most exclusive country club in
Washington.
The present work is a personal narra-
tive OF political life in the Capitol and at
the White House under six Presidents:
Benjamin Harrison, Grover Cleveland.
William Mckinley. Theodore Roosevelt,
William H. Taft and Woodrow Wilson. Mr..
Dunn has known them all we'll and some
of them intimately. He assures US that
he has tried to write of them as an un-
prejudiced observer all the more because
people are not always just to the men
they elect to the high office of President.
"Of the six men who have been Presidents
during the thirty-two years ending March
4, 1921, only one" he tells u.s. escaped
the innuendoes OF slanderous whisperings
concerning their morality" This is worse
than we had supposed. but. as Mr.. Dunn
adds. it is indeed a cheering and significant
fact that none of these whisperings has
ever caused the people to lose confidence
in their Presidents. Wherever President
has been rebuked by the people it has
been on account of his policies and acts as
President and not for personal reasons"
Benjamin Harrison became President
just as the nation celebrated the one hum
dredth anniversary of the adoption of the
Federal Constitution. Mrs Cleveland at
tended the ceremonies of that celebration
in New York. at which President Harrison
was the most prominent figure, in the
same fine spirit which she showed at
Washington in maintaining the brilliancy
OF the entertainments at the White House
to the very end of her husbands Admin
istration- Neither She nor Mr.. Cleveland
nor any member of his Cabinet manifested
any sense Of disappointment at his defeat.
The physical contrast between Cleve-
land and Harrison was very striking on
the day of the Inauguration. Cleveland
was big. strong and robust; his successor
was understood. rather delicate looking
and wore his iron gray beard "in such
a fashion as to give concave appearance
to his face" The latter popularity gave
a sardonic expression to President Harri-
sons features. which did not accord with
his true character. We believe Mr.. Dunn
is the first observer to call attention to
it. The campaign caricatures which pic
tured the Republican candidate in his
"GrandfathePs Hat" a furry tile many
times too big for him. were also mislead-
ing: for. as Mr.. Dunn says. Benjamin Har-