my memories of eighty years-第69章

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My　good　mother　was　a　Presbyterian　and　a　good　Calvinist。　　She　believed　and　impressed　upon　me　the　certainty　of　special　Providence。　It　is　hard　for　a　Republican　to　think　that　the　election　of　Woodrow　Wilson　was　a　special　Providence；　but　if　our　candidate；　Mr。　Hughes；　had　been　elected　he　would　have　had　a　hostile　Democratic　majority　in　Congress。

When　the　United　States　went　into　the　war；　as　it　must　have　done；　the　president　would　have　been　handicapped　by　this　pacifist　Congress。　The　draft　would　have　been　refused；　without　which　our　army　of　four　millions　could　not　have　been　raised。　　The　autocratic　measures　necessary　for　the　conduct　of　the　war　would　have　been　denied。　With　the　conflict　between　the　executive　and　Congress；　our　position　would　have　been　impossible　and　indefensible。

I　had　a　personal　experience　in　the　convention。　　Chairman　Harding　sent　one　of　the　secretaries　to　me　with　a　message　that　there　was　an　interval　of　about　an　hour　when　the　convention　would　have　nothing　to　do。　　It　was　during　such　a　period　the　crank　had　his　opportunity　and　the　situation　was　dangerous；　and　he　wished　me　to　come　to　the　platform　and　fill　as　much　of　that　hour　as　possible。　　I　refused　on　the　ground　that　I　was　wholly　unprepared；　and　it　would　be　madness　to　attempt　to　speak　to　fourteen　thousand　people　in　the　hall　and　a　hundred　million　outside。

A　few　minutes　afterwards　Governor　Whitman；　chairman　of　the　New　York　delegation；　came　to　me　and　said：　　〃You　must　be　drafted。　　The　chairman　will　create　some　business　to　give　you　fifteen　minutes　to　think　up　your　speech。〃　　I　spurred　my　gray　matter　as　never　before；　and　was　then　introduced　and　spoke　for　forty…five　minutes。　　I　was　past　eighty…two。　　The　speech　was　a　success；　but　when　I　returned　to　my　seat　I　remembered　what　General　Garfield　had　so　earnestly　said　to　me：　　〃You　are　the　only　man　of　national　reputation　who　will　speak　without　preparation。　　Unless　you　peremptorily　and　decisively　stop　yielding　you　will　some　day　make　such　a　failure　as　to　destroy　the　reputation　of　a　lifetime。〃

In　a　letter　President　Harding　has　this　to　say　in　reference　to　the　occasion：　　〃Just　about　a　year　ago　（1916）　it　was　my　privilege　as　chairman　of　the　Republican　convention　at　Chicago　to　call　upon　you　for　an　address。　　There　was　a　hiatus　which　called　for　a　speech；　and　you　so　wonderfully　met　the　difficult　requirements　that　I　sat　in　fascinated　admiration　and　have　been　ready　ever　since　to　pay　you　unstinted　tribute。　　You　were　ever　eloquent　in　your　more　active　years；　but　I　count　you　the　old　man　eloquent　and　incomparable　in　your　eighties。　　May　many　more　helpful　and　happy　years　be　yours。〃

I　was　again　a　delegate　to　the　convention　in　June；　1920。　　The　Republicans　had　been　for　eight　years　out　of　office　during　Mr。　Wilson's　two　terms。　　The　delegates　were　exceedingly　anxious　to　make　no　mistake　and　have　no　friction　in　the　campaign。

The　two　leading　candidates；　General　Wood　and　Governor　Lowden；　had　nearly　equal　strength　and　were　supported　by　most　enthusiastic　admirers　and　advocates。　　As　the　balloting　continued　the　rivalry　and　feeling　grew　between　their　friends。　　It　became　necessary　to　harmonize　the　situation　and　it　was　generally　believed　that　this　could　be　best　done　by　selecting　Senator　Warren　G。　Harding。

Very　few　conventions　have　a　dramatic　surprise；　but　the　nomination　of　Governor　Coolidge；　of　Massachusetts；　for　vice…president　came　about　in　a　very　picturesque　way。　　He　had　been　named　for　president　among　the　others；　and　the　speech　in　his　behalf　by　Speaker　Frederick　H。　Gillett　was　an　excellent　one。　　Somehow　the　convention　did　not　seem　to　grasp　all　that　the　governor　stood　for　and　how　strong　he　was　with　each　delegate。　　When　the　nominations　for　vice…president　were　called　for；　Senator　Medill　McCormick　presented　Senator　Lenroot；　of　Wisconsin；　in　an　excellent　speech。　　There　were　also　very　good　addresses　on　behalf　of　the　Governor　of　Kansas　and　others。

When　the　balloting　was　about　to　start；　a　delegate　from　Oregon　who　was　in　the　rear　of　the　hall　arose　and　said：　　〃Mr。　Chairman。〃　The　chairman　said：　　〃The　gentleman　from　Oregon。〃　　The　Oregon　delegate；　in　a　far…reaching　voice；　shouted：　　〃Mr。　Chairman；　I　nominate　for　vice…president　Calvin　Coolidge；　a　one…hundred…per…cent　American。〃　　The　convention　went　off　its　feet　with　a　whoop　and　Coolidge　was　nominated　hands　down。

