Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (May 10, 1908)
TIIE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, PORTLAND, MAY 10, 1903. 3 TWENTIETH CENTURY METHODS CONTRASTED WITH THE PLAN OF WASHINGTON, JEFFERSON AND LINCOLN, WITH A TWIST TOWARD TAFT S MANAGER BY ROBERT LEd DUNN , RESIDENTS are made not born. That Is the truth today and like many other statements of fact. Is exactly the opposite of what would have been the truth not many years ago. Presidents were born for the job then. The manager, the manipu lator, the advertiser, in short, the president-maker, nad not so much as been heard of. Washington never had a press agent. No bill boards half an acre In extent compelled even the chauffeur in his motor-car to note that for the Nation it was either Vote for George or Go to Grass. There were no private wires In any of his 9000 headquarters that may "be seen in clusters throughout the East ern States today. He did not even have a telephone in the house so that Ohio could ring him up to ask how he stood on the inland waterways. No, our first president would be a shock ing back number were he to appear today. But In his own time he was as right as possible. He created the Job of president and then received it from the hands of a grateful people, as naturally as did any of the Georges with whom he had dissolved political relations, ever accept their inheri tance by birth. Jefferson did some rather mean work, muck-raking and personal, but it was to put Hamilton out of busi ness rather than to advertise himself. He was a "knocker," but tie never rang up a manager in Albany to know how the delegation stood. Nor did anyone else do much "busi ness" before Lincoln's time. Lincoln had a remarkably clever manager himself, and put Seward's nose badly out of joint in Chicago Just before the Civil War. Seward saw the virtue of advertising and worked it thoroughly, worked it hard. He expected to win out by it and perhaps he would have won had he kept an eye on what his rival for the Republican nomination was doing while he was ad vertising himself. He had a procession and a band of music with songs and banners and he made the whole town sit up and take notice that he was in its midst. In this way he created much enthusiasm and was so sure of obtaining the nomination that he began to purr. Lincoln saw how affairs were going, but was undismayed. He had no objec tion to Seward's winning over all the enthusiasm there was outside of the Convention Hall so long as he himself was popular inside. He therefore both ered not at all with the band and banners and parade, but made a "rodeo," as Is said in the West, that is, he rounded up his supporters and gathered them in such numbers into the galleries of the hall where the convention was to hold that they very nearly filled it. When Seward arrived jubilant with his parade, the members of which were look ing for an easy victory and some chairs to sit upon after their lu miles on foot along the city streets, there was no room for them. They had manufactured much enthusiasm, but It had to remain outside, where it was altogether Impotent so far as influencing the convention was con cerned. Instead of chairs for the pedes trians, there was only the hard, hot Chi cago curbstone, and the procession 1b re ported to have been one of the tiredest that ever happened.. The Lincoln crowd had it all their own way, and when their man was nominated, on the third ballot, they madi such an uproar that the cannon on the roof which men were firing to notify the world that a decision had been reached, could not be heard in the hall below. That was almost 50 years ago. Manag ing has developed tremendously since then. It is made up of three things; or ganization, advertising and persistence. It begins long before convention time and it never lets go. So important has man aging become that as a general rule, men who stake money on the result of a Presi dentinl election do it not because of their knowledge of the personal abilities and the worthiness, or otherwise, of any one BACK of the fight against racetrack gambling in New York has been the purse of one of the wealthiest women in the world. The racetrack promoters, who, .threat ened iith a loss of their profitable call ing, swarmed to Albany to save betting, inveighed at Governor Hughes, who Is a pronounced foe of betting, they cursed 771 ZT JKTcWy -f 6fCt- Rev. Albert Sidney Gregg, who repre sents the International Reform Bureau, they directed their spleen against reli gious associations that descended on the capital to make their protest against what they termed the "great evil," but In the midst of their bitter complaining they missed entirely the factor which had done most to make their trouble. ART OF PE r -'inF v ' A "s -" ' A ; v" - - A VA A " "v' ' - " :f V A- A - - ' A-'-U . 'V" vV'- ; - Ax 14 1 yf -A " - : i :A 1 y r v r "V v - - -f r 2 v - , - ' ! 