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he may give trouble.
I asked what legislation he thought should be enacted during the next two years.
He mentioned a national primary law, and a law prohibiting a second term. I was in
hopes he had forgotten that. He was also full of his plan of "stabilizing" as he
terms it, the prices of railroad securities, both stocks and bonds.
When I mentioned these things to the President he said we could reach the
army increase in a way probably that would not excite criticism, and that Mr.
Bryan was unreasonable in his views in regard thereto. He thought Mr. Bryan had
mentioned the second term matter for his benefit, knowing I would repeat it, but
he expressed the opinion that he, Bryan, would not mention the subject directly to
him. As to a primary law, the President and I discussed that thoroughly. We
agreed that it was a most difficult thing to satisfactorily bring about.
I gave him my experience in Texas. How little the campaigns cost under the
old law, and how much they had increased under the primary system, so that no one
excepting a rich man or one backed by riches, could afford to run for Governor. Cul-
berson's campaign which I managed, cost only $1400.00 while the aggregate campaigns
of all the candidates in Texas under the primary system would perhaps be well over
$100,000.
I advised the President to let Bryan direct and take charge of the primary
bill. I thought he would get as tangled in it as a fly in molasses. I told him
not to help him out, but to encourage him to go on, and I gave it as my opinion
that the very fact that Bryan was the Administration's sponsor for the measure,
would certainly kill it. I think he liked this advice and no doubt will accept
it.
As to the railroad stabilizing plan, he thought it was quite like Bryan's im-
practicability.
He read me a letter from Walter Page in which Page gave an account of
an interview Colonel Squiers, our Military Attach�, had with Lord Kitchener.
Kitchener sent for him, and it was intimated that he should come in full dress,
| Title | ms_0466_s2_v2_219 |
| Transcript | he may give trouble. I asked what legislation he thought should be enacted during the next two years. He mentioned a national primary law, and a law prohibiting a second term. I was in hopes he had forgotten that. He was also full of his plan of "stabilizing" as he terms it, the prices of railroad securities, both stocks and bonds. When I mentioned these things to the President he said we could reach the army increase in a way probably that would not excite criticism, and that Mr. Bryan was unreasonable in his views in regard thereto. He thought Mr. Bryan had mentioned the second term matter for his benefit, knowing I would repeat it, but he expressed the opinion that he, Bryan, would not mention the subject directly to him. As to a primary law, the President and I discussed that thoroughly. We agreed that it was a most difficult thing to satisfactorily bring about. I gave him my experience in Texas. How little the campaigns cost under the old law, and how much they had increased under the primary system, so that no one excepting a rich man or one backed by riches, could afford to run for Governor. Cul- berson's campaign which I managed, cost only $1400.00 while the aggregate campaigns of all the candidates in Texas under the primary system would perhaps be well over $100,000. I advised the President to let Bryan direct and take charge of the primary bill. I thought he would get as tangled in it as a fly in molasses. I told him not to help him out, but to encourage him to go on, and I gave it as my opinion that the very fact that Bryan was the Administration's sponsor for the measure, would certainly kill it. I think he liked this advice and no doubt will accept it. As to the railroad stabilizing plan, he thought it was quite like Bryan's im- practicability. He read me a letter from Walter Page in which Page gave an account of an interview Colonel Squiers, our Military Attach�, had with Lord Kitchener. Kitchener sent for him, and it was intimated that he should come in full dress, |
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