228 POLITICAL LIFE-XI 



that not one of us was a member of the Civil Service 

 League; that not one of us had taken any part in its de 

 liberations ; and that we could not, therefore, be made re 

 sponsible in any way for its utterances. The President 

 now became somewhat more genial, though he did not 

 ask us to be seated, alluding in a pungent but good-na 

 tured way to the zeal for reform shown by Mr. Roosevelt, 

 who was standing by, and closing in considerably better 

 humor than he had begun. Although I cannot say that I 

 was greatly pleased with his treatment of the committee, 

 I remembered that, although courtesy was not generally 

 considered his strong point, he was known to possess 

 many sterling qualities, and I felt bound to allow that his 

 speech revealed a man of strength and honest purpose. 

 All of us, even Mr. Eoosevelt and Senator Lodge, came 

 away believing that good had been done, and that the 

 President, before his term of office had expired, would do 

 what he could in the right direction ; and I am glad to say 

 that this expectation was fulfilled. 



