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Show E THE M'KINLEY INTERVIEW. H In his recont speech on the proposed tariff H; law, Sonalor Sutherland spoke of William H McKinloy as tho "gontlost and best beloved of H Presidents"; and it reminded mo: Q Along in January, 1897, Mr. McKinJey, pres- H idont-oloct, came Lo Chicago on his way west, H as Iromombor it, and the nowspapors wore fov- H orishly anxious for an interview with him. H Jimmy Connoll, Jimmy Holland, Bob Boylan, ono H other man and myself wore sent to South Chi- H oago to moot Mr. McKinloy's train and got a talk. The echoes of that exciting 189G election H had scarcely diod away. Wo all know tho con- I ditions that had existed, and tho evidences of H industrial and commercial revival already to be H soon. We had seen a loccssion of ten thous- M and men march down State street yelling: "We I want workl" And wo had seen the breadline at H. II. Kohlsaat's bakeries night after night-soon night-soon them come hungry and go away filled, until un-til tho spectaclo had lost tho power to startle. McKinloy's election had boon won on tho pledge that tho period of industrial paralysis would pass, and that prosperity would come. And we know that tho promise already was being redeemed, re-deemed, although inauguration was still months away in the future. Wo boarded his train when it pulled up before be-fore the shabby little South Chicago station, and some guardian of his car carried in our cards. Mr. McKinloy funny, by tho way, but wo still called him "Major" sent word that wo wore to como in at once. Ho was in a sort of combination car, with half of it devotod to tho usual sleeping arrangement, and half to buffet or dining purposes. He was sitting in one of the sections, with a tablo before him, and a heap of papers so high they were disturbed in his rising. Some of us he remembered, for he was a genius against forgetting; and the. others he greeted with that perfect cordiality which bred love and faith and loyalty in every one who clasped his hand. We told him what wo wanted, began that inevitable firing of questions at him but ho ' stopped us. "Boys," he said and his voice was gentle as his smile "you see the correspondence I must get through. I am awfully busy. Now, you' know me, and I know most of you. I am going to trust you. What is my present viow of conditions in the nation? Well" we were passing the big plant of the Illinois Steel works, its tall stacks emitting smoke for tho first time in more than three years. "Well, that is my viow. Tho last time I passod here that plant was idle. The place is humming with well paid industry today. Boys" and he loanod forward with a most winning smile "go on and mako your interview. I am not afraid you will misquote mis-quote mo. And oxouso mo. Will you?" Why, if ho had asked us to uncouple his car and haul it up to tho lake front, wo would have done it. Wo shook hands with him again, laughed with him at the humor of tho situation, wishod him good luck from tho bottom our hearts, and battod into the next oar. A glance .back as we passod tho door saw the Major elbow el-bow deep in his letters, saw him dictating, directing, di-recting, listening keeping forward the march of that prosperity his election had ushored in. Wo talked it over. Tho aftornoon papers might have carried ono story, and tho morning papers another. Good faith to tho man who had trusted us demanded that, so far as that interview on tho train was concerned, our stories stor-ies must in tho main bo alike. Newspaper rivalry riv-alry was lost in loyalty to tho work-burdened man who had put us upon our honor. So, when tho train halted at Twelfth street wo wore still dobating as to tho things we should say. I think it was Holland who solved tho problem. Ho led us to tho Auditorium Annex, An-nex, a little way down Michigan boulevard, and there in the buffet he stood us up in a lino and counted some Irish gibberish our us, much like the "Eany, Moony, Miny, Mo" of childish games, and declared I was "it." I had to watch whilo they took a drink of Amos' serving, and then I 'iad to toll them what Major McKinloy would have said. Looking back from this day, there is something some-thing of sacrilege in it. But with tho man living lately with us, with tho issues of tho campaign fresh in our minds, with the .triumph of llis cause already abundantly assurod, and with the fervent hope lo utter sentiments that would not discredit him I essayed tho task. Thoro were Republican and Democratic and Independent papers represented in that room, i and each took what he wantod, and omitted what he knew would not get past his city editor. But the essentials woro preserved by all, and that appeal from Philip drunk to Philip sober from industrial paralysis to industrial prosperity pros-perity as shown in the Iillinois Steel company's plant, was made the framework, the core and convincing element in our story. My own version, written from momory after I roachod tho office, was in lino with theirs. Days aftorward I mot Mr. Kohlsaat, owner of my papor, ana ho told me Major McKinloy had related to him tho circumstances of that "interview," "in-terview," on the train, and paid a welcome compliment to tho Chicago newspapermen who had so loyally kept faith with him. I havo lost track of all of them the boys who wero present at that time, but wherever thoy are I know thoy cherish with pleasure the momory of a day when they did a service to ono of Nature's Noblemon "tho gontlost and best beloved of Presidents." |