1W t ' 1 ' - . f " ' . ' "V- ' , - ' - J -4 ' -f Se v" ' - r.r y" t; J C'l 4' : ' - , - :r " " i f ff M-ri1titlniTiiaiiri 1 1 ii - --if,, fn-,TI, HIM, j riS ARTHUR I. VORYS of the candidates, but because of their faith in this or that manager. To them the candidate is a figurehead. They are not betting on him, but on the machine that is pushing him along. The more effective this machine becomes the greater the brain in control. It needs a master-mind in these days to keep the parts in order to Insure smooth running. The first man to show up masterfully as a President-maker was Marcus Aurelius Hanna, whom no one outside of his own state knew when he went into the busi ness of politics. Hanna had a great mind for organization and great patience for detail. He had what Goethe declared was an essential to genius, that is, a capacity for taking infinite pains. He put his heart into his work and made it Impossible for the Republican Conven tion to nominate any man other than McKinley. After he had nominated him he elected him. But he did not reture. He knew beforehand that his man would be elected, and as soon as he knew he MRS. FZXJS SEII SAGE? IAL POVK imr CURBED NEW voik, RXCE PROMOTERS 4. X X 'w' J This was tne long purse of Mrs. Rus sell Sage, widow of the famous finan cier. From the time the fight was launched against racetrack gamblilng, Mrs. Sage took a prominent part m the battle. Not publicly, of course, for that is not the habit of this philanthropist. ' who ranks with Mrs. Penfleld, Mrs. Hetty Green L began work "laying pipe" for another campaign four years ahead. He felt sure his man was good for a second term, but he would take no chances. Not for a day did he abate his vigilance. He watched everything and everybody and was un doubtedly the best-informed man polit ically that this country had ever seen. That he was such Is due to the fact that he knew how to organize. Among his many achievements was the invention of the political stygmograph, which recorded almost automatically the pulse of the people. He never missed a throb. He had reports on respiration and temperature as well, so that those who did not know of his methods looked upon him as a po litical clairvoyant." When the time far the next conven tion drew near many thought enthusiasm for the cowboy-Rough Rider Governor of the Empire State, might stampede the convention and that McKinley would not be in it. But Marcus Aurelius. his ca GAMBLING A ws.v.fr':v3m If zw M and the widow of "Silent" Smith as one of the richest women of the world. She asked none of the glory. It was enough to know that the work was being for warded. She was willing to stay in the background and let others reap the credit. WILLIAM H. TAFT. pacious mind as filled with wisdom as ever was that of the ancient Emperor whose cognomen he bore, only 'smiled aa he sat In his headquarters in the Hotel Walton in Philadelphia. He knew there would not be a stampede, and he knew where the feared cowboy would be when the business of the convention was over. Ha was the only man living that did know that. Happy for him that he could not then see farther into the future at that time. But the knowledge that he did pos sess was marvelous. It made the work of managers who had preceded him in the business of President-making look like minus quantities. The hard work, the splendid generalship and the well-nigh perfect organization won, and discovered the genius of the manager to the whole world, but fate intervaned before the full realization of his achievement and against fate all the combinations of all the parties of all the worlds that ever were or ever will be, are as things that TMC FINANC -Mure But the signature on the bottom of her checks was what gave the movement its power.' The powerful lobby that worked against the anti-racing bills found out early in the day that it was up against the real thing. When it was a question of bringing a protesting delegation to Alibany, or of r RY V f All never happened. Then heart failure, the only sort of failure the great manager had ever known, came upon him and he passed away leaving a new order and a new law In all that pertains to politics In this land today, an order and a law that were his own creation. His mantle has fallen upon Vorys, Ar thur I. Vorys, also of Ohio, and he is worthy to wear it. Vorys' rise to Importance In National politics has been phenomenal. Never be fore was one made so rapidly and from so humble a beginning. He worked In a lumber mill In his youth, where he ran an engine until he had the misfortune, as he certainly considered It. to mangle his left hand. This meant that he must give up manual work. Necessity thus forced him to depend upon his brain, and he should be thankful to necessity, for the sawmill would never have led to the opportunities that so soon were to come his way. He found a lawyer who gave him a chance to read law in his office, and be fore long was admitted to the bar. There he made good from the first and in two years had more than a purely local repu tation. Being in Ohio, of course, he took an Interest In politics, and having abil ity, became a local leader. Growing In prominence and good repute, Governor Nash was so Impressed by the young man's Integrity and ability that he ap pointed Vorys Commissioner of Insurance. Here again he made good so good that three more administrations saw him still on the Job, holding It down whether Re publicans or Democrats were in power. He was appointed four times consecu tively and might have continued there permanently, but law makes four the limit. So back to the law office he went with a reputation that any man in the state might envy. It was while quietly working there, with his eyes open seeing all that was going on and studying espe cially things political, that his attention was attracted to William Howard Taft. our great Secretary of War. Taft looked good to Vorys and when some of the friends of Mr. Taft talked with the ex Commissioner about Taft as a possible Presidential candidate, Vorys declared he believed him to be the man. He knew there was the Foraker crowd to battle with and he knew the Foraker machine to be In admirable working order with trained