my memories of eighty years-第32部分

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hat　was　practically　a　nominating　speech　for　Sherman。　　The　response　was　intense　and　unanimous。　　When　I　came　down　from　a　high　flight　as　to　the　ability　and　popularity　to　the　human　qualities　of　〃Sunny　Jim；〃　I　found　〃Sunny　Jim〃　such　a　taking　characterization；　and　it　was　echoed　and　re…echoed。　　I　do　not　claim　that　speech　nominated　Sherman；　only　that　nearly　everybody　who　was　present　became　a　most　vociferous　advocate　for　Sherman　for　vice…president。

The　position　of　vice…president　is　one　of　the　most　difficult　in　our　government。　　Unless　the　president　requests　his　advice　or　assistance；　he　has　no　public　function　except　presiding　over　the　Senate。　　No　president　ever　called　the　vice…president　into　his　councils。　McKinley　came　nearest　to　it　during　his　administration；　with　Hobart；　but　did　not　keep　it　up。

President　Harding　has　made　a　precedent　for　the　future　by　inviting　Vice…President　Coolidge　to　attend　all　Cabinet　meetings。　　The　vice…president　has　accepted　and　meets　regularly　with　the　Cabinet。

Sherman　had　one　advantage　over　other　vice…presidents　in　having　been　for　nearly　a　quarter　of　a　century　a　leader　in　Congress。　　Few；　if　any；　who　ever　held　that　office　have　been　so　popular　with　the　Senate　and　so　tactful　and　influential　when　they　undertook　the　very　difficult　task　of　influencing　the　action　of　a　Senate；　very　jealous　of　its　prerogatives　and　easily　made　resentful　and　hostile。

Among　my　colleagues　in　the　Senate　were　several　remarkable　men。　They　had　great　ability；　extraordinary　capacity　for　legislation；　and；　though　not　great　orators；　possessed　the　rare　faculty　of　pressing　their　points　home　in　short　and　effective　speeches。　　Among　them　was　Senator　Frye；　of　Maine。　　He　was　for　many　years　chairman　of　the　great　committee　on　commerce。　　Whatever　we　had　of　a　merchant　marine　was　largely　due　to　his　persistent　efforts。　　He　saved　the　government　scores　of　millions　in　that　most　difficult　task　of　pruning　the　River　and　Harbor　Bill。　　He　possessed　the　absolute　confidence　of　both　parties；　and　was　the　only　senator　who　could　generally　carry　the　Senate　with　him　for　or　against　a　measure。　　While　wise　and　the　possessor　of　the　largest　measure　of　common　sense；　yet　he　was　one　of　the　most　simple…minded　of　men。　　I　mean　by　this　that　he　had　no　guile　and　suspected　none　in　others。　　Whatever　was　uppermost　in　his　mind　came　out。　　These　characteristics　made　him　one　of　the　most　delightful　of　companions　and　one　of　the　most　harmonious　men　to　work　with　on　a　committee。

Clement　A。　Griscom；　the　most　prominent　American　ship　owner　and　director；　was　very　fond　of　Senator　Frye。　　Griscom　entertained　delightfully　at　his　country　home　near　Philadelphia。　　He　told　me　that　at　one　time　Senator　Frye　was　his　guest　over　a　week…end。　To　meet　the　senator　at　dinner　on　Saturday　evening；　he　had　invited　great　bankers；　lawyers；　and　captains　of　industry　of　Philadelphia。　Their　conversation　ran　from　enterprises　and　combinations　involving　successful　industries　and　exploitations　to　individual　fortunes　and　how　they　were　accumulated。　　The　atmosphere　was　heavy　with　millions　and　billions。　　Suddenly　Griscom　turned　to　Senator　Frye　and　said：　　〃I　know　that　our　successful　friends　here　would　not　only　be　glad　to　hear　but　would　learn　much　if　you　would　tell　us　of　your　career。〃　　〃It　is　not　much　to　tell；〃　said　Senator　Frye；　〃especially　after　these　stories　which　are　like　chapters　from　the　'Arabian　Nights。'　I　was　very　successful　as　a　young　lawyer　and　rising　to　a　leading　practice　and　head　of　the　bar　of　my　State　when　I　was　offered　an　election　to　the　House　of　Representatives。　　I　felt　that　it　would　be　a　permanent　career　and　that　there　was　no　money　in　it。　　I　consulted　my　wife　and　told　her　that　it　meant　giving　up　all　prospects　of　accumulating　a　fortune　or　independence　even；　but　it　was　my　ambition；　and　I　believed　I　could　perform　valuable　service　to　the　public；　and　that　as　a　career　its　general　usefulness　would　far　surpass　any　success　at　the　bar。　　My　wife　agreed　with　me　cordially　and　said　that　she　would　economize　on　her　part　to　any　extent　required。

〃So；〃　the　senator　continued；　〃I　have　been　nearly　thirty　years　in　Congress；　part　of　this　time　in　the　House　and　the　rest　in　the　Senate。　I　have　been　able　on　my　salary　to　meet　our　modest　requirements　and　educate　our　children。　　I　have　never　been　in　debt　but　once。　　Of　course；　we　had　to　calculate　closely　and　set　aside　sufficient　to　meet　our　extra　expenses　in　Washington　and　our　ordinary　one　at　home。　　We　came　out　a　little　ahead　every　year　but　one。　　That　year　the　president　very　unexpectedly　called　an　extra　session；　and　for　the　first　time　in　twenty　years　I　was　in　debt　to　our　landlord　in　Washington。〃

