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
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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.