“You’re a New Yorker and think of nothing but business and dollars.  That is the way with New Yorkers; they care nothing for the dignity and honor of the Republic,” said his Excellency.

“Mr. President, I am one of the men in the United States who would profit most by war; it might throw millions into my pockets as the largest manufacturer of steel.”

“Well, that is probably true in your case; I had forgotten.”

“Mr. President, if I were going to fight, I would take some one of my size.”

“Well, would you let any nation insult and dishonor you because of its size?”

“Mr. President, no man can dishonor me except myself.  Honor wounds must be self-inflicted.”

“You see our sailors were attacked on shore and two of them killed, and you would stand that?” he asked.

“Mr. President, I do not think the United States dishonored every time a row among drunken sailors takes place; besides, these were not American sailors at all; they were foreigners, as you see by their names.  I would be disposed to cashier the captain of that ship for allowing the sailors to go on shore when there was rioting in the town and the public peace had been already disturbed.”

The discussion continued until we had finally reached the door of the White House in the dark.  The President told me he had an engagement to dine out that night, but invited me to dine with him the next evening, when, as he said, there would be only the family and we could talk.

“I am greatly honored and shall be with you to-morrow evening,” I said.  And so we parted.

The next morning I went over to see Mr. Blaine, then Secretary of State.  He rose from his seat and held out both hands.

“Oh, why weren’t you dining with us last night?  When the President told Mrs. Blaine that you were in town, she said:  ’Just think, Mr. Carnegie is in town and I had a vacant seat here he could have occupied.’”

“Well, Mr. Blaine, I think it is rather fortunate that I have not seen you,” I replied; and I then told him what had occurred with the President.

“Yes,” he said, “it really was fortunate.  The President might have thought you and I were in collusion.”

Senator Elkins, of West Virginia, a bosom friend of Mr. Blaine, and also a very good friend of the President, happened to come in, and he said he had seen the President, who told him that he had had a talk with me upon the Chilian affair last evening and that I had come down hot upon the subject.

“Well, Mr. President,” said Senator Elkins, “it is not probable that Mr. Carnegie would speak as plainly to you as he would to me.  He feels very keenly, but he would naturally be somewhat reserved in talking to you.”

The President replied:  “I didn’t see the slightest indication of reserve, I assure you.”

The matter was adjusted, thanks to the peace policy characteristic of Mr. Blaine.  More than once he kept the United States out of foreign trouble as I personally knew.  The reputation that he had of being an aggressive American really enabled that great man to make concessions which, made by another, might not have been readily accepted by the people.