Griscom　told　me　that　this　simple　narrative　of　a　statesman　of　national　reputation　seemed　to　make　the　monumental　achievements　of　his　millionaire　guests　of　little　account。

Senator　Frye's　genial　personality　and　vivid　conversation　made　him　a　welcome　guest　at　all　entertainments　in　Washington。　　There　was　a　lady　at　the　capital　at　that　time　who　entertained　a　great　deal　and　was　very　popular　on　her　own　account；　but　she　always　began　the　conversation　with　the　gentleman　who　took　her　out　by　narrating　how　she　won　her　husband。　　I　said　one　day　to　Senator　Frye：　　〃There　will　be　a　notable　gathering　at　So…and…So's　dinner　to…night。　　Are　you　going？〃　　He　answered：　　〃Yes；　I　will　be　there；　but　it　has　been　my　lot　to　escort　to　dinner　this　lady〃naming　her〃thirteen　times　this　winter。　　She　has　told　me　thirteen　times　the　story　of　her　courtship。　　If　it　is　my　luck　to　be　assigned　to　her　to…night；　and　she　starts　that　story；　I　shall　leave　the　table　and　the　house　and　go　home。〃

Senator　Aldrich；　of　Rhode　Island；　was　once　called　by　Senator　Quay　the　schoolmaster　of　the　Senate。　　As　the　head　of　the　finance　committee　he　had　commanding　influence；　and　with　his　skill　in　legislation　and　intimate　knowledge　of　the　rules　he　was　the　leader　whenever　he　chose　to　lead。　　This　he　always　did　when　the　policy　he　desired　or　the　measure　he　was　promoting　had　a　majority；　and　the　opposition　resorted　to　obstructive　tactics。　　As　there　is　no　restriction　on　debate　in　the　Senate；　or　was　none　at　my　time；　the　only　way　the　minority　could　defeat　the　majority　was　by　talking　the　bill　to　death。　　I　never　knew　this　method　to　be　used　successfully　but　once；　because　in　the　trial　of　endurance　the　greater　number　wins。　　The　only　successful　talk　against　time　was　by　Senator　Carter；　of　Montana。　　Carter　was　a　capital　debater。　　He　was　invaluable　at　periods　when　the　discussion　had　become　very　bitter　and　personal。　Then　in　his　most　suave　way　he　would　soothe　the　angry　elements　and　bring　the　Senate　back　to　a　calm　consideration　of　the　question。　When　he　arose　on　such　occasions；　the　usual　remark　among　those　who　still　kept　their　heads　was：　　〃Carter　will　now　bring　out　his　oil　can　and　pour　oil　upon　the　troubled　waters〃and　it　usually　proved　effective。

Senator　George　F。　Hoar；　of　Massachusetts；　seemed　to　be　a　revival　of　what　we　pictured　in　imagination　as　the　statesmen　who　framed　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States；　or　the　senators　who　sat　with　Webster；　Clay；　and　Calhoun。　　He　was　a　man　of　lofty　ideals　and　devotion　to　public　service。　　He　gave　to　each　subject　on　which　he　spoke　an　elevation　and　dignity　that　lifted　it　out　of　ordinary　senatorial　discussions。　　He　had　met　and　knew　intimately　most　of　the　historical　characters　in　our　public　life　for　fifty　years；　and　was　one　of　the　most　entertaining　and　instructive　conversationalists　whom　I　ever　met。

On　the　other　hand；　Senator　Benjamin　Tillman；　of　South　Carolina；　who　was　an　ardent　admirer　of　Senator　Hoar；　was　his　opposite　in　every　way。　　Tillman　and　I　became　very　good　friends；　though　at　first　he　was　exceedingly　hostile。　　He　hated　everything　which　I　represented。　　With　all　his　roughness；　and　at　the　beginning　his　brutality；　he　had　a　singular　streak　of　sentiment。

I　addressed　the　first　dinner　of　the　Gridiron　Club　at　its　organization　and　have　been　their　guest　many　times　since。　　The　Gridiron　Club　is　an　association　of　the　newspaper　correspondents　at　Washington；　and　their　dinners　several　times　a　year　are　looked　forward　to　with　the　utmost　interest　and　enjoyed　by　everybody　privileged　to　attend。

The　Gridiron　Club　planned　an　excursion　to　Charleston；　S。　C。；　that　city　having　extended　to　them　an　invitation。　　They　invited　me　to　go　with　them　and　also　Senator　Tillman。　　Tillman　refused　to　be　introduced　to　me　because　I　was　chairman　of　the　board　of　directors　of　the　New　York　Central　Railroad；　and　he　hated　my　associations　and　associates。　　We　had　a　wonderful　welcome　from　the　most　hospitable　of　cities；　the　most　beautifully　located　City　of　Charleston。　　On　the　many　excursions；　luncheons；　and　gatherings；　I　was　put　forward　to　do　the　speaking；　which　amounted　to　several　efforts　a　day　during　our　three　days'　visit。　　The　Gridiron　stunt　for　Charleston　was　very　audacious。　　There　were　many　speakers；　of　course；　including　Senator　Tillman；　who　hated　Charleston　and　the　Charlestonians；　because　he　regarded　them　as　aristocrats　and　told　them　so。　　There　were　many　invited　to　speak　who　left　their　dinners　untasted　while　they　devoted　themselves　to　looking　over　their　manuscripts；　and　whose　names　were　read　in　the　list　at　the　end　of　the　dinner；　but　their　speeches　were　never　called　for。

On　our　way　home　we　stopped　for　luncheon　at　a　place　outside　of　Charleston。　　During　the　luncheon　an　earthquake　shook　the　table　a