I　again　had　a　personal　experience。　　The　committee　on　resolutions；　not　being　prepared　to　report；　there　was　that　interval　of　no　business　which　is　the　despair　of　presiding　officers　of　conventions。　The　crowd　suddenly　began　calling　for　me。　　While；　of　course；　I　had　thought　much　on　the　subject；　I　had　not　expected　to　be　called　upon　and　had　no　prepared　speech。　　Happily；　fifteen　thousand　faces　and　fifteen　thousand　voices　giving　uproarious　welcome　both　steadied　and　inspired　me。　　Though　I　was　past　eighty…six　years　of　age；　my　voice　was　in　as　good　condition　as　at　forty；　and　was　practically　the　only　one　which　did　fill　that　vast　auditorium。　　The　press　of　the　country　featured　the　effort　next　day　in　a　way　which　was　most　gratifying。

Among　the　thousands　who　greeted　me　on　the　streets　and　in　the　hotel　lobbies　with　congratulations　and　efforts　to　say　something　agreeable　and　complimentary；　I　selected　one　compliment　as　unique。　He　was　an　enthusiast。　　〃Chauncey　Depew；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　for　over　twenty　years　wanted　to　shake　hands　with　you。　　Your　speech　was　a　wonder。　　I　was　half　a　mile　off；　way　up　under　the　roof；　and　heard　every　word　of　it；　and　it　was　the　only　one　I　was　able　to　hear。　That　you　should　do　this　in　your　eighty…seventh　year　is　a　miracle。　But　then　my　father　was　a　miracle。　　On　his　eighty…fifth　birthday　he　was　in　just　as　good　shape　as　you　are　to…day；　and　a　week　afterwards　he　was　dead。〃



XXII。　　JOURNALISTS　AND　FINANCIERS

In　reminiscences　of　my　journalistic　friends　I　do　not　include　many　of　the　most　valued　who　are　still　living。　　Of　those　who　have　passed　away　one　of　the　most　faithful　and　devoted　was　Edward　H。　Butler；　editor　and　proprietor　of　the　Buffalo　Evening　News。

Mr。　Butler　began　at　the　bottom　as　a　newspaper　man　and　very　early　and　rapidly　climbed　to　the　top。　　He　secured　control　of　the　Evening　News　and　soon　made　one　of　the　most；　if　not　the　most；　widely　circulated；　influential；　and　prosperous　papers　of　western　New　York。　　Personally　and　through　his　paper　he　was　for　many　years　my　devoted　friend。　　To　those　he　loved　he　had　an　unbounded　fidelity　and　generosity。　　He　possessed　keen　insight　and　kept　thoroughly　abreast　of　public　affairs　was　a　journalist　of　high　order。

It　was　my　privilege　to　know　Charles　A。　Dana　very　well。　　I　first　met　him　when　he　was　on　the　New　York　Tribune　and　closely　allied　with　Horace　Greeley。　　He　made　the　New　York　Sun　one　of　the　brightest；　most　original；　and　most　quoted　newspapers　in　the　United　States。　His　high　culture；　wonderful　command　of　English；　and　refined　taste　gave　to　the　Sun　a　high　literary　position；　and　at　the　same　time　his　audacity　and　criticism　made　him　a　terror　to　those　with　whom　he　differed；　and　his　editorials　the　delight　of　a　reader。

Personally　Mr。　Dana　was　one　of　the　most　attractive　and　charming　of　men。　　As　assistant　secretary　of　war　during　Lincoln's　administration　he　came　in　intimate　contact　with　all　the　public　men　of　that　period；　and　as　a　journalist　his　study　was　invaded　and　he　received　most　graciously　men　and　women　famous　in　every　department　of　intellectual　activity。　　His　reminiscences　were　wonderful　and　his　characterizations　remarkable。　　He　might　have　published　an　autobiography　of　rare　value　and　interest。

When　the　elder　James　Gordon　Bennett　died　the　newspaper　world　recognized　the　loss　of　one　of　the　most　remarkable　and　successful　of　journalists　and　publishers。　　His　son　had　won　reputation　in　the　field　of　sport；　but　his　contemporaries　doubted　his　ability　to　maintain；　much　less　increase；　the　sphere　of　the　New　York　Herald。　But　young　Bennett　soon　displayed　rare　originality　and　enterprise。　He　made　his　newspaper　one　of　national　and　international　importance。　By　bringing　out　an　edition　in　Paris　he　conferred　a　boon　upon　Americans　abroad。　　For　many　years　there　was　little　news　from　the　United　States　in　foreign　newspapers；　but　Americans　crazy　for　news　from　home　found　it　in　the　Paris　edition　of　the　New　York　Herald。

Mr。　Bennett　was　a　good　friend　of　mine　for　half　a　century。　　He　was　delightful　compa