men at hand, expert In the busi ness of running it, but to Vorys that only made the game more Interesting. It was two years before the convention would meet and he figured that In two years he could put the Foraker machine quite out of business and make Ohio a Taft state. If that could be done, he declared. It would help the Secretary's friends im mensely In carrying, on the campaign In other states. He saw the way to do all this, he said, and being asked to take command of the campaign for Taft he cheerfully consented. His foresight Is now demonstrated. Those who first went to him almost doubtfully, now look upon him as a wiz ard. The convention - Is still several weeks away, but what marvels Vorys has already accomplished! Foraker is out of the running and his machine is on the refuse pile. Ohio is solid for Taft and In the country at large the Secre tary of War has now three-fourths of the number of delegates necessary for nomination. There nevei was such an achievement before in the history of National politics. Vorys has done what he said he could do and vastly more, and he Is still at work. The. former op position Is now with him and his friend Henry A. Williams. the prominent lawyer, who is associated with him in his work of purifying Ohio politics, has recently been elected chairman of the Republican State Central Committee. Nothing can stop the Taft movement now, and Vorys has done his part. He is a born manager. He under stands men and knows their ways. lie has a wonderful memory, not only for the personal qualities of those whom he meets, but for the details of political organisation such as are often so trying to the patience of the ablest men. More over, he combines with his sense of duty and his Integrity, the saving grace of i humor. j noiT flooding the state with literature in or der to swell the agitation to proportions that would make the legislators hesitate to Ignore it for fear of offending their constituents, money was ever ready. The amount could be big or small, it was al ways forthcoming. It was generally understood that pow erful church organizations with wealthy congregations were furnishing those sin- Tj-ur jvnw yo& ews without which no project can be successfully handled nowadays. It was not until the closing days of the long struggle that the Rev. Mr. Gregg told the source of the wealth that was poured into the movement. Then he gave the fullest measure of credit to Mrs. Sage. "X could have done nothing without t I I !?iS" " f if the aid of Mrs. Sage," he says. "She backed me liberally with her checkbook, and in addition to this, she, interested other persons of wealth, whose attention was drawn to our movement mainly be cause of the fact that it had been able to win her. "Mrs. Sage is a woman of great in fluence, for It is recognized that in ad dition to being the possessor of great means ana a generously Inclined mma, she Is also notable for her hard com mon sense, and would naturally have nothing to do with any project not public. Her name was our strongest card among the wealthy men and women who helped us without letting the fact become publicly known." . The character of support that Mrs. Sage drew to the aid of the cause would probably surprise the public could the full list become known. For all its careless, pleasure-loving manner, for all its sportlness and swagger, the metropolis has learned to its sorrow the cost that gambling imposes on the community. The metropolitan season of racing, with events on three tracks, the stay covering a period of several months. Is always the producer of many crimes on part of employes, who without the temptation of the race track would never to be drawn into the commission of one act at variance with the Interests of their employers. There Is a polite fiction that it is Interest In the horse, man's "noblest friend," etc., that acts as the magnet, but the hookies know better than that. It was the desire to win cash that draws the 20.000 and 30,000 . crowds to the big handicaps and produces the amazing horse racing mania. The cheap skate In the least import ant race on the programme Is more of a hero to the man who wins money on him than tho most magnificent ani mal in the Futurity, which fails to make good the hopes the public has supported In money. Mrs. Sage has ever been opposed to betting. It is said that it was her Influence that operated to keep Russell Saga firm in his resolve not to play the market. He was a dealer in cash. He had it to lend, providing he could secure a remun erative rate of interest. The operator who borrowed cash from Sage might use It to gamble with. That was his busi ness. The financier had put out his cash in legitimate transaction. It was up to the other man's conscience If he used It to play the market. The motive may not have been one of morals in this Sage rule of business, but It certainly was sound common sense. The crashes and panics never affected adversely the fortunes of Uncle Russell. Roosevelt as a His Devotions Arouse THE President is not only a good churchgoer himself, but deserves the thanks of at least two Wash ington preachers for his aid In boost ing the size of their congregations. With his predilection for having everything In sight reformed, it Is no more than natural perhaps that his church also should bear the magic label. It is Grace Reformed, a rather email, gray stone building on Fif teenth street, not quite a mllo from the White House. Grace Reformed Is not a fashionable church. Tho congregation Is unas suming in appearance and would be decidedly