TO EDWARD M. HOUSE

Washington, December 13, 1912

My dear Mr. House,—­Another suggestion as to the Attorney Generalship. ...  Have you ever heard of John H. Wigmore who is now Dean of the Law Department of the Northwestern University?  He is one of the most remarkable men in our country. ...  He has written the greatest law book produced in this country in half a century, Wigmore on evidence, besides several minor works.  There is no lawyer at the American bar who is not familiar with his name and his work. ...

...  Wigmore is a Progressive democrat with a capital P. and a small d; can give reason for his faith based on his philosophy of government.  He has national vision and has rare good common sense.  The man who can write a good law book is rarely one who would make a good lobbyist, although Judah P. Benjamin was this sort of genius.  So with Wigmore.  He is practical, wise, in the sense that this word is used by the boys on the street; knows men and knows how to deal with them; never lets theory get the better of judgment; commands as much respect for his strength as for his reasonableness; has the enthusiasm of a boy for all good things; and has infinite capacity for hard work; can say “No” without developing personal bitterness; and is above all a gentleman in face, manner, and nature.  All this I have said with enthusiasm, but every word of it is true.  I have known him for thirty years. ...

He would not thank me for writing this letter, I know.  The only way he could be had to serve would be by persuading him that he is absolutely needed. ...

You have brought this long letter upon your own head by the gracious nature of your invitation to me to advise with you.  Very truly yours,

FRANKLIN K. LANE

TO BENJAMIN IDE WHEELER PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

Washington, December 23, 1912

Dear Dr. Wheeler,—­What you say regarding the President-to-be is extremely interesting.  That he is headstrong, arbitrary, and positive, his friends admit.  These are real virtues in this day of slackness and sloppiness.  I have just returned from New York where I have talked with McAdoo and House who are extremely close to him, and advising him regarding his Cabinet, and they tell me he is a most satisfactory man to deal with.  He listens quite patiently and makes up his mind, and then “stays put.”  His Cabinet will be his advisers but no one will control him.

I heard him make that speech at the Southern Society dinner, which was really much larger than the audience could understand.  It was a presentation of the theory that the thought of the nation determined its destiny and that we could only have prosperity if our ideal was one of honor.  His warning to Wall Street, that an artificial panic should not be created, was done in a most impressive way. ...