Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-05-06
ABOUT PRESIDENTS.
These August PersOnages Found to have Traits
in Common with Ordinary People.

How wonderfully like other men pres
idcnts are!" exclaimed far western law
yer to Washington correspondent of
the Indianapolis Journal correspondent.
4 was at the the white house," continued
he, for an hour early this morning, by
special appointment, and IN the course of
a talk of that length l cleaned a great
deal about the general trend of Mr.. CIeve-
lands mind. was surprised at the way
he talks. Why, after we talked over the
business we had to settle, the president
began talking about miscellaneous mat
tiers. Found him just like other men. He
cOnYerses about little things and domestic
and personal matters as freely and ordi
narily as frontier farmer"
OF all the many people and things Wis
ltors to the capital encounter none sur
prise or disappOint them so much as the
president. 1t seems to be the idea that
the president Is very extraordinary per-
SOnage-a man of wonderful magnetism,
strange appearance, and one who con-
verses upon only law politics and matters
of state. The great bulk of people who
see this officer for the first time are pre-
pared for visionary and consequently
nervous shock.
1t seems that it has seldom occurred to
those who know of the president of the
United States through the press that he
IS selected from the masses of the people;
that in nine instances out of ten he has
been out of the sloUghs of the most com
mon life but a few years, and often is
snatched from the most ordinary chan
nels of politics or business. The idea
that the presidents mind runs only on
the most dreadful things of the world and
dWells upon the very essence Of statesman
ship is bOsh.
Ordinarily president has less oppor-
tunlty to give to hard study of statesmanic
matters than some of the minor officials
of the government The mind of the
president dwels more furtiveIy upon state
smanship and more at length upou poll
tics than that of any of the important
officers of the government. The lengthy
decIsOus evolving from the executive
mansion upon the serious problems of
life Ond especially the grave questions
OF craftsmanship come through the in
SplratIOn of the cObinet officers, and in
the great maJOrlOy of cases they get their
basis and inspiration from the unimpor-
tant officers under them. understand
that the last three presidents secured their
great decisions upon foreign matters
after consultation with an old official who
doesen't draw very large salary in the
department of state; that tee wise proc
lamation regarding shipping interests
customs, and foreign trade came from
the chief of division in the treasury de-
partment, and that the knOtty questions
touching upon the pUblis domain, indians
and the necessity for operations of the
army were Strengthened out by an army
afficer on the retired list. Furthermore.
that, IN nearly every instance these men
wrote out he documents, and they we're
signed, without amendment by the presi-
dent.
This goes to show that, even with the
president of the United States, one can
not place the credit for wise express
ION upon any matter he may instruct the
people upon. THE deep research and
the bright wisdom are made and prepared
by those who have time and opportunity
to think as one of them put it the other
day.
AS the title of the office of president i'm
plies, 1t Is an executive position. pres
1dent, to be wise and satisfactory, must
nave extraordinary executive ability; then
with good counsel, able cabinet officers
he Will be success. The very work of a
president makes him common man. He
assumes to arbItrate or dictate the petty
political affairs of the whole country. so
Tar as they relate to the federal offices.
He could not give much thought to mat
tiers requiring investigation if he wanted
TO. 80 long as the functions of the Dresi-
dent are administered as at present there
need be no fear of imperialism or the
drifting away of the chief executive from
the people, and so long as the Office re-
qu1res so much contact with all classes of
people there will not be much seriousness
on the part of the president, and the
character of that officer will continue to
surprise those who have not met him. The
Office Is now and long has been one of ex
ecutlVe demands and powers only. and the
undercurrent has been with under Off
cials.
President Cleveland is FREQUENTLY lilyen-
ed to President Lincoln in one particular.
He often drops, in his conversation. from
the most sublime subject to the friyol
Gus things which go to make up the de-
tails of ordinary life Since president
Cleveland was over in MARYLAND, a week
or two ago, to eat canvas back ducks and
drink old stock wines from the cellar of a
personal friend, he is just as likely to run
on after dogs and fishing tackle, am
tod by those who visit him almost daily,
as he Is to stick to the solid subject of
conversation.
just now the president is anticipating
with remarkable interest his prospective
summer vacation. He thinks he is going
TO have complete rest out at the Soldiers
nome, north OF the city, and talks of all
sorts of things that will amuse him there
Just like the school boy or girl looks
forward to the last day of school. The
president expects to get away from office
seekerf and to see new scenes. Mr.. Cleve-
land enjoys good fish story or yarn
about duck shooting, and has of late been
lndulging in that pastime. One would
scarcely believe it when the weight of
congress is resting so heavily upon the
executive mansion
UnoIo po,,,,o,-., Cu..