modest in size if it were not for the President. He fills certainly two-thirds of the pews. So far as audi ences go, the preacher may have to look for lean years after March 4, 1909. While the President fills dozens of the pews by the mere fact of his ex pected presence, he occupies his own seat In solitary grandeur. Once in a while he goes with his wife and fam ily to St. John's, but they don't seem Inclined to reciprocate the attention. St. John's rejoices in the local title of "the chruch of state," and always re serves a pew for the President of the United States, though It had not been In demand for a good many years when Mrs. Roosevelt became the Lady of the White House. Whether he goes to his own church or not, on one but Theodore Roosevelt, unless It Is some friend or guest ac companying him, which rarely happens, 1 ever seated in the President's pew at Grace Reformed. Two secret service men always accompany him, but do not sit with him. Every Sunday morning, as early as 10 o'clock, the sightseers begin to gather In front of the gray building in Fifteenth street. Most of them are tourists whose only chance to see the President Is to catch him at church and who are willing to wait an hour outside if need be and to spend another hour and more Inside for the possible privilege of a glimpse of the man thev mil "Teddy." The sexton is posted on the steps and forms the crowd into a double line which often reaches to the flattering length of a hundred yards or more before the doors .are opened. It Is lucky for the multi tude that the President's church is not an otherwise popular one. If it were crowded by its own members, outsiders would have to submit to that period of painful suspense and waiting "until after the singing of the first hymn," that reg ulation familiar to the church tramp. , At Grace Reformed the doors are opened long before 10:30 and people are admitted with the admonition: "Just go up to the gallery, they're the best seats." Of course that means the best seats for getting a view of the President. It Is calmly accepted that the multi tude is not standing in line because of a consuming desire to hear the Gospel as It Is expounded in Grace Reformed Church. Even the preacher can cherish no .illusions on that point when people who have fought the crowd and wheedled the ushers Into giving them a front seat calmly and conspicuously get up and walk out when, the service hav ing proceeded for fifteen minutes, it be comes evident that the President won't be there. They make a mistake to wait so long. The President does not straggle in fif teen minutes late. On the other hand he doesn't waste a quarter of an hour by getting there fifteen minutes too soon. In fact, the gallery, tired of craning Its neck at every person who goes up the aisle below, has already begun openly and mournfully to declare that he isn't coming at all, when there is a sud den shock of expectancy. Even before the rapid strides of the four men who have Just entered have brought them Into view of the gallery, those upstairs have whispered: "Here he is." The four men are the usher, the Presi dent, and the two Secret Service men. It is a question whether the usher coufii keep up that gait very long, but he does nobly in the short distance between the door and the second left hand pew from the front, that being the Roosevelt seat. One of the Secret Service men quietly slips into the end of a pew across the aisle and about five rows back of the President. The other takes an end seat across the aisle several rows further back. The first thing the President does is to bow his head briefly in an attitude of prayer. Then he leans forward and speaks to a middle-aged woman and young boy who generally occupy the seat In front of him. He talks with them two or three minutes while he pulls off his gloves and stows them away In his silk hat. Then he gets his big gilt-edged prayerbook from the rack and finds the place. He is ready for business; In fact, they helped him, for then interest rose higher. It Is by much the same system that Mrs. Hetty Green built up her fortune. It la a game that never loses, providing the securities are all right. The big fortune that came to Mrs. Sage Is unhampered. It is hers to dispose of in such manner as in her judgment will do the most good. Having all her life been associated with a man who barred gambling as bad busi ness, and knowing from her own observa tions the risks it brings on a community, Mrs. Sage was in sympathy Immediately with the first concerted effort to do away with It. The history of New York's big anti racetrack legislation movement, which seems destined to remain a burning issue till It Is no longer permissible to wager In any form a dollar on the chances of running, pacing or trotting horse began when In 1906 Dr. Wilbur Crafts, Superin tendent of the International Reform Bu reau, discovered that Governor Frank Higgins had been one of seven Senators who voted against the Percy Gray law when It was passed In 1SC5. With such a man for Governor It looked like a hopeful chance to make a fight. In concert with various reform or ganizations, such as the Young Men's Christian Association, the Women's Tem perance Christian Union, etc., strong pres sure was brought to bear on Governor Higgins to call a special session of the Legislature for the purpose of dealing with the matter. But Governor Higgins, while personally opposed to gambling on the races, was too thoroughly a part of the Republican organization of the state to stir up a question that might bring political