按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ightness and ability to make him a lawyer。 When he is admitted to the bar； do you expect him to try to do what I have accomplished and make an independent position in life； or fail？〃
The farmer shouted： 〃Chauncey； you are all right。 Go ahead and keep it up。〃
My arguments and presentation were no better than many another speaker's； but； as Mr。 McKinley predicted； they received an attention and aroused a discussion； because of what the old farmer had said； that no other campaigner could command。
Mr。 McKinley sent for me again and said： 〃Sentiment is a wonderful force in politics。 Mr。 Bryan； my opponent； has made a remarkable speaking tour through our State。 He started in the early morning from Cleveland with a speech。 His train made many stops on the way to Cincinnati； where he arrived in the evening； and at each place he addressed large audiences； traversing the State from one side to the other。 His endurance and versatility have made a great impression upon our people。 To meet and overcome that impression； I have asked you to come here and repeat Bryan's effort。 You are so much older than he isI think we may claim nearly twice his agethat if you can do it； and I hope you can； that sentiment will be dissipated。〃
I traversed Mr。 Bryan's route； stopped at the same stations and delivered speeches to similar audiences of about the same length。 On arriving in Cincinnati in the evening I was met by a committee； the chairman of which said： 〃We have followed you all along from Cleveland； where you started at seven o'clock this morning； and it is fine。 Now Mr。 Bryan； when he arrived here； had no meeting。 We have seven thousand people in the Music Hall； and if you will go there and speak five minutes it will make your trip a phenomenal success。〃
I went to the Music Hall； of course had a wonderful time and wild ovation； and spoke for an hour。 The next day I was none the worse for this twelve hours' experience。
President McKinley had spent most of his life in the House of Representatives。 He loved the associations and life of Congress。 The most erratic and uncertain of bodies is Congress to an executive who does not understand its temper and characteristics。 McKinley was past master of this。 Almost every president has been greatly relieved when Congress adjourned； but Mr。 McKinley often expressed to me his wish that Congress would always be in session； as he never was so happy as when he could be in daily contact with it。 His door was open at all times to a senator or a member of the House of Representatives。 If either failed to see him at least once a week； the absentee usually received a message stating that the president desired him to call。 He was very keen in discovering any irritation on the part of any senator or member about any disappointment or fancied slight； and always most tactfully managed to straighten the matter out。 He was quite as attentive and as particular with the opposition as with members of his own party。
President McKinley had a wonderful way of dealing with office…seekers and with their friends and supporters。 A phrase of his became part of the common language of the capital。 It was： 〃My dear fellow； I am most anxious to oblige you； but I am so situated that I cannot give you what you want。 I will； however； try to find you something equally as good。〃 The anxious caller for favors； if he or his congressman failed to get the office desired； always carried away a flower or a bouquet given by the president； with a complimentary remark to be remembered。 It soon came to be understood among applicants for office that a desired consulship in England could not be granted； but one of equal rank in South Africa was possible。
There were many good stories in the Senate of his tact in dealing with the opposition。 A Southern senator； who as a general had made a distinguished record in the Civil War on the Confederate side； was very resentful and would frequently remark to his friends 〃that our president unfortunately is not a gentleman； and in his ancestry is some very common blood。〃
Mr。 McKinley persuaded some of the senator's Southern colleagues to bring him to the White House。 He expressed his regret to the senator that he should have offended him in any way and asked what he had done。 The senator replied： 〃You have appointed for the town where my sister lives a nigger； and a bad nigger at that； for postmaster； and my sister has to go to him for her letters and stamps。〃 The president arranged for the transfer of this postmaster and the appointment of a man recommended by the senator。 The senator then went to his friends and said： 〃Have I remarked to you at any time that our president was not a gentleman and had somewhere in his ancestry very common blood？ If I did I recall the statement and apologize。 Mr。 McKinley is a perfect gentleman。〃
All the measures which the president wished passed； unless they were absolutely partisan； always received afterwards the support of the Southern senator。
I was in the Senate during a part of his term and nearly every day at the White House； where his reception was so cordial and his treatment of the matter presented so sympathetic that it was a delight to go there； instead of being； as usual； one of the most disagreeable tasks imposed upon a senator。
He had a way of inviting one to a private conference and with impressing you with its confidential character and the trust he reposed in your advice and judgment which was most flattering。
Entertainments at the White House were frequent； and he managed to make each dinner an event to be most pleasantly remembered。 I think； while he was very courteous to everybody； he was more than usually so to me because of an incident prior to his inauguration。
A well…known journalist came to my office one day and said： 〃I am just from Canton； where I have been several days with the president。 I discussed with him federal appointmentsamong others； the mission to England； in which I am interested because my father is an Englishman； and both my father and I are exceedingly anxious to have you take the post； and Mr。 McKinley authorized me to ask you if you would accept the mission。〃
The embassy to England presented peculiar attraction to me； because I knew personally the Prince of Wales and most of the leading English statesmen and public men。 The journalist said that if I accepted he would sound the press。 This he did； and the response was most flattering from journals of all political views。
About the time of the inauguration Vice…President Hobart； who was a cordial friend of mine； said to me： 〃There is something wrong about you with the president。 It is very serious； and you can expect no recognition from the administration。〃 I was wholly at a loss to account for the matter and would not investigate any further。 Not long afterwards the vice…president came to me and said： 〃I have found out the truth of that matter of yours and have explained it satisfactorily to the president； who deeply regrets that he was misled by a false report from a friend in whom he had confidence。〃 Soon after the president made me the offer of the mission to Germany。 I did not understand the language