trouble. The election of Governor Hughes brought to the Governor's chair a man equally opposed to the custom, but more willing to take action. Meantime the Reform Bureau had been carrying its work to all the tracks, telling about gambling and its effects, gathering Information and stirring up the state till the issue became one of first import ance. Then Governor Hughes called the at tention of the Legislature to the need of an amendment to the Percy-Gray law, and what are known as the Hart-Agnew bills were Introduced into the Legislature for the purpose of giving the death blow to "playing the ponies." Meanwhile a citizens' anti-racetrack gambling campaign committee was formed in New York City, with Dr. Walter Lald law, executive secretary of the New York City Federation of Churches, as chair man. In this way all the forces Interested In. supporting the Agnew-Hart bills were handled to the best advantage. This organization has been made per manent, and will never give up the fight to secure full enforcement- of laws to drive the bookie out of business. Church-Goer Interest of Sightseers. and so accurately does he time his ar rival that the service is by this time beginning. Probably during the 9 J minutes which follow he gives the nearest imitation of absolute repose of which he Is cap able in his waking hours. He does pretty well, considering his tempera ment and the fact that several hundred human beings are concentrating their attention on the back of his head. If he makes a move It is followed with the keenest Interest by scores of eyes. If he scratches the back of his head, If he smoothes his hair. If he adjusts his eyeglasses there is a rustle of attention. It is enough to make a stone Image wriggle. Somewhat to the disappointed sur prise of the observers, the President does not wriggle. He's not absolutely; quiet, but he's quiet for him! Wrhen he sings oh, he sings! he doesn't look at the book ten notes In succession. So far as his glance and the page are concerned. It's a chronic case of on again, off again. Apparently he never bows his head for prayer except when he enters and takes his seat. He reads the prayers with uplifted head even when he kneels on the bench In his petv. He does not bow his head even when, standing with the rest, he repeats the Lord's prayer. When it comes to the sermon he is a model of attention. If he doesn't listen he at leabt looks as If he were doing so. The desk Is at the right of the platform, so that the President has to turn his head somewhat to face the preacher. Apparently he does not miss a word. The service concludes with singing, followed by the benediction. Before the singing Is over the President has put his hymn book In the rack and has picked up his hat and gloves. During the benediction he gets one foot Into the aisle and his hand on the end of the seat ready for a quick start. At their posts the secret service men also have got half way into the aisle and are alert. The Instant the amen Is pronounced the Presidenthasstarted. Before people have raised their heads he has swiftly but quietly passed the Secret Service men, who at once close In behind him. They are at the door before any one but the vigilant gallery knows It. Down the steps they go and out to the walk lined with another curious throng wljlch has wanted a glimpse of him, but not enough to go to church for It. By this time the gallery has precipi tated itself down the narrow stairways and with the other agitated sightseers Is debouching upon the street. The President has reached the corner. Be hind him are, first, his coattails flapping furiously, next the Secret Service men, looking as If they were praying not for length of days, but for length of legs; next the populace, men, women and chil dren, black, white and middlln's, strid ing, running, making up lost ground with spasmodic rushes, skirts billowing, feath ers flying, more coattails flapping. At the corner the President cuts diag onally across without regard for cross ings, and takes a shoot down Rhode Is land avenue to Sixteenth street, whence it is a straight run to the White House, gleaming in the distance. Remember this itinerary If you meditate meeting the President on his way to or from church. He always takes the same route. The wide street, which some want to be called the Avenue of the Presidents, dips away below the circle, and one can stand and watch the funny procession stream down the grade, the President forging always at Its head, his gait close to six miles an hour. The philosophic police man at the circle smiles pityingly. "They'll foller him clean to the White House them as can keep him In sight," says he. At the gait he is going the President will get home as early as if he went with his wife to St. John's. That he does occasionally go there Is what makes many sightseers consent to push and be pushed In Its little vestibule for an hour on end waiting for a chance to get In. Of course, they want to see Mrs. Roose velt and the family, not to mention other celebrities who go there to church. But the hazy prospect of seeing the President Is a big card even here. Sing a Sons of Bnble. Sing a song of babies. Playing on the beach. Everyone as pink and round And pretty as a peach. Some have hair that's golden. Some have curia of brown ; Some are running; on the sand. Some are sitting down. Some are paddling in the waves, Iaughtng with delight. Some are in the breakers with The clothes they wear at night. Some are over seven. And aome are only three. But they all are happy Happy as can be.
